Architectural Lighting

The biggest potential opportunity for LED lighting is indoor or architectural lighting. Approximately 90% of the electricity used for lighting is for architectural lighting. Indoor lighting represents many different applications, configurations and forms. One of the first applications or segments addressed by LED lighting is task lighting and directional down lighting traditionally served by incandescent and halogen light sources. This type of lighting is seen as under counter lighting, desk lighting, recessed can lights and other similar products. LED technology is also currently used for decorative lighting such as wall sconces, pendant lights, and wall washes.

Many indoor applications, especially residential and hospitality settings, require a "warm" white light, instead of the cool or blue white light historically associated with fluorescent lights and with many LEDs. Recent advances in LED technology have made possible high-efficiency, high-brightness LEDs that are available in a full range of warm and neutral white colors. These advances can allow lighting solutions providers to bring new products to market, helping meet consumer's demands for soft, warm white light in indoor applications.

The long service life and efficiency of LED lighting delivers significant benefits for indoor applications, especially those currently using incandescent bulbs. Current generation LEDs deliver approximately five times the efficiency of many incandescent bulbs, and effective light fixture design can improve these gains even further. Since LEDs generate less heat than most light sources, and since the heat generated is not radiated into the work or living space as it is with light bulbs, LEDs can also reduce the load on air conditioning systems and hence reduce the electricity used to cool the area.