History of LightingThe history of lighting presents very few changes over thousands of years. It moved from firelight to different variations of candles or lamps which produced light by burning wax, oil or fat by means of a wick. Coal, oil, and gas lamps were the next development, and were popular during the 1800's. They were used both indoors and outdoors. At the end of the 19th century there were a number of attempts to produce light using electricity. Thomas Edison eventually invented the incandescent bulb, which is still used by many people today. This bulb will no longer be available for sale in North America in early 2012 due to the amount of energy it requires in order to produce light. The next major innovation was the fluorescent tube, primarily used in commercial settings. These had two significant advantages over the incandescent bulbs. They took significantly less energy to produce the same amount of light, and they lasted longer. However, the fluorescent tubes have some negative aspects. In order to create light, they contain mercury which becomes a hazard if broken. They can produce quite a lot of noise, the flickering that they produce can be very irritating to some people, and the light can be very harsh. So it is with eagerness that we look forward to the development of the newest lighting technology, LED (Light Emitting Diodes). LED light is by far the most energy efficient of all forms of light.
LED Bulb Lighting HistoryThe first LED bulb was produced only in red and was used in indicator lights on calculators, etc. Eventually, with the development of green, amber, and then blue, they were able to develop the white light.They were first available for shipment in 1989. Since then they have continued to improve, and are now widely available for commercial use. The applications for automotive, residential, and consumer use are increasing almost daily. Toronto was the second North American city (after Raleigh, N.C.) to join the LED City program in 2007. This program involves using LED lighting to illuminate streets, parking garages, and outdoor spaces. This mode of lighting is the most cost effective in terms of energy use and longevity of the units themselves. Although LED lights cost considerably more to purchase, that cost is soon recovered because they last a very long time and cost a fraction of the cost of operating any other type of lighting. This also results in lower maintenance costs for municipal and commercial use. They are very environmentally friendly, in terms of the materials used to make them. They last longer than any other light bulb. They can be recycled when they do eventually burn out, and they can be made in a way that they produce light that is very pleasing to the eye. The
replacement LED light bulb
Is probably the most significant development in the history of lighting.
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