Achieving more sustainable operations has become a top priority for companies in every business sector. As conscious capitalism gains momentum, more consumers are demanding greater accountability from the brands they choose. In fact, four out of five people now say they are more likely to choose a brand that makes environmental sustainability a priority.
Alongside consumer expectations, policymakers are also demanding—and in some cases, mandating—companies take a more impactful and measurable approach to environmentally-friendly operations. Between the Biden administration’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and the International Energy Agency’s global Net Zero by 2050 proposal, no matter where you do business, the message is clear: Setting and achieving sustainability goals will be a primary KPI in the coming year.
Many companies assume that means they’ll have to enact major operational changes to get there, and already faced with crippling supply chain and workforce crises, it will be difficult and expensive. But the reality is, making a simple change to upgrade facility lighting to modern, high-efficiency LED fixtures can make a huge impact on sustainability and net substantial, long-term ROI. In the coming year, we can expect to see several advances in LED lighting technology that will make upgrading to LEDs an even smarter investment toward achieving sustainability goals.
1) More efficient fixtures. 90% of consumers say it’s vital that we become more energy-conscious, and lowering industrial energy consumption is the fastest way to achieve that goal. Already, LED luminaires use up to 90% less energy than conventional lighting and last up to five times longer, and manufacturers continue to innovate in power supply and driver technology to make their fixtures more efficient. In the coming year, expect to see new luminaires with higher light efficacy and output at a lower energy demand, which will help to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
2) Better optics. One of the key advantages of LED luminaires over conventional HID sources is the ability to control light placement. In addition to using optical reflectors, LED manufacturers can strategically position the individual LEDs to aim the light where it’s needed, eliminating light wasted on the ceilings and walls. In 2022, the industry will see a more widespread offering of custom lighting design, allowing industrial customers to get the lighting schematic that works best for their specific facility and application, rather than one-size-fits-all fixtures.
3) Recyclability. Because LED fixtures contain no hazardous materials (such as mercury and other toxins found in conventional lighting), they require no special handling or hazardous disposal. To take that a step further, some manufacturers are developing even more sustainable luminaires made from fully recyclable components that could essentially eliminate lighting landfill waste. Adopting these recyclable LEDs enables industrial sites to reduce their environmental footprint while also decreasing the health risk associated with conventional bulb and fixture disposal.
4) Sustainable manufacturing. Because of the focus on greener operations, LED lighting manufacturers themselves are also adopting more sustainable manufacturing processes. Some are making major strides to minimize their own energy consumption, prioritizing local supply sourcing to lower transportation emissions, reducing waste and certifying their processes to their customers. With these efforts, in 2022 LED manufacturers can help companies who buy their products to prove supply chain sustainability and reduce their overall environmental footprint. What’s more, some are even going to the lengths of obtaining externally verified and registered Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for their products, which transparently communicates information on the environmental impact of the production of the product. This allows companies to buy with confidence, knowing their investment will help achieve environmental mandates and corporate sustainability goals in a measurable way.
5) Smart controls. The use of smart controls to reduce burn time can already cut lighting energy use by an additional 50% or more, but in some cases, they can create a safety hazard if the lights aren’t activated quickly enough to provide clear visibility when people enter the area. However, new advances in occupancy sensors that can detect movement over and around obstructions (such as shelving, boxes, and other barriers) can eliminate that problem to ensure both safety and energy efficiency. Microwave sensing has been particularly effective in this area.
6) Value-added features. As the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) adoption grows, lighting engineers are also incorporating value-added functions directly into LED light fixtures to make IIoT implementation more efficient. For example, cameras mounted on or inside LED fixtures allow companies to use their lighting network for safety and surveillance, along with computer-aided vision technology to track and optimize movement patterns for humans and materials and even measure inventory and stock on hand. Environmental sensors are also being incorporated into light fixtures to detect airborne toxins, temperature, and other conditions. By incorporating these features into the existing LED lighting infrastructure, companies can reduce the consumption of materials and energy that would otherwise be required to install and operate these systems on their own.
To meet growing demand for more sustainable operations, LED lighting designers are pushing the envelope to provide innovative features to support their customers’ needs. Even better, many of these functions also enable improvement in overall operational efficiency—a double bonus for industrial facilities. LEDs last longer and require less maintenance, freeing up maintenance staff to perform more production-oriented tasks.
As companies face increasing demand to provide environmental KPI data for corporate disclosure and public/consumer accountability, LED lighting manufacturers can become valuable partners to their customers in achieving measurably more sustainable operations.
Fariyal Khanbabi is the CEO of Dialight. She can be reached at www.dialight.com/contact/dialight-global.
