Total Lighting - March 2016

Another
five years
Stuart Dixon, head of sales at Easilume
looks to an LED-shaped future
The lighting industry has changed almost
beyond recognition in the last few years.
The trade and technology, which many
contractors learned as apprentices, now presents
a series of new challenges and legal requirements.
And more changes are in store. Technology
advances, legislation changes, and expectations
rise. EU regulations mean incandescent lights are
no longer available. Halogen will be phased out
by 2018.
So what will take their place? LED is the answer.
It’s the only light source that is up to the task. New
markets are opening up opportunities to develop
lighting systems using smart technology in homes
and commercial premises.
Efficient and economical
The issues of carbon emissions, energy efficiency,
and economy are high on everyone’s agenda.
Incandescent lamps are impossible to get, and
halogens are following in a couple of years.
Decision makers have to find new ways to
lower energy consumption, reduce their carbon
footprint, and if possible, improve performance.
LEDs are the logical answer. And they are practical
in any setting - commercial, industrial, public,
private, or domestic.
Although the initial cost of fittings is higher, the
overall operating cost is much lower. LEDs deliver
more lumens for fewer watts, and can save up to 90
per cent on energy bills – so that’s more light for
less money. With a projected life of up to 100,000
hours, quality LED lamps last many times the
life of fluorescent or halogen lights. This reduces
costs, not simply for replacement lamps, but also
in the expensive time and disruption involved
when replacing lamps in inaccessible fittings - for
example 15 metres above a factory floor.
Smart buildings
Technology doesn’t stand still. The more it
advances, the more we want from it. So a mobile
phone that makes calls has now evolved into a
powerful tool, which can control many aspects
of work and leisure time. And that includes the
lighting in our homes and workplaces.
Since their introduction, LEDs have developed.
The quality and colour of the light has improved,
and initial comments that the light was too blue,
or cold, have been overcome by introducing lower
colour temperatures, from 2700K – 4000K, which
give a warmer and more natural light.
It’s now possible to choose which colour is most
suitable for each situation. In offices, flickering
fluorescent lights have been recognised as a
health hazard for years, associated with eyestrain,
headaches, and even myopia.
LED light can be adjusted to be closer to natural
22 • MARCH 2016 • www.total-lighting.com