5 Benefits of Recycling

Recycling is an important practice in today’s society, when more and more animal species are becoming endangered, the oceans are filled with litter, just like much of our land. Businesses can be a pivotal force for good in the world by using recycling bins.

Have one recycle bin for paper, one for plastic, one for aluminum, and one for glass. These recycle bins should be available for customers and employees. Ideally, recycling bins are the only option and there is no option for trash. You will really make a positive difference in the world if you make the decision to recycle.

1. Money

Financial income is a benefit of recycling. For individuals who recycle electronics, they can earn a significant profit from doing so. For companies who recycle, the expenses towards waste disposal will be significantly decreased. It is actually more affordable to recycle than it is to use only trash cans.

2. Conservation 

Recycling conserves limited resources. Recycling paper will save a huge amount of trees. For instance, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, approximately 8.2 million trees were saved simply by recycling paper.

3. Energy Efficiency 

Recycling is energy-efficient. Take aluminum cans, for example. You can make twenty aluminum cans from recycled material with the same amount of energy it takes to make one brand-new aluminum can, according to http://www.pacebutler.com/blog/what-is-recycling-7-reasons-why-we-should/.

4. Community 

Recycling brings people together. A growing amount of the population is concerned about the environment and wants to be involved in creating positive change. There are a lot of groups geared towards recycling, where like-minded people come together to do just that. Businesses could have a huge impact on their customers through recycling practices and programs.

5. Job Creation 

Recycling creates more jobs than garbage does. Here are some statistics: 10,000 tons of waste creates one job, 10,000 tons of landfill creates six jobs, and 10,000 tons of recycling creates 36 jobs. To learn more, check out this fantastic article: http://www.pacebutler.com/blog/what-is-recycling-7-reasons-why-we-should/

Contact us at https://www.relumination.com.

Why is LED lighting more energy efficient?

What makes LEDs more energy efficient than other types of lighting? LED lighting uses a completely different physical process than previous lighting technologies, and this is what makes it more efficient.

Incandescent Bulbs

Incandescent bulbs heat a piece of metal to a high temperature so that it glows white hot. Unfortunately, a lot of energy is lost as heat, as you can easily notice by putting your hand near an incandescent bulb.

Fluorescent Bulbs

Fluorescent bulbs actually operate by two physical processes in sequence. The first of these happens by running an electric current through mercury vapor, which causes the mercury atoms to emit ultraviolet (UV) light. This light is not visible, so fluorescent lamps require another step, and this is where fluorescence comes in.

Fluorescence is the process where a material absorbs light of one color and emits light of another color. In the case of fluorescent lamps, a material coating the bulb absorbs the UV light and emits visible light. This process is more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs because there is no need to heat a material. However, because it is a two-step process where each step is not perfectly efficient, its efficiency is still limited.

Another issue with fluorescent bulbs is that the mercury they contain is hazardous, and has to be disposed of properly.

LEDs

LED stands for light emitting diode. The diode is the physical object which emits light. This is a one-step process, which helps explain why LED bulbs are more efficient than fluorescent bulbs.

The material at the at the heart of an LED is a semiconductor. This material is able to directly absorb electric energy and emit light, which also helps keep efficiency high.

LEDs are not perfectly efficient. Their efficiency depends largely on the type of semiconductor material used. Scientists are constantly exploring new semiconductor materials to improve LEDs and provide better energy efficiency.

If you have any questions about LED lighting, please feel free to contact us.

Get Your Hospital Ready for the Future of LEDs Now

LEDs hit the lighting world by storm, and there are several good reasons for that. Not only are they energy-efficient and produce less heat, but they’re also customizable. Everything from dimness to color and direction can be programmed into LEDs. But while that makes LEDs a smart bet for new hospital constructions, it used to be another story for retrofits. Here are three reasons why your administration should make switching to LEDs a priority:

1. The current infrastructure will support future bulbs.

Early adoption of technology is always risky. Switching to the last data storage medium or buying the latest devices can be expensive or an investment in a fleeting trend. But LEDs are here to stay, and their current support systems are built to last. Whether you want to start retrofitting your hospital in sections or you want to overhaul the whole property, switching to LEDs is a safe bet.

2. Dimmable, programmable bulbs help people do their jobs.

LEDs in hospitals don’t just have the general benefits like in other commercial settings. They also have specific benefits for your employees and your patients. You can automatically program LEDs to duplicate daylight with bright white light so employees on the night shift are more alert. You can also add dimmable bulbs to waiting rooms and patient rooms. Even color-changing bulbs are being studied for their positive impacts on people’s healing rates.

3. Save on variable expenses.

Hospitals cost a lot of money to run. You have to keep the lights on 24/7, and even a single hospital room has a lot of specific lighting requirements. But LED bulbs will cut down on electrical costs. Because they have long lifespans, you also save on replacement bulbs, or diodes, over the years.

