LEDs are light emitting diodes, small electronic devices that give off far more light per unit of electricity than traditional fluorescent lights or lamps. They are typically more expensive than older methods of providing light, but the money they will end up saving means the expense pays for itself.

LEDs can save up to 70% of a company’s energy output, says Phys.org, a research, technology and science website. The statistic is impressive, but what does it mean for a business on a practical level? Reducing carbon emissions means reducing the consumption of energy. As an example, Buckingham Palace turned to LEDs for their ceiling lights. As an example, illuminating the official residence of the Queen of England uses literally less electricity than making a cup of tea. A business that uses LEDs for their lighting needs will slash their monthly overhead budget considerably.

LEDs lights work in a fundamentally different way to incandescent bulbs. Incandescent bulbs rely on heating a filament to a high temperature until it starts to produce light. The filament, however, doesn’t last forever. Over time, the filament actually vaporizes and leaves deposits on the inside of the glass. This weakening eventually leads it to fail entirely. Usually, this process only takes around a thousand hours of use, or about three to six months if regularly used by your business. LEDs, on the other hand, don’t have any metal filaments. Instead, they rely on passing a current through a semiconducting material. This means that a single LED bulb can last more than thirty thousand hours. For companies, this means significantly lower ongoing maintenance costs.