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How much can you save with LED lighting?

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LED lighting offers clear advantages over conventional incandescent, metal halide, and High Pressure Sodium or HPS bulbs. They’re more efficient, last longer, and generate much less heat. How does this translate into saving you money?

According to Natural Resources Canada, LED bulbs use about 70% less energy than conventional bulbs. The exceptionally long lifespan of LED bulbs — at least 25 times as long as incandescent bulbs — makes your savings even greater. Thus, even if they may cost a little more to purchase, that cost is more than offset by their longer lifespan.

These savings multiply rapidly in a large commercial or industrial setting that uses hundreds or even thousands of bulbs. In these environments, lights are often left on for most of the day, even around the clock, so the potential for saving on electricity charges is obvious. And since they generate much less heat than the alternatives, customers also save on air conditioning costs.

The longer lifespan of LED bulbs leads to additional savings for larger customers in terms of a marked decrease in maintenance expenses. Rather than having facilities staff spending much of their time climbing up and down ladders to change burned out bulbs, they can focus on other tasks.

Even residential consumers can save by switching to LED bulbs. The average Canadian household spends about 11% of its electricity on lighting. Switching to LED bulbs can reduce the lighting portion of your electricity bill to about 3%. The difference can be $100 to $150 a year for a typical household.

How much you’ll save by switching to LED lighting will depend on your circumstances; the number and type of bulbs you have, the number of hours a day you need them, and how much you currently spend on maintenance.

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The facts about LED lights

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Multipurpose, economical and long-lasting, LED light bulbs are just as efficient outdoors as they are inside your home.

Energy efficient

LED light bulbs are characterized by their low energy consumption. They reduce power consumption by around 75-80% when compared to traditional light bulbs. A LED light bulb will thus last around 25 times longer than an incandescent light bulb.

Choosing the right LED light bulbs

LED light bulbs can be used in every room of the house, as well as outdoors (even in winter). And unlike compact fluorescent lighting, they light up instantly and tolerate being turned on and off repeatedly.
Before choosing a specific light bulb, consider the criteria below.

The right shape

• Choose an LED light bulb that is the right shape for your light or lamp. If possible, avoid having a light bulb that is too long and thus exceeds your shade.
• LED reflector light bulbs are available for outdoor light fixtures, sunken light fixtures or track lighting systems.
• If an LED light bulb is being purchased to replace an existing light bulb, consider choosing one with an identical end.

Expert tip:
Make sure the LED light bulb is one that works with a dimmer.

The right lighting

• With LED light bulbs, luminosity is no longer calculated in watts, but in lumens.
• An 8-watt LED light bulb will generate 400 lumens, which is the same luminosity as that created by a 40-watt “regular” light bulb. A 20-watt LED light bulb will provide 1,600 lumens, which is the same luminosity as that created by a 100-watt incandescent light bulb.

The right colour

Warm white, soft white, cool white… While confusing, it helps to remember that warm white procures the coziest environment and cool white is the lighting that is closest to that of regular daylight.
• When seeking to light a part of your home that is particularly comfortable (such as a bedroom or the living room), it is usually best to go with warm white. For an outdoor surface or the walls of a garage, cool white is generally the preferred option.
• A colour chart with the different shades will help you choose the LED light bulb best suited to your needs.

Paying particular attention to the eyes

Avoid installing spotlights or other track lighting equipped with reflector light bulbs in spaces where children spend time, as extremely direct light beams can be detrimental to their eyesight. Save these lighting systems for outdoor use or have the light bulbs point towards a wall or ceiling.
Installation

Even if spotlights with LED light bulbs generate less heat than those equipped with standard light bulbs, they should nonetheless be installed a certain distance from the ceiling and all flammable materials. Check the manufacturer’s recommendations carefully, as distances will vary depending on the specific type of light bulbs you are using.