University of Pittsburgh Researchers Find LED Streetlights Most Cost Effective and Environmentally Friendly in Cradle-to-Grave Comparison

Author: SSLighting Design News Staff

March 11, 2010... Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh were commissioned by the city of Pittsburgh to do a cradle-to-grave life-cycle assessment of LED street lights as it considers replacing 40,000 street lights with LED-based street lights. The researchers concluded that LED street lights "... outstrip other lights for balance of brightness, energy efficiency, life span, cost, and low environmental impact."

The researchers determined that the increasingly popular lamps "...strike the best balance between brightness, affordability, and energy and environmental conservation when their life span-from production to disposal-is considered."

Engineers in the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation based in Pitt's Swanson School of Engineering compared LED streetlights to two common lamps-the high-pressure sodium (HPS) lamps found in most cities and metal halide lamps akin to those in stadiums-and the gas-based induction bulb, another emerging technology billed as bright and energy efficient. The team reported that although LEDs may carry a hefty price tag, when compared to HPS and metal halide lamps, they consume half the electricity, last up to five times longer, and produce more light.

The research indicated that induction lights were slightly more affordable and energy efficient than LEDs, but those gains were outweighed by the greater environmental impact when in use. The study's authors also noted that LED technology has more potential for improvement and may surpass induction lamps in the future.

The researchers found an extreme amount of variability among LED street lights in terms of cost and performance, but overall they found that there is significant economic and environmental case for choosing LED street lights over other lighting technologies. University of Pittsburgh News Release

Source/Type: Solid State Lighting Design LED Lighting News - News - Staff reports

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