Now is the time is start or increase your use of LED lighting!
The new Part L regs since Oct 2010 state that 75% of new lighting must comply with low energy status. Now is the time to embrace LED lighting solutions.
So why is everyone so excited about these LEDs?
ATTRIBUTES
- Super efficient and pay for themselves quickly compared to standard technology when thinking about downlights.
- They make economic sense and they are a sustainable option.
- They cut out maintenance costs.
AESTHETIC
So you’re using a set of LED downlights in your next job – how will it effect the look of the scheme?
Be careful about quality. Cheap LED’s are weak, very white with little control over consistency in terms of colouring between each downlight.
Colour binning is the term for controlling how consistent the colouring of LED’s are. The best colours are more expensive.
Genuine warm white coloured LED downlights that are a mains halogen GU10 replacement, are out there and affordable.
If you are used to using low voltage halogen downlights, then be careful as the majority of entry level priced fittings are claiming 50W halogen status – not qualifying whether the weaker mains halogen or the stronger low voltage halogen.
Remember – higher powered low voltage equivalents are out there.
TECHNICAL
Some technical stuff…
LEDs can be dimmed, be careful about compatibility of the dimming mechanism.
LED’s are run by drivers, you need to use a dimmable driver.
Heat is generated by LED’s and the thermal management of the LED chip is a key element to the successful life of a product
There’s more techie stuff – refer to our LED 101 Guide.
COST
Entry level GU10 equivalents are affordable and will pay for themselves many times, over the course of their life.
More expensive LED downlights can give you a low voltage halogen equivalent now, but we’re talking well over £100 each. They will still pay for themselves many times over.
Dimmable fittings increase cost.
THE FUTURE
The future is now. The upgrade in light output is amazing in the next generation of LED due out this year 2011.
The lighting industry has not had such speedy development since the birth of the light bulb.
2011 will see your clients requesting LED’s … be prepared!
Just give me a call or drop me an email – we’ll deal with it!!
