LED lighting: the bulb that could last you six years

1879 marked Edison’s first successful public demonstration of anincandescent light bulb.  Even though this invention dramatically changed society, incandescent bulbs are notoriously inefficient, giving off about 98% of their energy as heat.  Compact fluorescents presented a more efficient alternative, but the next big lighting revolution is the LED  (light emitting diode).  While LEDs have existed since 1907, general lighting applications are quite recent.  

LumaSmart of Macomb County, Michigan, has produced LED lights for the automotive and transportation industries for nearly a decade.  In 2008, the company broadened its array of products to include general-use LEDs suitable for industrial and street lighting.  Justin Palm is Director of Sales and Marketing for LumaSmart. 

 
 
LumaSmart's exceptional lighting products attracted the attention of Lamar Advertising, the biggest outdoor advertising company in the country, to assist them with developing New York's first solar powered billboard in Times Square.  LumaSmart designed and produced the billboard's floodlights.
 
Closer to home, the Mackinaw Bridge Authority is testing one of LumaSmart's LED lights for a potential upgrade of all the lights on the bridge.  While Palm notes that such a project is still a ways off, LumaSmart's LED lighting blends in perfectly with the other 199 lights already in place.  
 
While there has been growth in the number of organizations using LEDs, the issue of expensive upfront costs is still a concern for many consumers.  Palm argues LED lights must be looked at as long-term investments.  
 
"Much like somebody would see when investing on Wall Street, we calculate an annual return on LED light investments for our clients," says Palm.
 
LumaSmart's LEDs have an average rated life of 50,000 hours--imagine going almost six years without replacing a bulb!  LED lights are also extremely durable and hard to break because they’re built of only solid materials.  
 
Further money savings are realized because of an LED light’s unbeatable energy efficiency.  According to Palm, these lights consume 50-90 percent less energy than conventional options.  
 
LEDs are a top pick for green consumers not only because of their reduced energy and maintenance costs, but also because they contain no mercury or chlorofluorocarbons and are frequently produced from recycled materials.
 
Given these advantages LED technology has over other light sources, consumers can apply for rebates if they make the switch to LEDs.  However, receiving these rebates from utility companies can be tedious work.
 
Palm explains that some rebates are specific to a lighting project, whereas others are earned by simply replacing inefficient light sources with more efficient ones like LEDs.  
 
"Just because one customer might be able to receive a great rebate, doesn't mean the customer next door would be able to.  You have to do your homework," warns Palm.