Many individuals and organizations are looking for energy efficient and long lasting lighting. This has become an important environmental issue, since lighting accounts for a significant percentage of all energy usage in the U.S. This largely relies on fossil fuels, which are responsible for the emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases which contribute to global climate change. A range of new technologies, like induction lighting and LED lights or light-emitting diodes, offer energy- and cost-efficient alternatives to halogen lighting. LEDs are also compatible with emerging smart home technologies.

What are LEDs?
LEDs consist of microchips or semiconductors with positive and negative charges. Light is produced when electrons flow through these positive and negative layers. A heat sink absorbs the heat produced in this process. Like induction lighting, LEDs are energy efficient and long lasting. Unlike induction lighting, however, they have the advantage of not containing any toxic materials. Induction lamps contain small amounts of mercury, which can be harmful.
LED lamps outperform traditional fluorescent and halogen bulbs, in terms of their useful lifespan, energy efficiency and output. While florescent bulbs have a lifespan of 20,000 hours, LED bulbs can last for more than double that time, or around 50,000 hours. When compared to standard halogen bulbs, LEDs use 15% less energy and produce 85% more light output. LEDs are already being used in various ways, as street lights, for lighting stadiums and athletic facilities, parking garages, automobile headlights, and much more.

Environmental benefits of LED lights
Because of their low energy consumption, LED lights can help reduce energy consumption and reliance on fossil fuels. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, they have the potential to reduce energy consumption by half. Many different kinds of organizations, including schools, government agencies, and municipalities are turning to LED lights to reduce their energy consumption and bills, and to install long-lasting and low maintenance lighting.
More than a fifth, or 22% of all energy consumption in the U.S. is for lighting purposes. Reducing this through the use of energy efficient LED lighting is an environmentally sound choice. It also makes economic sense, especially for use in roadway lighting and parking garages, where lighting has to be on for long periods of time. In many places, parking garages are required by law to be lighted around the clock.

Other applications of LEDs
LEDs have numerous other applications beyond their use as energy efficient lighting. They are used in the dental and medical fields, and to cure paints and adhesives. LED systems can also be used to provide smart lighting that is compatible with smart buildings that are fitted with networks of sensors that can collect data and respond to it appropriately.
An intelligent LED lighting network could be used in spaces like offices, hospitals, warehouses and other industrial spaces, where the lighting must be varied by time of day and other factors.

As individuals and organizations look for ways to cut down their energy consumption, energy efficient lighting systems have a crucial role to play. Developing technologies like LED and induction lighting are energy and cost efficient as well as low maintenance and long lasting. LEDs have multiple applications beyond lighting as well.