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What Is Color Temperature?

LED Lighting has seen many advancements over the past couple of years leaving consumers with many options to customize their lighting. One of the most notable options is the ability to choose and or adjust the color temperature of your LED lights. In this blog, we will cover what exactly color temperature is and how to select the best color temperature for your facilities lighting. What Is Color Temperature? Color Temperature is a measure used to describe how “cool” or “warm” the light being emitted from a source appears. The spectrum ranges from 1,000K (Amber) up to 10000k (White) but most applications stay between 2,000K – 6,500K. Below is a simple chart we created to help visualize the differences in color temperature. IntegraLED, NewYork, Latham, CustomEnergyServices, SmartControlSystems, LEDLighting, EVChargingStations, The exciting part about modern LED lighting is that you can customize your lighting based on your preferences. Therefore, the examples above are not definite and Integra LED can create a custom solution just for your space! What Color Temperature Should I Use? Generally, spaces that promote comfort and class such as hotels, restaurants and certain retail locations utilize lower kelvin color temperatures around 2700k. Spaces that promote a modern and clean feel generally use higher kelvin color temperatures around 4000k. Integra LED prides itself in turnkey lighting solutions that truly require no effort from the customer. Our complimentary energy audit enables our engineering team to assess your current lighting situation and gather any preferences you have so we can create a custom plan just for you!

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Color Rendering Index (CRI)

Color Rendering Index or CRI is a measure commonly used in the LED lighting industry. In general terms, the Color Rendering Index measures the ability of a light source to accurately reveal the colors of objects in comparison to natural light. CRI is measured on a simple 0-100 scale, the higher the CRI, the better the light source will render color. Therefore, an ideal light source will have a high CRI preferably above 80. Why is it important? Color Rendering Index is vital in applications where consumers are viewing or interacting with physical products. For example, a grocery store with inefficient and low CRI fluorescent fixtures will make produce look drab and unappealing. By switching these bulbs to efficient and high CRI LED Lighting Fixtures, the produce color will pop and attract consumers. A European supermarket utilized LED spotlighting and color LED uplighting to increase stopping power by 15% which lead to an overall sales increase of 6%. On top of this, LED lighting can greatly increase the energy efficiency of your location. Our customers have seen lighting cost reductions up to 70% Where Can I Find a Lights CRI? Most LED lighting manufacturers display the CRI on the front of the box or the back where they highlight different key measures including lumens, life hours and color temperature. The example below shows common packaging for an LED light and where you would find the CRI. What Light Source Should I Use to Increase My CRI? Natural light will always be the most ideal source to ensure the colors of your product are represented properly but unfortunately, many spaces do not have that luxury! LED lighting is a great option for any facility because it is more energy-efficient than other light sources and offers high CRI options. High CRI LED lighting can greatly increase the attractiveness of your products while saving you money at the same time!

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LED Lighting Applications: Warehouses

