Using LED lighting for in-store illumination has become a new trend in the retail sector. Apart from saving money on electricity bills, slashing carbon dioxide emissions for greener business has nowadays become top of the list for many retailers. Anthony Wong, general manager – Hong Kong and Macau of the LED lighting specialist Optiled Lighting, talks to Retail in Asia about how retailers can slash their shops’ energy consumption, reduce costs and start thinking green.
RIA: Can you talk us through the latest LED technology?
Anthony Wong (AW): Introduced in early 1960’s, early light-emitting diode (LED) technology initially only emitted low-intensity red or green light and was mainly used for indicator lamps in electronic appliances. Today, however, LEDs are now available across the three primary colours which means they can now also be used for white light, as white light LEDs require mixing light from red, green and blue LEDs, or by using a phosphor to convert some of the light to other colours. This is why nowadays LED lighting technology can be used in various models of bulbs and lamps. Plus it is also now capable of being used as a substitute for traditional illumination tools.
One of the big benefits of LED lighting technology is that it is a semi-conductor light source and therefore lower in heat dissipation when compared to incandescent light bulbs and fluorescent tubes. The technologies behind light sources as well as heat dissipation have now developed to an advanced level. For instance, the patented "birdcage" lamp housing technology jointly developed by Optiled and the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute, is designed to provide maximal heat dissipation surfaces, and can effectively solve the thermal challenges of lamps.
RIA: How much energy (and electricity bills!) can retailers save with LED lighting?
AW: Due to the long opening hours, illumination in shops requires a lot of energy. According to the results of some recent local research, lighting accounts for about 25 percent of the total electricity consumed through a building. As LED lighting can help save energy, it is one of the best ways for retailers to reduce their operational costs – as there is usually not much room for retailers nowadays to cut costs in other areas such as rent, wages and so on.
RIA: What are the top three advantages for using LED lights in shops?
AW: The advantages of using LED lights will make LED lighting an "irresistible choice" for retailers. Firstly, on average, the energy consumption of an LED lighting product is about 80 percent less than that of an incandescent light bulb. This means it helps save money and cuts carbon emissions for shops.
Secondly, since LED lighting is a cold light technology, the temperature released is reduced by 80 percent over traditional lighting. This helps lower the room temperature of a shop by one to two degrees Celsius. It not only reduces the usage and cost of air conditioning, it also helps retailers to solve the problem of preserving their merchandise – as some products such as food and cosmetics are sensitive to temperature, a lower room temperature helps prevent them from spoiling.
Thirdly, every Optiled LED light product can last up to 35,000 hours, while compact fluorescent lighting (CFL) lasts only 8,000 to 15,000 hours. An LED lighting product can even last 3.5 times longer than a fluorescent tube, as it can only last for about 10,000 hours. The longer lifetime of LED lighting can even help retailers to save time spent on replacing lights bulbs.
RIA: What are the common lighting problems for shops in the Asian market? How can LED lighting technology help them to solve these problems?
AW: Some shops may still use traditional lighting products such as halogen lamps in their lighting systems. However this kind of lamp releases heat and thus raises the energy consumption of air conditioning. Furthermore, traditional lighting releases ultraviolet light, which degrades the colours of products in shops. As LED lighting does not emit toxins such as mercury, nor UV or infrared (IR), it will help to solve this problem easily. With no UV and IR emitted, flying insects in shops will also be reduced.
Another problem for retailers is how they dispose of the used light bulbs – as traditional light bulbs contain mercury and lead, they create environmental problems. But LED lighting products are mercury and lead-free, and the materials used are all recyclable, so they are much more eco-friendly than traditional products.
RIA: How can retailers apply this technology to their shops?
AW: If a shop operates 24 hours a day all year round, LED lighting will help it save up to 80 percent of electricity consumption. Take one of our clients, Hung Fook Tong, as an example. For one if its 400-sq.-ft F&B shops, LED tubes were applied to its refrigerators, replacing the traditional T8 fluorescent tubes; for its advertising light box displays, LED tubes or tapes were used to replace fluorescent tubes. They also now use LED spotlights as accent lighting for the shop’s posters.
According to the EN 12464 Standard from IESNA Lighting Handbook, the LUX level (lx) for a bookstore should be at 200 lx on vertical surfaces, and 250-350 lx in general areas; while in a jewellery or watch shop, the standard LUX level should be 2000 lx in display areas and 500 lx in general areas. LED lighting can easily achieve these standards in shops.
RIA: To what extent can LEDs help a shop to reduce carbon emissions?
AS: Let me give you an example: a 3.5-watt LED spotlight bulb consumes only 10 percent of energy compared to a traditional 35w spotlight bulb. Which means that a single LED spotlight bulb can reduce carbon emissions by up to 90 percent!
RIA: Can you share a successful case study with us?
AS: Our client Page One’s shops are great examples. One of Page One’s shops is 1,022 sq ft full of books, open 12 hours a day, 288 days a year. Once we completed a review and implemented the correct lighting, the LED lighting cut up to 80 percent of their electricity consumption every year. Their cost for air conditioning has also been reduced significantly, as the heat emitted from the lighting has been slashed from 230 degrees Celsius to 50 degrees Celsius. Furthermore, the cost for replacing and repairing of lights is completely reduced. LED lighting is ergonomic and more comfortable to human eyes; it is especially good for bookshop customers!
RIA: What solutions or services does your company provide to retailers?
AS: Optiled provides a wide range of functional lighting applications to our clients. We help retailers to maximise the potential business benefits that LED lighting can offer by conducting an in-depth lighting evaluation. We also provide custom-made suggestions of LED lighting designs to our clients to ensure the right fit for every store.
Taking Stock is Retail in Asia’s column dedicated to showcasing opinions and providing advice from experts in the retail industry. To read the related article, click here.