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Lighting is a powerful tool. But it can also have a much larger effect on your business too.
When properly optimized, lighting can set the mood and tone of your environment, not only creating a particular look but also influencing certain outcomes. Lighting can shape productivity, creativity and even emotions.
The right lighting can lead to an overall environment fostering inspiration and productivity. The wrong choice can lead to an oppressive mood of monotony where projects seem to drag on forever and no one wants to spend much time collaborating.
But light has another impact on your business — and that is the impact of the bottom line and your business’s impact on the environment.
At its very core, light sets the internal schedule for how our minds and bodies operate. It is the natural driving force behind our circadian rhythms establishing our optimum schedules of productivity and rest.
Now that you have some idea of just how important the right lighting for your small business office can be, here is a list of the small business lighting from which to choose.
Incandescent
An incandescent light bulb is certainly the iconic image many think of when discussing electric lights. (This image has been enhanced by the use of an incandescent bulb by many a graphic designer to symbolize that game changing great idea!)
This bulb creates light when an electric current passes through a filament. The only advantage of an incandescent bulb considering the availability of other technologies is that it’s cheap. The trouble is it’s equally inefficient.
Incandescent bulbs convert less than five percent of the energy they use into actual light. That’s a terrible expense — and a terrible blow to the environment.
Fortunately, no matter how inexpensive (at the cash register) they may be, their long-term cost to businesses and the environment has doomed them to extinction.
They are in the process of being phased out in many developed countries around the world and are generally considered obsolete for business use.
Halogen
Halogens are the modern take on the standard incandescent light — with a twist!
The interior of the bulb is filled with halogen gas — improving their efficiency a bit. They also give off a light that’s clear and crispy white.
Halogens are the chosen light-systems for detailed work such as video and photo studios.
Halogen lights are lightweight, which makes them a great solution for portability.
Museums, art studios and any industry that may have a rotation of products will benefit from halogen lighting.
Halogens are also a great option for outdoor use. With components often made of quartz, they can withstand high heat.
And these lights also turn on instantly without the need to be warmed up.
LED
Light-Emitting Diode lamps, or LED’s, are the most common lighting fixtures you will find in businesses today.
Companies prefer LED’s because of their efficient use of energy. The lifespan of an LED can be up to 50 times greater than the average incandescent. That’s a lot less replacing of bulbs, which is better for your wallet and the planet!
In addition, LED lamps feature convenience. This is by design. It turns out most manufacturers have sized these new lights to easily replace their standard incandescent and fluorescent predecessors.
And here’s another advantage with LED’s: fast activation. Factories and work intensive spaces will appreciate the LED’s next to zero wait time to “light up”.
LED lights are one-directional so their applications are best used in open spaces as the main source of light. That being said, LED’s are constructed in various formats, including tube lighting, allowing their use to be applied in a broad range of industries.
LED lights are extremely versatile and can be used in everything from food production to cold storage to manufacturing. They’re also important for outdoor use for everything from sporting events to secure enclosures.
CFL
Compact Fluorescent, CFL, bulbs are an alternative to the more expensive LED’s, but are still more energy efficient than traditional incandescent bulbs.
This makes them better for the environment and better for your bottom line.
Just as convenient in terms of sizing without adaptors, CFL’s are basically a mini version of a standard fluorescent light.
They exhibit a more subtle shine, more similar to the standard incandescent light, however. So their application may be more suited in areas where an ultra-bright solution isn’t necessary.
One of the drawbacks of CFL lighting however may make them a less desirable choice. CFL bulbs contain mercury so they need to be disposed of according to environmental policy.
And in case of breakage, CFL bulbs must be cleaned up properly since mercury is a dangerous heavy metal. So keep this in mind when determining what bulbs are best for your business.
Conclusion
With such a wide selection of lighting options, it’s best to contact a lighting professional for your particular needs. Lighting designers along with light manufacturers can provide you with a customized solution according to your specifications.
It’s important to note that not all lighting products, even when in the same category, are created equal. So be sure to select the one that’s right for your business.
Light Bulbs Photo via Shutterstock
This article, “Which Light Bulb is Best for Your Office?” was first published on Small Business Trends