LED Commercial Lighting for Energy Efficiency
How to cut your overhead cost by changing something as simple as a light bulb.
Today I’m going to talk a bit about the type of bulbs that are on the market right now.
There are benefits from moving away from traditional bulbs such as fluorescent which can cause not only high electric bills but also health issues.
Let’s break down the different bulbs and their pro’s and con’s real quick.
Fluorescent – what is a fluorescent bulb? A fluorescent lamp or a fluorescent tube is a low pressure mercury-vapor gas-discharge lamp that uses fluorescence to produce visible light. An electric current in the gas excites mercury vapor which produces short-wave ultraviolet light that then causes a phosphor coating on the inside of the lamp to glow.
The pro’s:
- Cost saving – the price of bulbs in bulk
- Long light life – they usually last about 10,000 hours
The con’s:
- They contain mercury – though it is a small amount it can be poisonous and there are guidelines to disposing of broken bulbs.
- The initial set up cost can be 3 times higher that of other lighting options.
- Fluorescent bulbs can cause migraines and fatigue.
CFL bulbs – What is a CFL bulb? A compact fluorescent lamp, also called compact fluorescent light, energy-saving light, and compact fluorescent tube, is a fluorescent lamp designed to replace an incandescent light bulb; some types fit into light fixtures designed for incandescent bulbs.
The pro’s:
- CFL bulbs use 90% less energy then incandescent bulbs.
- They reduce carbon emissions by changing over to CFLs. Just one bulb can reduce a half-ton of CO2 from the atmosphere over the life of the bulb.
- They can be found in almost any shape or size.
The con’s:
- They are supposed to last around 10,000 hours but if they are turned on and off a lot they burn out much faster.
- While you can buy 3 way CFL bulbs to work on dimmer switches they cost much more than the basic CFL bulb.
- They also contain mercury which is fine for when the light is in use but if it breaks the powder substance inside can be very dangerous.
LED Bulbs – What are LED bulbs? An LED lamp is a light-emitting diode (LED) product which is assembled into a lamp (or light bulb) for use in lighting fixtures.
The pro’s:
- Long life – the estimated life of a LED bulb range 35,000 to 50,000 hours.
- They run at a very low heat level so they are the most energy-efficient bulb on the market.
- They are not made of glass so they are more durable than fluorescent and CFL’s.
The con’s:
- The cost per bulb is higher than traditional lighting.
- Most LED’s will have to be retrofitted to your existing light fixture.
These are just some of the facts about the different lighting. A lot of companies whether it be offices or warehouses are moving away from fluorescent bulbs and updating their lighting systems with newer energy-efficient bulbs.
Do your research and find out what would be best for your business.
If you need help with this decision or changing your lighting fixtures or replacing your bulbs please contact Enviro USA at 866-564-1414