Contact us at Relumination to get started. We can help plan, implement, and analyze your hospital’s lighting systems.

Electric Light Has Come a Long Way: Where Do We Go from Here?

Even though nobody wants to go back to candles, there has been a lot of criticism of the poor old incandescent bulb, which has served civilization faithfully for over 130 years. In 2007, President G.W. Bush signed into law a requirement that “screw in” light bulbs will have to be 60 or 70 percent more efficient than today’s incandescent bulbs. The trouble is that 90 percent of the energy that goes into an incandescent bulb is required to heat the metal filament in the bulb to 4,000 degrees F, in order to get the bulb to light. The US law does not ban incandescent bulbs but those conditions are impossible for incandescent bulbs to meet. Manufacturers have phased out old-style 100-watt bulbs [The Washington Post]. “Traditional” incandescent bulbs have been banned from being sold in some states, including California.

So What Do We Replace Them With?

There are two current options that will meet the efficiency requirement of President Bush’s bill.

The Compact Fluorescent bulb is one option. The bulbs are cleverly engineered versions of the long fluorescent tubes you see in the ceilings of some stores and offices. What the engineers did is take the tube (which has to have a certain length and size to generate sufficient light) and bend them either into a U-shape or into a shape like a spring. Sometimes, the bulbs will be mounted in a glass cover so they look like incandescent bulbs. In each case, the bulb itself is mounted on top of a heavier-than-incandescent base which serves as the ballast.

Compact Fluorescents.

The principle behind the fluorescent bulb is a little more complex than other lighting systems.

  1. When you screw the bulb into your lamp socket and turn on the light, AC electric current passes through an adapter in the base of the bulb which changes the current into direct current (DC). The base of the bulb also contains a “starter” and a suppression capacitor. This small system is called the ballast. It builds the current up to the level needed to start the bulb working and serves to maintain a constant voltage because fluctuating voltage in these bulbs will cause flickering lighting.
  2. The current is drawn through the tube which is filled with mercury vapor (and other gases). When the electrons in the tube crash into mercury molecules in the tube, the gas glows with invisible ultraviolet light.
  3. The glass is coated with a phosphorescent material similar to the kind that makes things glow in “black light.” The ultraviolet light makes the phosphorescent powder in the tube glow in visible light which is the light generated by the lamp.

There are two disadvantages of the compact fluorescent system.

The major disadvantage is that they have to be filled with mercury vapor which is very dangerous for the environment. These compact fluorescent light bulbs cannot be disposed of in regular trash but need to be specially recycled.

The second (perhaps less important) disadvantage is that these bulbs require the ballast. The presence of the ballast makes the bulb fitting slightly different from the standard screw-in fitting so the bulbs don’t fit in every socket. The ballast also slows the start of the light. When you turn the light on, there is a slight delay before the light turns on.

Light-emitting Diodes (LED lights).

The light-emitting diode (LED) lamp is the second option. LEDs are the result of a long history of research into special crystals called semiconductors (similar to crystals used in computer chips). These crystals simply glow when you attach them to an electrical source. The circuitry in the LED lamp is very simple. You simply need a current to change AC to DC current (AC is alternative current–the kind of current that comes through your plug from the electric company to DC (direct current–the kind of current that comes from a battery). The current reduced to the correct voltage is connected to the crystal and it glows on its own. This is a property of the matter in the crystal. You often see lamps where there is no apparent bulb, just a small piece of crystal at the base of the lamp that is the source of all the light. LEDs do not generate high temperatures. They tend to last a lot longer than incandescent bulbs and even longer than compact fluorescent bulbs.

The research into the property of these crystals to create light directly from electrical energy is leading to the development of new forms of lamps. Whole wall panels that light up, tubes whose surface has light-emitting property, and even light-emitting paper and flexible plastics.

Relumination was founded with the idea that automated lighting control and new low energy lights can save energy which is less expensive than figuring out ways to produce more. Contact us to learn more.

Is Your Restaurant Lit?

Accessibility means visibility. When people think about ADA compliance and accessibility issues, they often think of wheelchair ramps. While making sure customers have wheelchair access throughout your dining room and restrooms, it’s also important to have the right lighting. Make sure your customers with visual impairments are also comfortable, and add signage that improves everyone’s experience. Here are two ways to do it:

Light up the sides of ramps and main aisles.

Many steps and ramps are required to have warning tape along the edges for general safety compliance. But that tape gets worn, torn, and obscured by dim lighting. Make everyone safer (and keep traffic moving in the best way for your restaurant) by adding smooth lighting along the edges of ramps and main aisles. Not only does this help highlight where the ramp is, it helps people know where to walk in a crowded space. It also implicitly reminds patrons to keep their bags out of the aisle so servers and new arrivals have an easier time getting to the tables.

