LED lighting is fast becoming the best solution for a wide variety of outdoor lighting applications. The reasons are simple: LEDs are the most energy efficient lighting on the market by far, they have the longest lifespan (and associated product warranties) by 2-10 times over the nearest competing technology, and they produce a very high-quality light with a wide range of color characteristics. They are small, steady-state lights which means they don’t present the breaking or recycling issues common with legacy lighting technology. Perhaps the only downside is that they’re not the cheapest technology on the market. That said, the price continues to come down and a smart investor will recognize right away that the energy savings and a lifespan that could be an order of magnitude (10 times) longer than a traditional bulb is easily worth the investment. You get what you pay for after all.
- Better light: LEDs are a “brighter” white than traditional halide lamps, helping better illuminate streets, sidewalks, buildings and parking lots.
- Longer life: LEDs, depending on their usage, can last up to 200,000 hours.
- Energy savings: In a recent LED Lighting retrofit project, by replacing just 25 fixtures, they reduced their lighting energy consumption by 78%.
- Instant on: Most traditional outdoor lighting takes time to warm up and achieve full brightness. This can prove more difficult when used in cold, outdoor lighting environments. LED lighting does not rely on heat to operate, and therefore rabidly illuminate regardless of temperature.
- Durability: Unlike other outdoor lighting, LEDs are manufactured with durable materials such as plastic, not glass. They can handle harsh weather condition much better than traditional bulbs.
- Flexibility: You can find outdoor LED lighting in various forms; parking lot lighting, wall pack, garages, pathway and street lighting, and more.
One of the most important applications for high quality outdoor lighting are outdoor parking lots. Parking lots present three major obstacles for real estate organizations and facility managers. First, your parking lot needs to be well illuminated to present a welcoming and safe atmosphere for tenants and customers. The type and performance of the lighting used in your parking lot typically sets the tone regarding safety and professionalism for the building at large. We refer to this general characteristic as lighting quality. Second, your parking lot lights need to be as energy efficient as possible because they typically operate from dusk to dawn. Third, maximizing luminaire lifespan is important because hiring labor and/or keeping staff on board to routinely change bulbs and ballast can become very costly. Primarily for these three reasons it is important to install the best combination of energy efficient, long lifespan, and high quality when choosing a lighting solution. LED lights are the 21st century answer to all three problems.
Additionally, wall pack lighting is an extremely important component to your outdoor lighting system. This type of exterior lighting is generally used to provide illumination to areas for vehicles and pedestrians use, as well as for security purposes. It is not uncommon to see multiple fixtures mounted on a single building or wall, with the fixture spacing designed to provide lighting at the ground level around the exterior of a building. Among other benefits like reduced energy consumption, LEDs can also help you dramatically reduce the maintenance on wall pack lighting as well. The reason for this is the way LEDs generate light and how they progress their functional life compared to traditional HID lamps. Instead of ceasing to function once a fuel source is reduced, LED light output degrades very slowly over time. As a result the functional life (often in excess of 100,000 hours) of an LED product can be significantly longer than that of an HID Lamp. Longer lifespan means less changing bulbs and ballasts, and therefore less maintenance.
Parking garages are very similar to outdoor parking lots with one obvious difference, they have a ceiling. Luminaires are no longer mounted on a pole but otherwise the same major considerations for outdoor parking lot lighting apply. That is, patrons looking to retrofit or convert parking garage lighting are typically interested in reducing energy costs, reducing maintenance costs, and improving lighting
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