LED Lighting



Thinking about Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs)?

LED lighting products are entering the market in both interior and exterior applications, from spot lighting to general area lighting.  If properly designed, these products can provide significant energy and maintenance saving opportunities. They are best suited for areas with long operating hours as well as areas that present distinct maintenance or control challenges.  When evaluating a potential product for use within your facility, it is important to research the product that you are considering, as product quality can vary.  While LED light sources have very high rated lifetimes (often over 50,000 hours), an LED light source’s longevity and performance will depend on the specific fixture design. For example, LED thermal management (dissipation of heat) is very important for LED performance and can be affected significantly by fixture design.

LED product innovation is moving quickly. Finding products that have been independently tested and qualified according to a quality specification is important.  Even new players in the market are beginning to realize the advantages of getting their products rated.  When researching a product, start by checking the qualified products lists at the Energy Star Lighting Equipment website and the Design Light Consortium site.  These product lists are updated regularly and cover a wide variety of lighting product types, from LED light bulbs and track fixtures to outdoor parking fixtures and wall packs. The websites are located at:
Energy Star Be sure to check under both the Bulb and Luminaire sections  
Design light Consortium 

If the product that you are interested in is not found on either of the lists, ask the manufacturer if they anticipate the product being listed or if they have other products currently listed. You can also ask the manufacturer if they have had an independent LM79 test performed, but note that an independent test report does not necessarily mean that they have met a specified performance level.

This Green Tip was submitted by Alex Alzugaray, member of the BOMA OEB Environment Committee.