LED there be light! – The present and future of energy-efficient lighting

As energy saving became a top priority all over the world, affecting all industrial, commercial and private sectors, the Hungarian Electrotechnical Association also addressed the topic in its podcast. The Association invited two experts of B+N Referencia Zrt. to discuss the present and future possibilities of energy-conscious lighting.

 

It is a priority all over the world to make the lighting of offices and homes as efficient and cheap as possible. On its podcast channel the Hungarian Electrotechnical Association asked János Nagy, Senior Energy Expert of B+N Referencia Zrt., President of the Lighting Technology Society, and Péter Zalka, Head of the R+D department of B+N Referencia Zrt. to share their thoughts on energy saving, with a special focus on lighting.

 

Even a student could make a LED light bulb in a garage

In the past, the production of light sources required very serious know-how and technology. So much that only 4 companies in the world were able to produce light bulbs – Péter Zalka pointed out. The expert also added: “There is no question that the present and the future in lighting is based on LED technology. Even a student could make LED light bulbs in a family garage. A manufacturer’s LED bulbs can provide light for up to 7-8 years, which is many times the lifespan of traditional bulbs.

 

Adjusting aesthetics to technological standards

According to János Nagy, lighting technology, today is largely electronics, an interdisciplinary science. In the case of almost any building, usually, the interior designers have the last word, even in the design of the lighting. Their aesthetic point of view must be coordinated with the technical and technological standards and human-centred thinking. Because the most important thing is to make people feel good both in the office and at home.

 

Taking advantage of lighting …sometimes with extremes

In an office building, it is now a basic requirement that light sources could be controlled and flexibly adapted to the challenges of the environment. It is worth adjusting the colour temperature to the human biorhythm. In most modern office buildings, for example, light sources that are automatically adjusted to the time of day and the circadian rhythm of the employees are installed. There are also quite extreme examples, like the company which requested that the light bulbs work at 8,000 Kelvin so that people would speed up work all day long.

 

In many places, lights also have a marketing effect: in grocery stores, different products are illuminated with different kinds of lights: red dominates the meat counter, and green the fruit and vegetable section.

 

A waste of light is a waste of energy

When it comes to energy waste, most of us think of heat escaping through an open window or due to inadequate insulation, but similarly, photon leakage is also a waste of energy. Not to mention the resulting light pollution, which unfortunately occurs in the surroundings of many buildings.

 

It is not enough to replace traditional light bulbs with LED ones. We need to think about what our goals are, and we need to examine the environment. This cannot be avoided in public lighting either. The public lighting of Budapest is fantastically good, the authorities pay attention, measure, evaluate and, if necessary, make changes. In rural areas and smaller settlements, however, they often do not act carefully enough, it happens that local governments automatically choose the cheapest solution – the experts highlight.

 

At the moment, it is not known whether LEDs will renew themselves, move to a higher level, or completely new technology will burst onto the market, but experts agree that development won’t stop.

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