Quality lighting is an essential part of warehouse performance. Without a properly illuminated space, many issues can arise such as increased errors or even unsafe work conditions. Furthermore, lighting is a major cost for warehouses, they run their lights for long hours and commonly demand high amounts of electrical use. Currently, the industry has seen a massive shift from outdated options such as fluorescent tubes or High-Intensity Discharge lamps to efficient LED lighting. In this week’s LED Lighting Application, we will discuss the issues that poor lighting creates for warehouses and how LEDs can provide a solution! Poor Lighting Problems Outdated lighting options such as fluorescent tubes depreciate very quickly meaning the amount of light they output decreases quickly over time. This decrease in light output can create several issues with the most concerning being poor contrast and dark areas. Poor contrast can affect employees using forklifts to move goods in a warehouse increasing the risk of error or injury. Additionally, decreased light output can create dark areas within your warehouse especially in confined spaces such as corners and end rows. On average, a workplace injury requiring medical attention costs $42,000. Therefore, ensuring your warehouse is well lit is imperative to not only keep your employees safe but save you money! Fluorescent lighting emits a low-frequency flicker that is not visible to the human but absorbed by the brain. The flickering can create a strain on your eyes which can cause headaches and overall discomfort for employees. Warehousing staff needs to be sharp especially when utilizing heavy machinery, LED lighting offers a smooth light output that emits little to no flickering. Switching from fluorescent to LED lights has been proven in numerous studies to reduce headaches which in return can make employees more productive. Lighting Maintenance Most warehouses have ceilings well above 15 feet which generally require a lift if you need to make any changes to your lighting system. Constantly requiring your maintenance team to use a lift and change lamps is a risk that can easily be avoided. Modern LED lights commonly last much longer than outdated lighting options which removes the need to constantly swap out lights. On top of this, consistently changing lights can interfere with daily operations in the warehouse making your employees less productive. The cost of changing out bulbs can quickly add up for your warehouse. Since LED lights last significantly longer, the cost of replacing bulbs no longer becomes an issue for the facility. We have had several customers who constantly are purchasing and replacing tubes which takes time and money away from their business. By upgrading to LED, these customers were able to reduce their maintenance costs significantly and reduce their electrical usage which slashed their total lighting cost by up to 70%. Solution: LED High Bay Lighting LED high bays are the bread and butter of lighting upgrades for warehouses. They provide excellent light output while requiring significantly less energy to run. Furthermore, they last longer than outdated options making them a quality investment for your facility. Here is a quick comparison between a High-Intensity Discharge (HID) lamp and a LED high bay. How to Choose the Right High Bay Efficiency The first specification to consider is the wattage of the current light compared to the replacement. All manufacturers offer a simple wattage or lamp comparison to help customers choose the best option. As shown in the example above, a 400W HID lamp is commonly replaced with a 125W LED High Bay. Therefore, the LED option requires around 70% less energy than the HID lamp being replaced. Not every LED manufacturer is the same so be sure to check which option is most efficient to ensure you get the most savings! Foot Candles The second specification is the foot-candle requirement of your facility. Foot candles are a measurement of light that is commonly used to set lighting standards for different facilities. Warehouses using outdated options such as fluorescent tubes usually underperform compared to lighting standards. To ensure you hit the lighting standards, we recommend contacting your local lighting consultant who can take a reading of your space and offer a custom solution to fill your lighting needs. Generally, a warehouse will want to be operating with at least 20 foot candles, however specific applications may require much higher lighting levels. Color Temperature Color temperature (K) is a measure of how “warm” or “cool” a light source appears. The lower the number (2000K) the warmer the light appears, the higher the number (5000K) the cooler or whiter the light appears. Since cleanliness and organization are important for warehouses, we recommend choosing a high bay with a color temperature between 4000 – 6000K. Conclusion Quality lighting can greatly improve the operations and profitability of a warehouse. LED lighting is a great solution for facilities that currently have outdated options such a fluorescent and HID lamps. They greatly reduce maintenance and energy usage while offering higher-quality lighting for your facility.

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LED Lighting Applications: Parking Lots

Parking lots are one of the most common applications we see for LED lighting. They have long run hours and demand high amounts of electricity which creates the perfect opportunity for energy savings. Continue reading to learn about the most common replacements we see as well as the major benefits LED lighting can offer for parking lots. Common Replacements Floods Flood lights are commonly used to illuminate large areas in outdoor spaces or a specific object such as a sign or flagpole. Safety and security are common uses for flood lights as well because they keep large, open areas well-lit to prevent intruders and ensure proper video quality from security cameras. Parking Area Lights Parking area lights or area lights are commonly fixated to poles. They illuminate parking lots as well as roadways and pathways. Area lights offer direct lighting to the space beneath the fixture for employees and customers navigating the parking area. These are highly important as improper lighting can create dark spots which pose risk for patrons and employees at night. Wall Packs Wall packs are placed on the exterior walls of buildings to illuminate the area directly around the building as well as walkways. Like floods, they offer safety benefits by providing light to entrances, windows and other common break-in points. Benefits of Upgrading Parking Lots to LED’s Savings Generally, LED’s use up to 70% less energy or Watts then it’s outdated counterparts such as fluorescent and HID lamps. Furthermore, LED’s last more than 10x longer then inefficient options such as the two listed above. Less replacements over time reduces maintenance cost and saves your facilities manager time. Safer for employees The first and major safety consideration is lighting quality to prevent accidents in parking lots. Dark areas caused by inadequate lighting can pose risk for car accidents especially near turns or narrow areas. Additionally, poor lighting can create liability risk for the company if an accident were to happen on company property. The second safety concern is the risk facility managers take when replacing parking lot lights specifically area lights that usually are fixated to 30-foot poles. These commonly require a lift or ladder to access which is not only dangerous but a laborious process. Conclusion Overall, parking lots are an excellent opportunity to harness the savings and benefits of LED lighting. Integra LED has worked with numerous companies to upgrade their parking lots and make their facility more efficient.

