LED luminaires are the lighting choice of the future and have taken over the aura of inevitability. The lighting industry has changed over the course of few years, all because of LED lights. By now it is apparent that LED lights offer plenty of benefits; ranging from reduced electricity costs, long lifespan, and environmental safety to reliability and lower maintenance costs. However, all these benefits are known and have steered industries to adopt LED lights as the default lighting choice.
These semi-conductors are lighting up skyscrapers, airports, malls, retail stores and every possible public and industrial space. Besides the known benefits, LEDs can also be controlled by sensors and through an intelligent network to automate the lighting process. In outdoor spaces, LED street lights, flood lights, landscape lights facilitate all public places effectively and efficiently.
So, while the benefits of LED lights are typically outlined regarding energy efficiency, there are other lesser known advantages to using LED Luminaires.
Bird Migration and Light Pollution
Light pollution is becoming an increasing cause of concern for scientists. It threatens wildlife by disrupting biological rhythms. The luminous orange glow that haloes over metropolises have been interfering with the behavior of birds to navigate during their migration season.
Urban areas like New York have been directed by the government to switch or dim building lights at night to help migrating birds navigate in spring and autumn seasons. By turning off lights during the natural migration seasons, birds can follow their natural course and avoid the fatal light attraction – a phenomenon that makes birds disoriented by electric lights and cause them to crash into buildings.
The long wavelengths of light (red, yellow and orange) which are greater than 600nm can affect the ability of birds to navigate. Bright conventional lighting systems emit more considerable proportion of red light which is above 600nm. Birds can perceive the near ultraviolet part of the light spectrum (the wavelength of 320-400 nm) to navigate.
How can LED Lights help?
Street lights and flood lights based on conventional lighting solutions cannot match the precision and dimmability of LED luminaires. Since LED lights are focused, the amount of light spilled over is less. The distribution of light from LEDs allows for precise control which can highlight architecture and buildings without illuminating the night sky. The excessive amount of light at night can disturb normal circadian rhythms, affect migration of birds and is also a wastage of resources.
Solid-state devices –
LED luminaires can be automated and controlled by facility managers. LED lights can be integrated with IoT (Internet of Things) over a network enabling the facility managers a remote access based control. LED lights can be dimmed and turned off remotely which can shift from short to long wavelengths of light. The change in wavelengths will alter color temperatures of LED luminaires which will eventually assist the birds to navigate. LEDs emit more blue light than conventional lighting systems, and all the light is emitted within the visible spectrum. Since LEDs can be dimmed; the need to completely turn off exterior lighting can be eliminated.
Four components of light pollution –
- Urban Sky Glow – The brightening of night sky
- Light Trespass – Light falling on areas where it is not wanted, needed or intended.
- Glare – Excessive brightness that causes visual discomfort and decreases visibility
- Clutter – Confusing, bright and excessive grouping of light sources; found in overly lit urban areas.
The proliferation of the components mentioned above contributes highly to light pollution. Using LED street light instead of conventional lighting solution will reduce light trespass and glare. A study by Optical Society shows LED luminaires have a high optical frequency, high optical utilization factor, illuminates’ streets with high uniformity and has low glare.
Skyline LED Street Light by Wipro is designed with aluminum pressured die-cast housing parts for long life. With IP66 protection and best-in-class LED chips, it is the preferred lighting fixture for road lighting. The inbuilt electronic driver and toughened glass ensure minimal glare. LED street lights can also be controlled on a network when integrated with IoT. Since automation is a bigger part of the LED picture; they are the desired lighting solutions for all public applications.
Control Options
Previously during the era of conventional lighting, changing the colors of lights on a building would require multiple workers to climb a building and change out filters. Not only the process was expensive, but it was time-consuming as well. Flood lights illuminating the façade, columns and more could not be changed quickly, and their output remained constant. With LED-based luminaires and remote-control access, the entire exterior of a building can be altered with just a touch of a button.
Input from a single device can change colors, patterns, and output which will transform the entire outlook of a building. LEDs have made the interconnection between devices easier. With superior control, a plethora of different sensors can be integrated and monitored through a network. This has opened gates for the future and LEDs are enabling smart lighting solutions, both effectively and efficiently.
Light Therapy
LED is a light source that emits infrared light when current is passed through. When particular devices like Quasar MD Blue and Quasar MD Plus are used against the skin (in a controlled setting), it is a fantastic way of rejuvenating skin. Using a correct wavelength of light from LED source, the cells in the dermis layer of skin will convert this light energy into ATP (adenosine triphosphate) which is the fuel for cells.
The fibroblast cells in the dermis layer produce collagen (which makes the skin look fuller) and elastin (which gives skin the ability to bounce back). LED luminaires used for light therapy to provide fuel for the cells, which eventually aids in producing collagen and elastin, thus improving uneven skin tone. Studies show that LED light therapy improves the photoaging scores by up to 50%, and reports of significant improvement in periorbital wrinkles. LED are continually being researched and utilized for their added health benefits.
With the rising awareness about energy conservation and green technology, LEDs are the only way to go. LED luminaires bridge the gap between lighting applications and technology. Today, lighting is an environmental concern because of the significant rise in power consumption and light pollution which affects all lives. LEDs have the potential to change the face of lighting and hence are currently being adopted aggressively by nations to automate and save the environment for future generations.
Nisha Pandey
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