As intelligent lighting makes its way into our homes, there is no reason why retail and industrial spaces should be left out. Lighting that takes the human factor into consideration will enhance not only the shopper’s experience but also enhance the work atmosphere of the people working in these industries by providing them with a comfortable level of lighting that helps them work with ease. But the most important factor in intelligent lighting is the cost saving factor. With LED lighting rapidly taking over, retailers and industries are able to save quite significant amounts of money on their energy bills. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the retail and industrial lighting trends of 2018.
Retail lighting
Lighting has always been a major part of the retail business. Brightly lit storefronts and shops are synonymous with the shopping experience and retailers know how to make it work to their advantage. But all this comes at a great cost both energy wise and environmentally, as the halogen lights traditionally used not are not only energy inefficient, but also emit a lot of heat, which in turn increases the store’s cooling costs. This is set to change with the way lighting is evolving and the advent of dimmable LED lights. Retailers will now have more freedom to play around with the lighting of their store without sacrificing on economics or performance. Dimmable LEDs can be used to areas of highlight in a store to attract the shopper’s eye to specific items and increase sales. In an online shopping world, retail stores have the advantage of increasing the shopper’s interaction with the product, something that can be achieved via lighting and tactility of the product. Lighting can also be used to brand a store, something we can already see in stores like Primark and Hollister. The biggest way lighting can enhance the retail experience is in the changing room. Allowing customers to see the clothes they are trying on in different lights will enable them to make better decisions and improve their shopping experience. Talk about star shopping!
Industrial lighting
When we think of factories or warehouses, we usually imagine a harshly-lit space with a glare that hurts the eye. This is about to change with the introduction of LED highway lighting. LED lighting is increasingly the choice of manufacturers and warehouses to provide lighting that is not only cost-effective but also has lower operating temperatures and longer shelf lives. With LEDs, one can also say goodbye to the glare that is almost always associated with industrial spaces as their smaller angles reduce the glare. Industries can also save costs by installing sensor-based lighting to ensure zero energy wastage. The sensor-based lighting can also act as a security detail as any potential intruder will automatically trigger the lights and draw attention. Improved lighting will also result in an improved work environment, increasing productivity and worker satisfaction.
The future is exciting for lighting in retail and industry, one has to only wait and watch the magic unfold.
