The Benefits of LED Lighting

For now, LED light fixtures are substantially more expensive than their glass competitors. But LED lighting brings significant advantages that Ruud Lighting. Executives think it will steadily steer the industry toward LED — and toward Ruud.

Those advantages include:

A Energy savings. LEDs are about 50 percent more efficient than high-pressure sodium or metal halide, 35 percent more than fluorescent and 80 percent more than incandescent, said by Christopher Ruud, executive vice president for national accounts at Ruud Lighting.

B Long life. LEDs, when properly engineered, last more than five times longer than metal halide. This reduces environmental waste and also maintenance.

C They are vibration- and impact-resistant, making them virtually vandal-proof.

D They contain no mercury, unlike fluorescent bulbs. And, when properly engineered, LED life is five times more than that of metal halide, reducing environmental waste.

E They give much truer, whiter lighting than sodium lights.

Under high-pressure sodium, which is widely used in street and parking area lighting, "Any of the dark colors all look the same," Ruud said.

But LED lighting renders true colors of cars and clothing. Asked who cares, Ruud replied, "The police care. They care a lot."