LED Exit Lighting and Reducing Cost of Ownership
01/08/2011 by Mark HerringCost
Although LED's typically have a much higher purchase price, they are far more energy-efficient and longer lasting than their conventional counterparts which leads to lower total costs when factoring in electricity savings and reduced maintenance and disposal costs.
Exit Sign Costs
Currently, LED’s are far more cost efficient than fluorescents. They are available in the a variety of styles (including stencil, matrix and edge-lit models) and price levels. In the short term, it may be cheaper to continue using fluorescent exit signs. However, it is more cost-effective to replace existing fluorescent-lit exit signs with new LED exit signs. The real savings come from greatly reduced maintenance costs.
Energy and Global Warming
Fluorescent exit signs typically contain two 10- or 15-watt bulbs that draw 20-30 watts in total, whereas LED exit signs typically consume around 4 watts. Since exit signs are typically lit all year around, 24 hours per day, each LED exit sign can save about 140kwh, preventing the release of around half a ton of CO2 annually. Replacing fluorescent exit signs with new LED signs is one of the easiest and most cost effective energy efficiency upgrades available to public and commercial facilities.




