Big Green: Solid State Lighting

[David Bergman]

I'm lifting this from a post I sent recently to the Greenbuilding listserv:


I've yet to find a comparative LCA on CFL vs LED. I suspect we're
going to find environmental issues with the production as well as the
eventual disposal of LED's -- we've no idea if those will be more or
less an issue than CFL's. (Witness a recent article on the toxicity
issues from PV production in China, which is where most of the CFL's
and LED's come from.)

I really excited about LED's and I can't wait to start making
fixtures with them, but they're not the answer quite yet (though they
are great for some situations). The light quality from many of them
is not wonderful (the MR16 and PAR replacements I've tried here were
pretty harsh, even with warm color temps), the lumen output is
currently too low for most incandescent or CFL replacement purposes
and, of course, the cost is still high.

[update: I saw some terrific LED fixtures at a meeting yesterday, 
which emphasizes how fast this is evolving.]

The recessed LED fixtures I've seen (Progress, etc.) are decent but
not as good or bright (or as good looking when off) as incandescent
or CFL cans.

And I'm bothered by the fact that you cannot replace the "bulbs" on
most LED fixtures (I'm talking about LED-specific fixtures, not the
LED bulbs that are designed to retrofit into non-LED fixtures). LED's
are not standardized like other bulbs and they are integrated into
the fixture. This is partially because they're supposed to last so
long (the thinking is that you'll be ready to replace the fixture
when the LED's die, assuming they last as long as advertised) and
partially because they are evolving so fast.

David
DAVID BERGMAN ARCHITECT / FIRE & WATER LIGHTING + FURNITURE
architecture . interiors . ecodesign . lighting . furniture
bergman at cyberg.com    www.cyberg.com
241 Eldridge Street #3R, New York, NY 10002
t 212 475 3106    f 212 677 7291

At 09:31 AM 4/4/2008, mark.sofman at comcast.net wrote:
>Hello Big Greeners,
>
>Please bear with me via a digression. Over a year ago I upgraded my 
>4-D Cell Maglite flashlight with an LED "bulb" to replace the Xenon 
>bulb it came with.  The Maglite gets a lot of use around our house 
>and most astounding of all, I haven't had to replace the batteries 
>in over a year and a bulb lit up in my head (didn't think you''d get 
>away without a little wordplay, did you?)
>
>Hence I've become, on a part time basis a student of LED or solid 
>state lighting.  I believe solid state lighting holds great promise 
>looking forward: market opportunities, energy consumption, design 
>flexibility, new/novel applications, green building, etc.
>
>Thus to my point.  I'm now looking at solid state lighting from a 
>professional point of view as to job opportunities to market, 
>promote and explain this product category.  I would be most 
>appreciative of any comments or observations from members of Big Green on:
>
>-what you see as the opportunities and pitfalls for this technology, 
>especially in commercial, institutional and residential, buildings
>-your views on the "state of the industry"
>-any "baggage" you believe the industry might carrying that needs to 
>be addressed
>-what the solid state lighting industry needs or ought to be doing 
>to communicate with architects, designers and specifiers (and 
>others) and suggested means and methods of doing so
>-any job leads (of course!) you might share with a guy looking for 
>his next opportunity to help an organization explain, promote and 
>even defend its products, processes and policies to its many 
>audiences (customers, elected officials, general public, media, etc., etc.)
>
>In advance of your advice and insight, thank you very much.  If you 
>would be more comfortable responding "off list" by all means feel 
>free to do so.
>
>Have a great weekend.
>
>Regards,
>--
>Mark Sofman
>301 922 4012 mobile
>http://www.linkedin.com/in/msofman
>_______________________________________________________________
>This green building dialogue is provided as a public service
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>http://www.buildinggreen.com. For instructions see 
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