Lighting Trends

What is it about a darkened office that's so appealing? Perhaps it's the fact that it feels cooler with the lights off or maybe it's the natural light that makes it feel so relaxing first thing in the morning. Either way, I look forward to coming to work and having at least 1 hour with the lights off before someone flips on the switch, filling the office with unnatural fluorescent light.

While reading one of my favorite "Green" blogs, The Energy Blog, I came upon an interesting read about LED lights. According to this article, there may soon be a solution for companies looking to light their offices in a more cost-effective manner. Cree, a North Carolina based company is leading by example, converting their entire office building to 100% LED light. Cree is a leader in LED solid-state lighting components, so it makes sense that they are acting as guinea pigs here, however the hope is that this practice catches on in office spaces nationwide.

According to a press release issued by Cree, their office's conversion to LED "validates the energy savings, quality of light and reality that LED lighting is now a viable option for business and residential consumers." Cree didn't simply install LED lights in the Executive offices - oh no! Everything from the parking lots to the entryways, lobby and conference rooms are lit with quality 100% energy efficient XLamp® LEDs.



Studying the energy usage before and after the lighting conversion, Cree confirmed that the new LED lights use 48% less energy than the incandescent, fluorescent and high pressure sodium lights that they replaced. Additionally when LEDs are used to replace incandescent bulbs, there is the added advantage of reducing AC requirements in the summer (less time spent in the dark, perhaps?). Cree's LED Workplace™ is designed to move forward the "greenification" of corporate America and perhaps even lighting your home! This little experiment has even got Cree's local energy provider exploring additional LED options with goals in mind to help it's customers save money.

Cree replaced 34 CFL ceiling lights in its lobby and reception area, generally achieving energy savings from 21 to 77% compared to the replaced fixtures.
- LEDworkplace.org

After replacing high-pressure sodium lamps and other fixtures with LED lighting, the new fixtures generally achieved energy savings from 52 to 76% compared to the replaced fixtures. - LEDworkplace.org

According to Cree's Chairman & CEO Chuck Swoboda; "Conventional wisdom is that LED lighting is years away from widespread adoption. The truth, however, is that the performance of Cree's LED technology enables real LED lighting solutions today." In fact several other companies have since employed LED lighting technology both indoors and outdoors, including a Friendly's Ice Cream franchise in Massachussets and a BP Gas Station in Wisconsin, among others.

This development should excite anyone who spends the majority of their day in an office in front of a computer. Imagine it! No more of that artificial fluorescent office light...just cleaner, brighter, more natural light! It's coming folks! Get ready!

Lights out until next time!