Going Green in the Office with LED Bulbs

Take a look at the type of light fixtures you have in your office. Are they energy-efficient LEDs or traditional bulbs that drive up the energy bill every month? Does the office feel uncomfortably warm during the day with your lights on, making you turn the air conditioning down to regulate the temperature? If you don’t have LED light bulbs, now is the right time to do an overhaul of the office lights. The U.S. Department of Energy notes that “The light-emitting diode (LED) is one of today's most energy-efficient and rapidly-developing lighting technologies. Quality LED light bulbs last longer, are more durable and offer comparable or better light quality than other types of lighting.” Whether you choose to do a full replacement or retrofit, making the switch to LEDs will make a huge impact on the eco-friendliness of your office. Here are a few ways in which these differ from traditional lights and how you can end up saving big in your pursuit of a greener office space.

Energy Savings

With LED bulbs, you’ll notice right away the difference made on your next energy bill. Unlike incandescent lights, LED bulbs need much less energy to function. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, residential LEDs use 75% less energy than incandescent lighting. Depending on how you use them during the workweek, you could see energy usage plummet by as much as 85%. Where there is an opportunity to save, why not take it?

Eco-Friendly and A Smaller Carbon Footprint

In your effort to make your office space more environmentally friendly, LED bulbs are the way to go. Built without harmful mercury, LEDs have a much smaller carbon footprint than traditional incandescent lighting. LEDs are about the size of a fleck of pepper, using blue, green, and red LEDs to make white light. Since they emit much less heat than other bulbs, they’ll help regulate the temperature in the office instead of resorting to fans and the A/C to cool it down. After all, incandescent bulbs release 90% of their energy as heat and CFLs release about 80% of their energy as heat. With this, LEDs last much longer than other bulbs, sometimes lasting upwards of 25,000 hours or more. You’ll spend much less time changing out burnt bulbs, meaning less time and money put into purchasing inefficient lights.

Greener Office = Increased Productivity

Ever heard that annoying buzz of an overhead light, causing you to lose concentration? We all have, and that’s what you’ll get with incandescent bulbs. LED light bulbs won’t flicker or buzz, so you’ll have no irritants caused by your light fixtures. Plus, these are easier on the eyes, decreasing your employees’ struggle with eye strain. LEDs are the closest lighting alternative next to natural light, so you’ll be able to give everyone’s eyes, including your own, a break from the harshness of incandescent and CFL bulbs. With brighter, eco-friendly LEDs in the office, you’ll see the difference in light coverage and an overall improvement in your light fixtures.