IDA Blue Light Environmental Impact Report & NEMA response

• Isolux Curve comparisons & Terminology
• Life Cycle Costs analysis, comparing LED to Induction light sources

On October 7, 2009, the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) released a report which spoke about the effect that Blue Light has on animals, people and the environment. In brief, the IDA is discouraging the use Bluish-White lamp sources with a CCT above 3000K and is recommending that lighting manufactures “should be required to refine their products to limit blue light at wavelengths shorter than 500 nano-meters” (Please click on this IDA PDF link to read entire article for more information). As many of you are very well aware, the current 3000K LED technology is very inefficient and cost prohibitive. The power requirements for lower Kelvin LED’s are substantially higher than higher Kelvin LED’s. Thus, the payback is substantially longer, usually more than 20 years.

In response to this paper, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) has issued their response to the IDA paper.

Please click on the this NEMA PDF linkto read their rebuttal.