In your opinion, why is LED technology so different?
LED lights stands for Light Emitting Diodes. How it works is that it is electronically illuminated unlike previous light inventions such as the Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) or to backdate even further to its predecessor – the Thomas Edison incandescent light bulb. These older bulb-technology require heat and gas for illumination. The gases are commonly phosphorus, mercury or argon gas which are often harzadous to the environment.
How much energy can LED bulbs save?
Halogen lights are notorious for consuming extremely high electricity. A standard halogen bulb for a household could be almost 50watt, whereas, an LED bulb can illuminate to the same brightness at only 5watt. If you do the math, that is already 90 % over savings!
Would consumers really benefit from the usage of LED technology?
LED light bulbs have a much longer life span than its predecessors. It saves energy and on the plus side, it does not emit so much heat which reduces the overall energy usage in homes or workspaces significantly especially when it comes to air conditioning.
Fun fact, traditional light bulbs are constantly flickering at a very high frequency that our eyes are unable to detect. These flickering lights do have a negative impact to our eyes. Some may suffer from terrible eye strain, blurred vision, and in worse cases – migraines and nausea. Hence, LED lights which are known to not flicker are better for the eyes. So, the next time you encounter discomfort with your eyes, you could deduce your CFL bulbs to be the culprit.
Do colours of light play a role in brightening up a space?
Yes, of course they do! However, it really depends on your personal preference. For those who are looking for a way to create a cozy environment, 3000k or warm light would be the best. When it comes to the reading, dining and living room area, it is safe to go with a 4000-4500k which is also commonly known as Natural White or Cool Day Light in lighting terms. This range of light really lives up to its name, as its colour is the closest to that of the sunlight and is most comfortable for the eyes.
Are bright lights the best lights?
When it comes to lighting up a space, it is common to see the 6000k Pure White bulbs being used probably because fluorescent bulbs in the earlier days were only available in 6000k. The pros of these lights are that it could light up a room, but its brightness could also bring a ‘sanitised’ colour tonality which may be more suitable for pharmacies or hospitals. A quick fix for bright lights is to install a dimmer for these LED lights. LED lights are dimmable and how low it can be dimmed depends solely on the quality of the driver.
Would you say that LED technology is the way of the future?
It is the beginning for greater technological advancements for the industry. Many would think that LED technology would burn a hole in their pockets but the actual truth is that this technology has become affordable that it could be almost the same price as traditional lights.
In terms of advancement, we are entering the next phase in LED technology which is its seamless integration with the Internet of Things (IOT). With such merger of technologies, users can now brighten up or dim down the lighting of a space with just a tap on any smart device wherever they are and whenever they want to. Imagine the convenience it brings!
Does LED technology have a role in the development of smart cities?
Lately, there has been a lot of buzz about ‘Smart Cities’ and the potential it brings when it comes to saving immense amounts of energy. It’s a great idea and I would say that the initial step to get the ball rolling would be through the implementation of LED street lights as it is the easiest asset to convert. The interesting thing about smart city technology is that these streetlights would be able to adjust its brightness based on motion or sound detection. This works especially well when there is minimal traffic during the wee hours in the morning.