Have multiple, lit signs pointing to the restrooms and exits.

Many restaurants have a split floor space. Whether it’s a wall dividing up the space, a central bar, or just decorative features, there’s usually some sort of barrier. But that means not everyone can see the sign above the restrooms. Make sure you have a clear, lit sign near the ceiling for maximum visibility. Have an additional sign and arrow visible from any point in the restaurant where the actual doorway is obscured. Many Applebee’s restaurants have made a point of hanging neon signs with a directive arrow on opposite sides of the restaurant, which are not only helpful but fit in with their decor.

Sustainable Lighting Options for Businesses

Currently, most business owners are working towards achieving sustainability in their daily operations because customers prefer engaging enterprises that prioritize the need to conserve the environment. One of the best ways to create a sustainable workplace is by opting to use eco-friendly lighting. Energy saving bulbs will not only improve the working conditions for your staff but also reduce your energy bill considerably.

Various regulations are pushing companies to lower their carbon footprint and for that reason, opting to use eco-friendly lighting within your enterprise is a wise idea. However, the proliferation of sustainable light fittings in the market makes it difficult to identify the right option for your business. Here are some of the viable business lighting options that can offer excellent value for your money.

Architectural Modifications

The discovery of new lighting technologies for businesses is gathering momentum as more and more business operators focus on acquiring the right option to support their operations. If you do not want to delve into the aspect of visiting various vendors as you seek to identify appropriate lighting for your company, you can consider modifying the architectural design of your office space.

The idea behind the architectural modifications is to maximize natural light to make your office brighter as you seek to reduce reliance on artificial lighting. For instance, you can arrange the light shafts, windows, and skylights of your company premises to maximize natural light by adopting the daylighting design.

LED Lighting

One of the challenges of the previous variety of LED bulbs is that they are quite dim and therefore unsuitable for commercial buildings. The improvements on LED bulbs today makes them one of the best options for businesses because they are currently brighter and their lifespan is longer.

If you opt to invest in LED lighting as a business operator, you will cut down on the cost of replacing light fittings from time to time since LED bulbs last longer than ordinary bulbs.

CFL Light Fittings

If LED bulbs are an expensive option for your organization, you can consider buying CFL light fittings because they are both cheaper and energy efficient. You need to note that CFL light fittings are difficult to recycle because they contain traces of mercury, which means they are less sustainable for your office environment, in comparison with LED bulbs. If you need more information on viable lighting options for businesses, contact us today!

3 Reasons to Light Up Your Cold Storage with LED’s

Everyone is moving towards LEDs. They’re energy-efficient, brighter, and increasingly cheaper. But if you need niche lighting, don’t just look into the general benefits. Here are three reasons why cold storage specifically needs a lighting update.

1. Traditional lights waste space.

A lot of light bulbs give off heat. Even traditional bulbs that are built with cold storage in mind give off too much heat for products near the ceiling to maintain the right temperature. That means your storage is organized with a hefty buffer around the hot bulbs, and that’s bad for business. Every inch of warehousing space matters, especially if your warehouses are competing in the evolution of fast supply lines. You just don’t have room for traditional lights anymore.

2. LEDs work better in the cold.

Traditional bulbs and cold temperatures aren’t a good mix. Fluorescent bulbs need more voltage to get started in low-temperature environments like your cold storage. They also don’t give off as much light. While the bulbs themselves might fall within OSHA guidelines, the reality is that the cold storage may be too dim. Even if your cold storage is organized to allow for heat output, the main problem with cold light bulbs, traditional bulbs aren’t good enough.

LEDs, on the other hand, prefer low temperatures to high ones. They even work more efficiently below freezing than they do at summery temperatures, and that’s on top of LEDs’ general efficiency.

3. It’s easier to make LEDs smarter.

Traditional bulbs burn out all the time, especially in adverse conditions. But you and your site manager don’t always know when that happens. If the bulb for a sensor goes out, you won’t know without a manual inspection. If the overhead lights go out, someone has to stop what they’re doing and replace them. But LEDs can be attached to an internal Internet of Things system. Not only will you get an alert when the LEDs go out, you can get an early warning when the bulbs start to dim.

Contact us to start retrofitting your system and getting the best benefits of LEDs.

Good LED Illumination is Essential for Safety in Multi-level Parking Garages

All parking garages must have good lighting for safety and security. LED lighting provides safe illumination that eliminates shadows and guides drivers through any parking structure. This is extremely important for parking and safely navigating the maze of lanes and stalls in multi-level parking garages.

