New LED Concepts/Safety First
By Dave Bowen
Over the past few years LED lighting design has become standard on retail petro and c-store sites: Flat square fixtures on poles on the perimeter, flat square recessed or surface mount canopy fixtures and a variation of LED wall packs on buildings that usually don’t match anything. Consequently, sites are all starting to look the same on the outside with very little imagination for something new, attractive, and functional. Time to get away from the mundane “me too” visual of outdoor LED lighting and look outside the box to be more upscale in appearance without the higher cost. Whether it is a new build or retrofitting an existing one, now is the time to freshen up the exterior of your site and be more appealing than your competitors.
New lighting concepts now include illuminated LED “collision” bollards for the front of your store or carwash area and excellent for truck stops for barriers and wayfinding. These new bollards can handle collisions up to 35 KM and have numerous different distribution patterns to handle any application. Non-illuminated bollards are available as well as possibly you only need every third bollard to be illuminated but still need the protection of a collision bollard but still aesthetically have the bollards match each other and keep a uniform look on your site.
As well, the new TRAC series from NLS LED Lighting is a new version of rectangular linear lighting with a slim attractive appearance but superior distribution putting light exactly where it is needed but utilizing lower mounting heights and saving costs on poles. These fixtures also offer lower EPA ratings (wind loadings) as well as a matching wall sconce, all utilizing a silicone lens for superior performance, non-glare to meet all dark sky regulations as well as being UV resistant. The TRAC series also has a matching bollard that offers three different distribution types and five different colour temperatures.
USA, Abstract, Geometric Shape, Circle, Hexagon
It is also important to note that your building is a free pole! New higher lumen decorative wall packs can now be utilized to illuminate areas out into the site rather than just a blob of light down the building wall. New LED chip technology now allows us to utilize forward throw wall mounts but still stop the light at the property or fence line and not trespass on to other properties. The same applies to your carwash area, if you have one, these new directional and more powerful wall mounts can allow you to light the area around the carwash without the extra cost of a pole you don’t really need.
There are also other LED technologies that have been developed that will greatly enhance your interior for both safety of staff and customers as well as certain food products like fruit and vegetables as more c-stores now offer a garden market sector along with everything else they sell.
The last two-and-a-half years the industry and the world has been plagued with the Covid pandemic, which unfortunately is still prevalent today in many forms along with whatever is coming next. As most people know C19 virus is 93 per cent airborne so only UVC LED technology has the capabilities to eradicate not only the Covid virus but flu/cold viruses, all bacteria and mould in your air duct ventilation system in any building. It is the only technology that has the residual power to eradicate the viruses and bacteria instantly as it is set at 70 watts of LED at 280 nanometers and 2200mw’s of radiant flux.
However now the additional bonus to this bluemarbletech.com technology is the fact of purifying the air in a store 24/7 means any fresh produce or fruits etc. will be free of mould, bacteria and mites that can accumulate in open food products. So, the overall effect of UVC LED technology is that it protects staff and customers from viruses and bacteria, as well as protecting various food groups from bacteria and mould.
This technology is now being specified for several open food markets in Dubai as well as an installation already into Sobey’s as this is huge for the grocery industry again to protect staff and customers and supply a fresh air environment. There is also an excellent opportunity for positive marketing with this technology where you can advertise to the public you have installed life-saving technology that keeps you safe and that you are community friendly by caring about your staff and customer base.
One last note, as this UVC LED technology is moving fast and now includes water applications, Aquisense offers UVC LED products for residential, commercial and water treatment facilities. This technology is easily retrofitted to existing locations as well as new builds once again protecting staff and customers. It is well known Covid is prevalent both in water and sewage so further containment is necessary.
So, in summary, new LED lighting concepts, clear pure safe air and disinfected water for your site and an excellent marketing opportunity: It doesn’t get much better than that and makes you a community leader!
Dave Bowen is president of Roctan 2000 Ltd Canada specializing in LED lighting technologies for over 35 years and can be reached at db@roctan2000ltd.com or 548-888-1113.
