Introduction
This report has been structured and submitted to give insight regarding issues in health that are related to lighting and specifically the cost-benefit analysis that accrue due to the use of LED devices in the medical facilities. This is having in mind the fact that the research is linked to the people who serve as the medical practitioners and or engineers in the medical facilities. It applies the scholarly findings and analysis of these findings in a way that aims at coming up with clear reasons as to why the LED lighting should be considered as the best alternative lighting option in any health and medical facility (Dhir, 2004). Health facilities and hospitals should consider replacing the traditional lighting systems, with the LED technology-based device because, traditional devices have continued to raise the expenses in the running of healthcare facilities.
It is important to understand that the acronym LED stands for light emitting diode which is a semiconducting apparatus or devices traditionally the were only used as lighting indicators but in the modern society especially in the field of health they are being adopted for the purpose of outdoor as well as indoor decorative purposes (Dhir, 2004). For this reason, they sought to find out details on how this apparatus might be suitable for their institutions. The use of these apparatus dates back to 1907 when they were discovered by physicists from Britain. LED lights are preferred for various uses due to their ability to cut down on the cost of electricity as well as other benefits which will be looked at in detail coupled with the good quality of lighting in the medical field.
Background
Researchers have looked into the advantages that accrue the LED technology for the purpose of trying to understand why this technology is beneficial in the medical field, based on how the technology works and the benefits that probably might accrue the application of this technology in healthcare facilities (Yoon & Chang, 2016). This analysis compares the traditional incandescent bulbs which some of the medical facilities are using to date which have been in place for a long time in history as a result of conformity.
First, the light output of LED apparatus is considered to be very high, it is estimated that the commercially used led devices for lighting are capable of producing a hundred lumen per unit watt. This is compared to back in the year 2002 where they were only producing about twenty lumens per watt. In the experimental field, they produce as much as 205 lumens in every watt as compared to the incandescent light which only produce about 16 lumens for every watt or compared to the fluorescent devices that only produce 95 lumens in every watt consumed. The lifespan of the LED light can commercially be used up to 50,000 hours as the practical lifespan in terms of hours. Therefore, after installation, this can be estimated to be up to 30 years which are also determined by the working hours. This means they reduce the cost of replacements and maintenance ("LED Application Guide for Hospitals and Health Care Facilities", 2016).
There are many other benefits related to the costs which include the operational character of these lights, they are capable of working in extremely low temperatures, therefore, they cannot be affected by off-cycling. This, therefore, means they can be used in refrigeration environments such as the cold rooms and this also makes them very suitable for places where light is frequently switched on and off. In line with this, they are shock resistant due to their design and also they are resistant to vibrations because they lack suspended films. Therefore, they can be used on devices or apparatus that are frequently in motion ("Specialist nurse-led clinics for rheumatoid arthritis show benefits over doctors’ care", 2013).
These devices are very versatile because they are also very responsive to the pupil response to light quality. They are also in the front row in terms of reducing carbon IV oxide emission and the fact that they do not require regular replacement means that they reduce the cost of purchasing new bulbs as well as reducing the quantity of disposed bulbs which are a hazard to the environment. This is with the fact that health and medical practitioners aim at improving the quality of health of the people ("Specialist nurse-led clinics for rheumatoid arthritis show benefits over doctors’ care", 2013).
Legislation and Standards Regarding the LED Devices
In the year 2015 which was the international year of light, the LED industry received another boost with UNESCO together with other stakeholders proposing that the use of LED devices and lighting apparatus be adopted in the global commercial industries. Being a rapidly growing and fairly new technology it was also proposed that manufacturers should apply the new set of international standards and regulations throughout the manufacturing process. Most of the countries where these plants are based do not have their own established set of the regulatory standards, therefore, they use the performance and safety standards which are outlined in the International Electronic Commission which relate to LED lamps and luminaires. Which are essentially guidelines and procedures that the LED devices producers should implement (luminaires? 2015).
These regulations include Regulation EC 1194/2012 which focusses issues on doing with Eco-design, efficiency and functionality requirements. On quality management, they are guided by the ISO9000 Certification. These regulations also address safety needs in the so-called underwriters’ laboratories guidelines which apply to the both the Australian and United States legislative bodies because of the universal nature of health. In the western part of Australia recently, LED legislations have been approved and applied in areas which were previously unendorsed, this by itself is a go-ahead for the use of these LED devices within various institution having in mind the fact that there are directions on how they should be implemented ("4X4 News: LED Light Bar Laws in Western Australia - MR4X4", 2015).
In summary, the legislations concerning the LED lighting are clearly in support of the adoption of this new technology throughout the world. The reason behind this support is the fact that this type of lighting together with other uses does not pause any potential risk to the people who handle these devices (Duff, 2013).
Cost-Benefit Analysis
There are many reasons why cost-benefit issues related to LED devices should be addressed. In this line of thought, it is important to have in mind the fact that hospitals and medical facilities like other institutions aim at cutting the cost of input as much as possible while aiming to derive the maximum benefit from the economized input. Regardless of whether the facility is a private or a public organization electricity utility bills are some of the aspects which consume a large proportion of the generated income. The LED devices are aimed at addressing these issues in order to realize maximum returns ("LED Application Guide for Hospitals and Health Care Facilities", 2016).
