Hotels need good lighting. Atmosphere, comfort and security all depend on well-lit public spaces, halls and corridors. But lighting can account for 25% of a hotel's electricity usage, so forward-thinking hotels are looking at energy-saving lighting alternatives.
At the forefront of new energy-saving technology is LED lighting. LED, standing for light-emitting diode, is tougher and longer lasting than any previous lighting solution. Plus it is 300 percent more energy-efficient than CFLs (compact fluorescent lighting) and about 1000 percent more efficient than the old incandescent bulbs. This can substantially reduce electricity usage and cut costs, which is great for business and also great for reducing your carbon footprint.
Up until recently LED lighting had its disadvantages for general use. There were only limited options for general lighting, the bulbs had fewer colour variations, they weren't available in all the various sizes and lights didn't have the full range of dimming capabilities. However huge improvements in the technology over the last couple of years now mean that LED can be used in almost any lighting situation and new LED lighting systems can be used with existing dimming systems very efficiently. LED lighting even offers possibilities that were never available before such as ultra thin lighting panels.
A side benefit of LED lighting, that also saves money, is the reduction in maintenance costs. Typically the old style light bulbs would need changing once a year or even more often. With the number of bulbs in use in a single hotel that is a lot of man hours spent by your maintenance team just changing light bulbs. With LED bulbs lasting for 10 years or more that is a huge amount of time saved already, making the running of your hotel more efficient.
While CFLs (those looped light bulbs now being promoted to save electricity) are energy-saving in comparison with the old light bulbs, they do have a major disadvantage when it comes to their overall carbon footprint, in that they use mercury inside the bulbs. This can be a major cause of pollution if they are not disposed of correctly, or even if they break and need clearing up in situ. LEDs help your carbon footprint in this respect too, as they do not contain mercury. Lasting so much longer, they also reduce the amount of waste you are sending for disposal or recycling.
Changing over a whole hotel to LED's can be a major investment, as the initial expenditure is considerably more than for CFLs or other older lighting types. The returns will be considerable over the long-term, as they will have paid for themselves in saved electricity within two years. However hotel's will often start their retrofitting of LED's in areas where the lighting is in use 24/7, such as lobbies, hallways and corridors, where the savings will be greatest. They then continue floor by floor with guest rooms and other spaces, as the energy-savings of the lights already installed free up funds to invest in the next area. Also check if there are any rebates or tax incentives offered in your area for switching over to energy-saving lighting, which may offset some of the installation costs.
As with any new technology it makes sense to seek out specialists who offer quality products that live up to the marketing. There may well be cheap alternatives on the market, but these are unlikely to deliver the savings and life-span of the genuine LED's. A specialist in LED lighting will be able to advise on the best options for your specific hotel spaces, both from a cost-cutting point of view and as far as lighting the space in the best possible way.
At the forefront of new energy-saving technology is LED lighting. LED, standing for light-emitting diode, is tougher and longer lasting than any previous lighting solution. Plus it is 300 percent more energy-efficient than CFLs (compact fluorescent lighting) and about 1000 percent more efficient than the old incandescent bulbs. This can substantially reduce electricity usage and cut costs, which is great for business and also great for reducing your carbon footprint.
Up until recently LED lighting had its disadvantages for general use. There were only limited options for general lighting, the bulbs had fewer colour variations, they weren't available in all the various sizes and lights didn't have the full range of dimming capabilities. However huge improvements in the technology over the last couple of years now mean that LED can be used in almost any lighting situation and new LED lighting systems can be used with existing dimming systems very efficiently. LED lighting even offers possibilities that were never available before such as ultra thin lighting panels.
A side benefit of LED lighting, that also saves money, is the reduction in maintenance costs. Typically the old style light bulbs would need changing once a year or even more often. With the number of bulbs in use in a single hotel that is a lot of man hours spent by your maintenance team just changing light bulbs. With LED bulbs lasting for 10 years or more that is a huge amount of time saved already, making the running of your hotel more efficient.
While CFLs (those looped light bulbs now being promoted to save electricity) are energy-saving in comparison with the old light bulbs, they do have a major disadvantage when it comes to their overall carbon footprint, in that they use mercury inside the bulbs. This can be a major cause of pollution if they are not disposed of correctly, or even if they break and need clearing up in situ. LEDs help your carbon footprint in this respect too, as they do not contain mercury. Lasting so much longer, they also reduce the amount of waste you are sending for disposal or recycling.
Changing over a whole hotel to LED's can be a major investment, as the initial expenditure is considerably more than for CFLs or other older lighting types. The returns will be considerable over the long-term, as they will have paid for themselves in saved electricity within two years. However hotel's will often start their retrofitting of LED's in areas where the lighting is in use 24/7, such as lobbies, hallways and corridors, where the savings will be greatest. They then continue floor by floor with guest rooms and other spaces, as the energy-savings of the lights already installed free up funds to invest in the next area. Also check if there are any rebates or tax incentives offered in your area for switching over to energy-saving lighting, which may offset some of the installation costs.
As with any new technology it makes sense to seek out specialists who offer quality products that live up to the marketing. There may well be cheap alternatives on the market, but these are unlikely to deliver the savings and life-span of the genuine LED's. A specialist in LED lighting will be able to advise on the best options for your specific hotel spaces, both from a cost-cutting point of view and as far as lighting the space in the best possible way.
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar