LED technology is leading the development of the lighting industry, improving performance, maximizing energy efficiency and reducing long-term costs. Today, it illuminates everything from industrial facilities and medical centers to home housing. But outdoor lighting is one of the first markets to use LED.

In this article, Jay Sachetti, the product manager of the Eaton Lighting Department in the United States, talks about the advantages of LED technology and why it can develop rapidly in outdoor lighting.

Energy efficiency makes LED an ideal choice for outdoor applications

In the field of outdoor lighting, LED can save 50% to 90% of the energy compared to the high pressure gas discharge lamp (HID). The initial cost might hesitate to consider some of the upgrades, but the LED has a significant energy saving effect that will be recycled in one to three years. "It's enough to make a change only by financial incentives," Sachetti said.

Another cost saving way of LED is to reduce the demand for maintenance. "I'd forget to change my home light bulb," Sachetti said. But most outdoor lighting is difficult to handle if there is no bucket truck, and the maintenance cost is very expensive. " Because LED is more efficient than HID and metal halide bulbs, it has longer life.

Consistent light output eliminates the "focus effect"

The output of high pressure gas discharge lamp and metal halide bulb decreases continuously after installation, but for practical reasons, once the light output starts to decline, they cannot be replaced.

Sachetti said: "high pressure gas discharge lamps and metal halide lamps are usually replaced, usually less than 50% of the output of the original light. This means that the light level they provide is far lower than its original design, and usually has a focus effect. "

"On the contrary, the current LED is more than 95% after 60000 hours, enough to maintain the night lighting for more than 14 years."

Greater light control improves the flexibility of the design and improves security.

LED is an intrinsic controlled light source that can be combined with a highly designed single optical element to make the light output and direction more accurate.

For safety considerations, the uniform distribution of light is particularly important in the outdoors. "No one would like the dark corner of the parking lot," Sachetti said. "Outdoor LED helps to solve this problem."

LED's controllability allows the owner synchronization system

LED can provide a complete control solution for a wide range of areas such as shopping malls and airports. "In the past, lighting and lighting control were completely separated," Sachetti said. "Now, through the platform provided by LED, we can install a single embedded control solution to deal with all outdoor and indoor lighting."

LED is "warm"

As the performance of LED technology and low color temperature is improved, outdoor lighting is gradually away from the color temperature of the 5-6000K range. Sachetti said: "most business places managers will find that 4000K's color temperature provides a cool, clear light and subtle atmosphere". "But some types of applications are choosing 3000K range lights to create a warm feeling."

Now, lighting is just the beginning.

LED is not just lighting. It is an electronic platform that opens the door to a new, more flexible solution. Cameras, sensors, and other data collection tools can provide additional value for customers.

"We're going to have amazing functionality," Sachetti said. Soon, our lights will allow us to pay close attention to the number of vehicles in the parking lot and the pedestrian traffic on the sidewalk. This information can help the enterprise improve the utilization of assets, or maximize the retail and advertising opportunities. "

"This possibility will also be extended to other applications. If there is electricity and infrastructure in the open parking lot, lighting can use this advantage to monitor the surrounding environment in a variety of ways. We will have advanced security capabilities, environmental monitoring, traffic awareness and a more intelligent parking lot. The platform created by the LED technology can help people determine the location of the parking. "