24 Jan LED industry trends 2019-2020
It’s an exciting time for the industry as it leverages the latest technology to innovate LED design, color, wavelength, energy efficiency and more.
All indications point to healthy growth for the lighting industry in 2019 and the next few years. Several factors are contributing to this growth, particularly demands for increased energy efficiency amid environmental concerns, and new “smart” technology embedded in lighting for use in homes, offices and cities. Some estimates expect the market for smart lighting products to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 27 percent from 2017 to 2023.
Next year, we can expect to see the convergence of technology and market demands push new innovation, design and color of LED lighting. Several trends that will affect the lighting sector over next year:
1. Energy efficiency will continue to dominate.
LED lighting typically emits less heat, lasts as much as 25 times longer and is far more energy efficient than incandescent and fluorescent light sources. The higher the lumens per watt (lpw), the more efficient the light bulb. LED lighting efficiency has been increasing and now stands at 125 lpw.
2. Soon all LED fixtures will become IoT-enabled.
Right now, the majority of bulbs sold, including LEDs, are not yet ready for Internet of Things (IoT) integration, meaning: they are not considered “smart” fixtures that can be turned on, up, dimmed or off by an app such as Alexa or Google Home. This capability will soon become a must-have; we expect that over the next decade, all lighting will need to be digitally connected.
3. Look for varied LED design and slim profiles.
While there wasn’t much thought put into the design of traditional incandescent and compact fluorescent lighting, when it comes to LED lights, design is very important and has recently been a key differentiator. Lighting design is moving toward slim profiles that are easy to retrofit and install. Previously, retrofitting required rewiring but today’s – and tomorrow’s – LEDs will provide more light and flexibility, and require less space, than traditional lighting.
4. Color temperature of LEDs will be a key focus.
Measured in degrees of Kelvin, the temperatures of traditional LEDs can range between 2700K and 5000K. The high end of this range produces a cool color. Lighting designers and architects are now specifying warmer colors. Lights that range from 2000K to 3000K produce a light that is cozier, calming and more intimate for most rooms of the house, restaurants and other locations, compared to cool white light that is more appropriate for offices, task lighting and bathrooms.
5. Concern about the blue light epidemic will increase.
People are becoming more aware of the blue light epidemic, which can affect sleep patterns and long-term health. For most people, the biggest source of blue light is their smartphones and other screen devices, but blue light also comes from LED fixtures. Lighting manufacturers are eager to solve this problem by developing human-centric lighting that mimics the sun and aligns with the body’s circadian rhythms. The industry is trying to filter out blue light but none of the currently available solutions so far are the proper wavelength to be truly effective. Once this is solved, early adopters will be medical facilities, hospitals, assisted living and educational environments.
