By now the en
ergy-saving benefits of LED lighting are well known. (If they are not familiar to you, see this short blog post.) What is sometimes overlooked are the other benefits an LED system can bring to a building and the activities that take place there.
ENLIGHTEN recently completed a project to replace the lighting systems in several auto body shops where highly-skilled repair and paint work take place. The previous metal-halide lighting scheme was adequate for safety and general working purposes but inhibited repairs from being com0pleted in the most efficient manner. Under the former lighting arrangement, body repair work appeared differently in the paint booths (where lighting systems were very high performance) than in the general body work areas. Sometimes what would appear to be a fully repaired scratch under the old lighting system would show to need further work once the car was pulled into the paint booth. This translated to moving vehicles back and forth between the body repair areas and the paint booths; not only a frustration for the workers but a time loss for the dealership.
The new LED lighting system has improved brightness by 80% and color rendering by more than 10%. Much of the fine detail of body work now shows considerably better, and workers are having to move cars far less frequently. Quality of light is not only important to automotive repair work but any effort that requires fine motor skills, precise detail, or high-performance rendering. Retail display, laboratory work, and fabrication are just a few examples of where light quality is a vital factor.
It’s important to note that simply converting to an LED lighting system does not automatically improve the light quality in a space. Some LEDs do not the same high-level of color rendering or do not provide enhanced brightness. This is perfectly fine if these attributes are not necessary for the application. Many areas such as lighting hotel halls or night-time sidewalks don’t require the same level of visual detail as an automotive body shop. Installing an LED system of the same brightness and color rendering in these areas would be over designing and over spending.
Having the tools and knowledge to understand the application’s needs, the client’s goals, and the proper solutions to fulfill both is key to providing an optimal outcome. Partnering with a company such as ENLIGHTEN will help achieve just that.
Enlighten is lighting consultant, designer, and wholesaler for commercial and industrial spaces.
