LED lights are the future! They’re swish, fancy looking and cost effective. They’ve found a place in sports stadiums, industrial warehouses and they even light up runways at airports. But are they appropriate for an office environment?
Like all forms of technology, LED lighting has its upsides and its downsides. But with its long-lasting bulbs and bright, illuminating lights, it’s already a permanent fixture in many offices.
Let’s take a look at LED lights, and see how they work in an office environment.
What Are LED Office Lights?
LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, are a modern take on traditional incandescent light bulbs, which have lit up the world for decades. Rather than providing light by heating a filament, LEDs provide light by using electricity to power a semi-conductor.
This novel connection has a number of benefits, which we’ll get into in more detail shortly. Needless to say, this system is much more energy-efficient than the wasteful system of heating a filament.
LED lights are already popular in industrial settings such as warehouses and airports, as already mentioned. They’re also starting to become a popular choice for offices. Once you’ve seen the benefits, you might realise why!
What Are the Benefits of LED Lighting?
LED lighting has an array of benefits, especially in comparison to older modes of lighting.
It’s not only energy-efficient but cost-efficient too, which is why companies are happy to have LED lighting systems installed in workplaces. LED lighting not only meets the standard requirements of an office environment but will usually exceed them.
For the employee sitting at their desk who cares little for their company’s bottom line, there are plenty of benefits that they too can realise, too.
LED Lighting Is Environmentally Friendly
We’ve already discussed how businesses can save money with a more energy-efficient lighting system. Simply put, LED lights use less electricity than traditional bulbs, keeping energy costs down.
That’s not only great for profit and loss charts; it’s fantastic for the environment too. Any business looking to lower its carbon footprint and improve its environmental image can get a head start on things by switching to LED office lights.
LED Lighting Rarely Needs Replacing
How annoying is it when the light bulb right above your desk goes? You’ve got to track down the maintenance team or head out and find a replacement bulbs to get going again.
With LED lighting, replacement bulbs are rarely required. In fact, most bulbs can last as much as 20 years without needing to be replaced. That’s probably much longer than you’ll be sat at the same desk!
For offices, fewer replacements and fewer repair jobs mean there’s much less disruption.
Brighter, Healthier Light
For the office employee, LED lights provide a much brighter and lighter working environment. They can literally illuminate even the gloomy corners of an office!
LED lights create a much more comfortable, safer and more pleasing office environment to be in – especially in winter! No more straining your eyes and squinting to see what’s written on the whiteboard with LED lights illuminating the way.
Are There Any Negatives?
But of course; it can’t all be bright lights and illumination!
There are some negatives too when it comes to installing LED lights in an office environment.
High Upfront Cost of LED Lighting
We’ve championed the cost-saving benefits of LED lighting, but let’s not forget that this is all long-term stuff. In the short-term, one drawback of installing LED lighting in the office is that there is a significant upfront cost.
Naturally, this will be more expensive than continuing with an existing lighting system or even updating older incandescent bulbs, and not all companies have the resources for an LED upgrade.
Luckily, costs can be offset with government grants and tax relief schemes that allow you to spread out the cost. The government wants businesses to be greener, and they’re happy to help them achieve that.
LED Lights Can Be Too Bright
Sometimes, one downfall of LED lights can be its own power. LED lights are undoubtedly bright, but for some employees in the office who might have sensitivity problems, the bright light can take a while to get used to.
LED lighting needs to be installed by a professional in an office environment, to ensure that the system is set up in such a way it illuminates areas correctly – which means not too bright and not too dim. But with the right lighting plan in place, it’s a much more pleasant environment to work in.
