LED lighting is becoming increasingly popular over incandescent and fluorescent bulbs in homes and even on the headlights of cars. And it’s no wonder why—LED bulbs last about 50 times longer than their incandescent counterparts. Of course, LED bulbs are not just being used in homes and vehicles—they are also being used in hotels in various ways. The benefits of LED over incandescent or fluorescent lighting are the most significant in industries like hospitality where properties are looking to conserve energy and eliminate waste. But the benefits go beyond reducing a hotel’s energy usage. Below are six of those benefits the LEDs bring to hotels.
Cost Savings
Cost savings is an ongoing trend in LED lighting. Because LED bulbs last so much longer, properties buy and change fewer bulbs overall. Although the LED bulb initially costs more, the hotel can quickly recover the return on investment when compared to incandescent and fluorescent bulbs.
On top of those cost-savings are reductions in energy bills. An LED bulb uses only two-thirds the energy that an incandescent bulb uses, which amounts to a fair amount of energy savings—whether a small or large-scale property. LEDs can also cut costs by reducing the frequency with which hotel maintenance staff must change bulbs, freeing them up to perform other critical tasks.
Expanding Design Options
Since LED bulbs do not need to be replaced as often, hoteliers are also more open to putting bulbs in hard-to-reach places such as higher ceilings or difficult-to-reach nooks. Since LEDs are fairly small, hotels are finding new ways to incorporate the look of LEDs into their design.
Color Choices
In the past, LEDs could only emit certain shades of light, known as temperatures. White and red light were the options, but now more options are available, including more of a blue light. This allows hoteliers more range to choose the mood of particular rooms through the lighting that they choose. Hotel owners can even choose to change the shade of the color that is emitted, depending on the time of day. For instance, during the day and LED light could emit a bright, white light in a hotel lobby, but during the night that same light bulb could emit a blue light for a cool look.
Brightening Exteriors
Since LED lights emit a bright light, hotels are more frequently using them for outdoor spaces, such as lamp poles, to improve safety. With LEDs outside the hotel, guests and employees alike are able to walk without tripping. The bright lights also help ward off dangerous activity from people who would take advantage of a space that is dark.
The Lure of Eco-Friendly
LED lighting, along with several other “green” features at hotels, may actually attract travelers to stay at hotels. Today’s consumers are growing more interested in supporting businesses that have sustainable practices, and LED lighting is one way to cut down on the amount of energy that a property uses.
Upgrading Non-Room Spaces
Although many hotel owners are already aware of the benefits of LEDs, more hoteliers are using them to create unique and inviting spaces for their guests. Hotel rooms are obvious places to install LED lighting, but hotel restaurants and dining environments could also be a space where hoteliers install strong mood lighting with LEDs.
Fluorescent lighting emits a light that many people now find too industrial and unpleasant, and incandescent bulbs are following in fluorescent bulbs’ footsteps. Hotel owners should watch the trends and do their homework to ensure that they are getting the best lighting product to create the environment that will make their hotel stand out in terms of style and eco-friendliness.
About the Author
Joe Humphries is a contributing writer and media specialist for American General Construction.