Underground parking

Your parking garage may be a subterranean parking lot with multiple levels below one or more buildings. This type of garage may need excellent illumination 24/7, especially if it is part of a hospital complex. People park their vehicles in an area that does not receive daylight. They need sufficient light to read signs and find elevators, stairs, doors, and escalators that will carry them into the buildings. Drivers and passengers will also return to their vehicles that must be located easily.

LED illumination will provide the light necessary for all parking levels to help drivers find their way into and out of complex underground parking structures that have marked directional lanes. Drive lanes often appear to be narrow and drivers backing vehicles out of parking spaces must be able to see oncoming traffic. LED overhead or wall lights will help all drivers judge distances from other vehicles. The lights are designed to provide good illumination without a glare.

Structures above ground

Multi-level parking garages above ground can also be a labyrinth of lanes leading in and out of the structure. While these structures may receive some light during the day, they are often used at night. Lighting must be adequate for your clients, shoppers or residents to park and return to their vehicles.

Good lighting is a deterrent to vehicle break-ins and theft. Security cameras are usually placed in strategic areas of parking garages. Good LED illumination helps the cameras see and often record vehicle and pedestrian movements.

High-performance LED ceiling lights can be placed over parking stalls in all parking structures. Special LED light posts are often used for the uncovered rooftop parking space. LED lighting uses semiconductor technology that consumes less energy than standard fluorescent or incandescent lights. LED fixtures last much longer than conventional lights. This results in saving money on utilities and maintenance.

Contact us at Relumination to evaluate your specific needs for LED lighting in parking structures. We will design a lighting solution that will keep drivers and passengers safe and secure in your parking garage.

8 Ways in Which LED Lighting Is All Around You

LEDs may be new on the scene but they are already being used a great deal. Many people are currently getting LED lighting upgrades because, as compared to fluorescents, LEDs have a longer life. Plus, they are more energy efficient and emit a cooler light.

You may think that LED lighting is only useful in isolated instances. However, LEDs are often used as indicators i.e., to pass on some kind of message to people. Here are some indicators that we are all familiar with:

  1. Traffic Lights: LED lights are used as traffic lights.
  2. Train Stations and Airports: LEDs are also used on boards that give arrivals and departure information in train stations and airports.
  3. Stadiums: In stadiums as well, LED lights are used on the boards which keep score.
  4. Exit Signs: These are usually made with LED lights.
  5. Ships: Ship navigation lights also make use of LEDs.
  6. Night Vision: LEDs are used when it’s necessary to maintain night vision e.g., airplane cockpits, astronomy observatories etc.
  7. Cars: LED lights have very fast switching times. So they are often used as brake lights in cars. As compared to incandescents, LEDs can light up 0.5 seconds faster. This may not seem like much but it can make all the difference to the car behind you. Similarly, LEDs are also being used for rear lights and headlights in cars and other vehicles.
  8. Glowsticks: LEDs are often used in glowsticks. Although a glowstick is sometimes used as a toy, it can also be used in military, police or fire operations.

So commercial LED lighting may seem like it’s just gaining ground but if you look at the above list, you’ll see that there are many commercial uses of LEDs that we are already familiar with. After all, we’ve all seen traffic lights or been to a baseball game. As a result, we may not know it but we’ve all benefited from the various uses of LED lights.

Contact us for your commercial LED lighting needs.

 

LED Lighting Solutions for Cold Storage Facilities and Warehouses

It’s no secret that an LED light bulb will last longer than a comparable fluorescent light bulb. Besides that, LED light bulbs are more energy efficient, meaning lower electricity bills. Nevertheless, many cold storage facilities and other warehouses still use fluorescent lighting systems. The problem is that many believe an LED lighting system will have high upfront costs. The good news is that LED lighting costs have dropped significantly over the years. It’s indisputably worth it for cold storage facilities and warehouses to make the switch to LED lighting.

There is a reason that the meat drawer of every refrigerator is on the bottom shelf. It’s because the top shelf is the warmest place in the refrigerator. This is not only because heat rises, but also because that’s usually where the light bulb is. Traditional light bulbs, including fluorescent bulbs, emit excessive heat. Using this type of lighting system limits the safety and dependability of a cold storage facility. LED light bulbs emit far less heat than traditional and fluorescent light bulbs. That’s why LED lighting systems can be found in state of the art cold storage facilities around the world. Additionally, using an LED lighting system will let the air conditioning system relax a bit, resulting in lower energy consumption.

Not only do LED light bulbs last longer, they require less maintenance. LED light bulbs are known for their durability. They have the capability to last for decades without a hiccup. Additionally, modern systems are set up to be controlled and monitored from afar. At large facilities, there are many variables to worry about. For example, machines require maintenance and electronics require troubleshooting. Having an LED lighting system means having one less thing to worry about.

Relumination is a company dedicated to delivering energy efficient lighting solutions across the United States. Contact us to discuss an LED lighting system today.