New lighting solutions save energy in retail windows.(INDUSTRY NEWS CURRENT HAPPENINGS AND EVENTS)

A field study conducted by the Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute boosts incentive for the use of or light-emitting diodes (LED). The study showed that colored LEDs in retail windows can cut lighting energy use by up to 50% and more readily grab shoppers' attention.

Lighting in retail stores often does more than just illuminate the space. Retailers, especially those selling high-end goods, use lighting to attract customers, highlight merchandise, and send a message about the quality of the store. Store display windows offer the greatest opportunity to attract shoppers passing by, making lighting a critical element in visual merchandising. When combined with 12 or more hours of use every day, the LRC says, the energy consumption and costs add up. Indeed, the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that lighting accounts for 37% of total energy use in U.S. retail buildings.

Building upon previous lab studies using LEDs in displays, the LRC developed an energy-efficient window lighting solution for retail stores through a study sponsored by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP). LRC researchers installed custom-built LED luminaires in the windows of three stores owned by ...