LEDs ride the second adoption wave in the hospitality industry

Decorative incandescent lights may still be in, but for a lot of venues, halogen is out. Big hotel chains, owners of pubs and cafes are replacing their halogen lamps with LEDs as a quick and easy way to save on energy and maintenance. Today’s LED lamps offer good light quality and quick paybacks, often with the reassurance of robust warranties or maintenance contracts, so it’s a fairly safe decision to make

- Baishakhi Dutta

One of the highest costs incurred in the hospitality business is for electricity and, unfortunately, energy consumption in this sector is on the rise. In India, according to hospitality industry reports, energy costs account for almost 8 to 15 per cent of a hotel’s gross expenditure. Therefore, these costs need to be controlled as they impact profitability more than any other expense. Lighting is an important constituent of these costs. The hospitality industry is now adopting LED lights in a bid to reduce ever-rising energy consumption and costs, as well as to earn the environment-friendly tag.

Types of hotel lighting

In all, there are three basic types of hotel lighting.

Ambient or general lighting: Ambient lighting refers to general illumination that comes from all directions in a room. It seems to have no visible source. It provides a soft, comfortable level of light for watching television or having a conversation.

Task lighting: This involves lighting up a small area where a particular task is being performed. It is used in dining rooms where food is served. The most important characteristic of task lighting is that the light source should not produce multiple shadows at the point of application, as it can strain the eyes of those involved in performing that particular task.

Accent lighting: Accent lighting highlights an area or an object in a room. This adds to the drama or style of a room by highlighting certain aspects of the decor. It is used to light up a picture or painting, and hence it is very important to avoid glare and give an even distribution of light in such cases.

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