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LED Lighting Applications: Retail

Retail shopping is a delicate experience that requires every detail to be perfect for the customer to make a purchase. Quality service, a comfortable environment, and enticing product selection all play a role in the decisions a customer will make. Proper lighting is an important factor that can make products pop and create the right environment for customers. The main goal of lighting in a retail location is to attract and guide customers through the store while creating a fitting environment for what they are shopping for. For example, a sporting goods store saw sales increase by 10% immediately after improving the store’s lighting quality by upgrading to LED downlighting. In this week’s LED Lighting Applications, we discuss the importance of quality lighting in retail spaces and how LED lights offer a simple, efficient and quality solution. Guided Lighting Environment plays a major role in a customer’s decision-making process. Lighting is an excellent way to control the appearance of your location and create the proper environment for your customers. Color temperature is a measure used to describe how “warm” or “cool” the light being emitted from a source appears. The spectrum ranges from 1,000K (Amber) up to 10,000K (Blueish-White) but most applications range between 2,000K to 6,500K. Color temperature can transform the appearance of your store. For example, lower color temperatures can create a more comfortable and welcoming environment for your customers while a high color temperature can create a clean, sanitary feel perfect for technology stores (think Apple). Spotlighting is a key tool for retail facilities as well. It enables retail locations to emphasis certain products or sections in the store. When used properly, it can guide customers through the store and help them to navigate to different sections. The Sale You are in a grocery store and browsing for fresh fruit. What factors play a role in the fruit you select? For most, it’s the color and appearance of the fruit that makes them decide which one to pick! Color Rendering Index or CRI measures the ability of a light source to accurately reveal the colors of objects in comparison to natural light. CRI is measured on a 0-100 scale, the higher the CRI, the better the light source will render color. Therefore, an ideal light source will have a high CRI preferably above 80. If your retail location has a low CRI, products will look drab and unappealing to customers while a high CRI will make the colors pop and better represent the true colors of the product. Integra LED utilizes several high CRI options to ensure our customers receive the best lighting for their retail location! An additional retail situation that requires quality lighting is fitting rooms. Generally, customers make their final decisions in them while trying on different clothing items. Poor quality lighting can misrepresent the true colors of the clothes and make the clothing less attractive to the customer. Furthermore, if the area is poorly lit, the customer will have a tough time assessing if they like what they have tried on. First Steps Now that we covered different lighting variables that affect consumers’ decisions, let’s cover some ways you can start using lighting to improve your sales and customer experience. Check You Color Temperature and CRI. First, check the color temperature of your lighting. This can commonly be found on the box or the bulb itself like the example to the right. Make sure it aligns with the environment you are trying to create for your customers. For example, an antique store would be the best fit with a lower color temperature like 3000K to create a warm and welcoming environment. Secondly, check the CRI of your lighting. A high CRI is not always necessary but in most retail situations it is highly recommended. Although CRI may not be listed on bulbs, it can commonly be found in the box similar to the example on the right. Checking and assessing these measures is a great first step to adjusting the lighting in your facility to increase sales and improve the appearance of your products. Assess Dark Areas Walk your store and check for dark areas or sections that could stand out more by having spotlighting on them. We have seen countless retail locations that have areas or sections that lack proper lighting and deter customers. Many times areas are being lit but the light source is too dim or is the incorrect color temperature for the space making the area look dark. For example, a clothing store fitted with fluorescent tubes has several dark areas due to the tubes quickly degrading and become dim. Once you have identified these areas, we would recommend contacting your local lighting company to assist in ordering and installing the correct product. Conclusion At first, lighting may seem like a small factor in one’s decision-making process but when we realize how much we rely on appearance when selecting products, that quickly changes. Therefore, it is imperative for retail locations to have quality lighting that properly represents products while guiding the customer through the retail space. LED lights are 10x-20x more efficient than outdated light sources and offer the quality lighting needed in retail locations.

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Latham