In healthcare facilities and hospitals, the LED lighting adoption is a key aspect in terms of energy saving and also prolonged life which cuts on maintenance costs. There are also other benefits which these types of lighting guarantee such as high quality of light compared to other devices which are not LED based. The better light quality is as a result of the quality of light these gadgets emit, it is actually considered as better quality from the results of this light when measured on the color rendering index. Compared to the traditional light sources the quality of LED light is impressive. Another reason is attributed to the fact that the LED light, unlike the fluorescent bulbs, do not tend to flicker. The reason why this is a benefit is the fact that the flickering in most cases leads to headaches as well as eye strain. In economic terms, these aspects are capable of making patients subscribe to a given healthcare facility because they are not subjected to more harm or worsening of their condition (Sȩdziwy & Kotulski, 2016).
Another benefit is the obvious fact that these lighting saves on the energy used and this by itself means that money is saved. From the background information, it was evident that when a facility uses the LED lighting as compared to the fluorescent tubes and bulbs the facility is likely to save a minimum of 50% of the energy used. Research has also shown that when a typical HID bulb is converted to LED over 75% of the energy is saved in the process. The saved energy translates to quite a huge sum of money which would be spent on obtaining the similar results of which the LED option is an even better option (Sȩdziwy & Kotulski, 2016). These bulbs are in some countries referred to as ‘energy saving bulbs’ due to this reason.
The technology applied in the manufacture of these LED lights is in such a way that a lot a lot of energy is saved by turning the devices off with controls. To understand this, have a look at the LED light compared to the HID light. The HID lights require motion addition in order to be switched off, unlike these lights the LED lights do not require additional motion in a bid to turn them on and off especially in those areas which are considered to have little activities going on. There are several areas which require frequent on and off switching of the lights which require immediate responses by the light. LED lights come in handy, some of these areas include the stairwells, closets, basements as well as parking lots (Sȩdziwy & Kotulski, 2016). In many cases, it is obvious that turning the lights off in these areas guarantees more saving on energy cost. These LED devices are structured in such a way that they can be paired with motion sensors as well as photocells, these are devices which automatically turn off the lights when they are not needed.
It is worth noting that the department of energy in the U.S has also published a paper in which several steps are outlined to ensure hospitals save as much energy as possible it is termed as the ‘Energy-Efficient Hospital Lighting Strategies Pay Off Quickly’. The points included in the paper include the conversion of the current lighting systems to LED, replacement of the incandescent lighting, daylight controls use and the summary of the saving that the hospitals are likely to enjoy when they adopt the LED lighting. This is worth borrowing, Australia should consider coming up with such guidelines ("4X4 News: LED Light Bar Laws in Western Australia - MR4X4", 2015).
Despite all the benefits outlined the adoption and use of these devices care is another aspect that should be considered especially when looking at their cost-benefit analysis. It is obvious that there are chances that the not all applications can be suitable for installation of LED. For instance, compared to conventional lighting sources the LED luminaire comes at a much higher cost in terms of purchase and installation. In this line of thought, it is important to factor in the issue of ownership as an approach therefore during the installation the management of the facility should consider whether the cost of installation will be regained in the period of operation (Sȩdziwy & Kotulski, 2016).
The total ownership approach is termed as crucial because it looks at the analysis of investment in luminaires, shift of lamp costs, cost of energy, costs incurred in cleaning among many other factors. The role played by the sensors is also a very important aspect to consider due to the role they play in terms of prolonging the luminaire lifespan coupled with energy cost reduction. In an annual projection, it has been found out that LED devices as a solution tend to include capital costs which are way lower than the conventional solutions (Haus, 2015).
The diagrams below explain the aspect of the principle of total ownership. As well as the fact that initial investment on LED can appear to be higher than the traditional installations for lighting but in terms of total cost over a long period the maintenance cost is it is clear that the benefits of the LED luminaire are a key step towards efficiency in the hospitals and medical facilities. The LED devices should be put in place of the traditional lighting systems in the next hospital infrastructure upgrade program. This can be done in phases over specified period of time. For instance, the hospital can take advantage of the current market of the LED lights in Europe which is coupled with reduced prices and warranties of these devices especially those destined for hospitals (Haus, 2015).
Recommendations
It is clear that the benefits of the LED luminaire are a key step towards efficiency in the hospitals and medical facilities. It is recommended that LED devices should replace the traditional lighting systems in the next hospital infrastructure upgrade program as a starting point for the project. The replacement of traditional lighting devices by the LED lights should cut the power expenses by about 30-40 percent of the current budget on power based on the table analysis. This should be done in phases within a month after the allocation of the finances for the project. Hospitals should take advantage of the current market of the LED lights in Europe which is coupled with reduced prices and warranties of these devices especially those destined for hospitals. The incandescent lights should be faced off together with the fluorescent devices due to their potential dangers including the breakage of tubes in the open plenum air handlers (Yoon & Chang, 2016). The program should commence immediately the finances are allocated by the management and depending on the size of the facility it should be completed between two to three weeks.
. Conclusion
Having looked at almost all the areas and aspects of the LED lights it is evident that the medical field is one of the biggest gainers when it comes to the benefits the LED devices have presented. It is upon the leadership and management of my facility to invest in this technological breakthrough. These devices offer the best deal in terms of cutting on the operational costs of running a medical facility as explained in this paper ("329 INVITED Industry-Led Global Trials – Do Benefits Outweigh Pitfalls?", 2011). With this kind of discoveries and technological advancement the hospitals and other health facilities are set to have better working environments and this translates to happy patients as well as medical personnel working at the facilities in the long-run.
References
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