Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) are a well-known favourite of interior designers across the land for their versatility and funky modern feel. But is the movement towards LEDs in the home a case of good looks over-riding good personality?
At first glance, maybe. LED’s have been used for display purposes for years – indicating something cutting edge and ‘cool’. Maybe it’s that characteristic alone that causes us to bring them into our homes. We live in an age obsessed by appearance and an LED can bring a bit of glamour into our humdrum domestic environment. Its illumination can help us to mimic the ‘show home’ look and the very price of them can help to demonstrate our affluence to others.
But there is more to LED domestic lighting than meets the eye. Underneath the glitz and the glamour is something of substance and integrity. LEDs are reputed to be at least three times more expensive than traditional incandescent and fluorescent lighting systems, but they are also reputed to last twenty times longer. While initial outlay is more significant, they pay for themselves many times over – in both their longevity and their running efficiency. They use less power, need less maintenance and need replacing less often.
They are also smaller – requiring fewer raw materials to make, less room to store and enabling a wider choice of locations for placement – as even the smallest orifice can hold illumination. In smaller domiciles where space is at a premium, LEDs can be particularly effective.
For electrical contractors choosing a lighting solution for a new build or renovation project, using efficient lighting sources like LEDs can contribute in real terms to the energy efficiency of the whole building. This is particularly useful when considering the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive 2002/91/EC – which requires buildings being significantly renovated and those being rented or sold, to have a certificate detailing the energy performance of the property against local targets. Having energy efficient lighting means a building stands a better chance of meeting those targets and of obtaining positive certification.
In safety terms, LEDs would also seem to bring installation enhancements. LED’s don’t ‘blow’ like traditional incandescent bulbs. They fail gradually over time giving the resident ample warning that they need replacing - and as they are usually displayed in an array (rather than individually) you can easily tell if the power is on or not when you come to change them – reducing risk of electric shock. Additionally, they present less of a hazard than some other lighting solutions because they are powered by a lower voltage (which inherently is less risky) and do not emit UV or infrared radiation – which are thought by some scientists to be hazardous to health.
The fact that LEDs have so many lighting uses means that potentially the whole of the EN60598 luminaire Standard series can be applied to them - as they appear in different guises. This in turn means that manufacturers are having to conduct the widest range of tests possible on the product to examine the risks from all the variable applications as they must be safe in all forms and configurations.
So in answer to our question, LEDs have both good looks and good personality and one is not being sacrificed for the other. Evidence suggests that LED lighting technology is long lasting, energy efficient, safe… and pretty. They combine aesthetics with common sense and durability and as such it’s no wonder that they are becoming much more widely used in the domestic environment.