Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) are the future of lighting. Born out of the semi-conductor industry, LEDs started in the automative (such as brake lights), industrial (such as stop lights and exit signs), and marine industries. But they are now hitting their strides in residential and commercial building applications, including recessed, undercabinet/strip, walkway, cove, and other places.
LEDs have clear benefits:
- Extreme energy savings--using up to 80% less energy than incandescent lights and 15% less than fluorescents
- Extremely long lifespans--averaging 40,000 hours and as long as 100,000 hours. This rating how long before the light emits 75% of its original output--not until the time it burns out. So how long is that? Well, if you have a light on 8 hours a day every day, 50,000 hours equates to 17 years!
- Solid state construction means no moving parts or gasses to burn out. So, they are more durable.
- No mercury or other hazardous chemicals. So you don't have to worry about special recycling of old bulbs or what to do if they break.
- Extremely high efficacy--which is a measure of the quality of the light, not just the efficiency--so you get really beautiful light output.
