Many schools have taken great strides to upgrade their lighting system from incandescent light bulbs to fluorescent light bulbs and even LED lights to ensure an environment conducive to learning. The benefits of this upgrade are immediately apparent as soon as you step into a room or hallway with good lighting. Your students will love the improved lighting, and the school will reap all sorts of environmental and economic benefits from switching to better lights! Below are the top 5 reasons why every school should consider LED lighting upgrades today.
Better Light Quality & Output
Switching from incandescent or fluorescent lighting to LED lights can significantly improve light quality and output. With a typical incandescent bulb, only around 15% of its energy is used to produce light. The remaining 85% is wasted as heat. On top of that, half of that remaining 75% never reaches your eyes because walls and other objects absorb it. LED lights waste less than 1% of their energy producing heat, so you can also cut down on your HVAC costs, which is great for schools with limited funding for facilities upgrades.
Healthier Circadian Rhythm
Lighting plays a significant role in establishing our circadian rhythm, or our biological clock. But not all lighting is created equal. Blue light disrupts your body's production of melatonin, which can impact your sleep quality, as well as other areas of your health. Exposure to blue light between dusk and bedtime has been linked to negative effects on alertness and mood, as well as suppressed melatonin secretion, delayed sleep onset, and phase shifts in circadian rhythms—not exactly ideal for those who rely on a regular sleep schedule! Fortunately, LEDs offer much warmer lighting alternatives that don't produce damaging amounts of blue light.
Improvements in Mood and Behavior
Mood and behavior may improve in classrooms that are lit with LED lights. One study, conducted by researchers at Vanderbilt University, found that the test scores of students were higher when their classroom was lit with an energy-efficient LED lighting system. Another study, also conducted by Vanderbilt researchers, found that task performance improved when workers used energy-efficient LED lighting systems. Both studies showed increased benefits with higher color temperatures—meaning brighter lights made a bigger difference than dimmer ones did.
Tunable Lighting & Lighting Controls
Tunable lighting lets you control which wavelengths of light are emitted by an LED. By changing color temperature, many LEDs can provide different shades of white that mimic traditional lamps. Tuning your LEDs is an effective way to reduce eye strain and increase visual comfort without disrupting productivity.
Save Money (and the Planet)
Not only do LED lights save money (LEDs last three times longer than CFLs and 10 times longer than incandescents), but they also dramatically cut down on carbon emissions. We could cut CO2 emissions from power plants by up to one billion tons a year with more energy-efficient lighting. Making small changes can go a long way! LEDs aren't just great for your pocketbook—they're fantastic for our planet as well.
LEDs are much more energy-efficient than traditional lighting. By replacing one fixture with an LED model, you'll save nearly $140 in electricity each year. If you're thinking about upgrading your school's lighting with LEDs, call us today or message us online. We'd love to help!
