LED Lighting

LEDs are most well known for their extremely long life and energy efficiency. LED useful life is based on the number of operating hours until the LED is emitting 70% of its initial light output. Top quality LEDs in well-designed fixtures are expected to have a useful life of 30,000 to 50,000 hours, significantly higher than the 1,000 hours for a typical incandescent bulb and 8,000 to 10,000 hours for a comparable CFL. LEDs usually don’t “burn out” like incandescent bulbs do.  Instead, they get progressively dimmer over time. This can be helpful in critical lighting areas. They also tend to use less than one-sixth as much energy as their incandescent or halogen counterparts, and 2-3 times less than most CFLs.

 

Commercial customers may consider LEDs enhanced durability to be a plus, especially in areas prone to vibration or other stresses. LEDs are generally dimmable, providing yet another advantage over standard CFLs. One last potential consideration is that LEDs do not emit any UV or IR radiation and are therefore very well suited to applications like retail stores, art galleries, and museums,  where these emissions can cause damage or fading.