First LED Models Installed in Berlin, Replicating Golden Glow of Gas Originals
Historic gas street lamps in cities like Berlin, Prague and Warsaw can now be upgraded to energy-saving LED technology, thanks to a solid-state retrofit designed by Berlin-based Braun Schaltgeräte & Service with assistance from LED solutions provider Future Lighting Solutions.
The first eight LED models were recently installed on Berlin’s Alexanderplatz public square, slashing power consumption by more than 90% without altering the old-world look or the light quality of the gas-driven fixtures.
Braun’s drop-in LED replacement modules replicate the distinctive golden glow of gas lighting with warm white LUXEON® Rebel LEDs, providing a beam color that cannot be reproduced with cooler light sources like mercury vapor and sodium vapor. In addition to reducing energy bills, the LED lamps will last more than 50,000 hours compared to 4,000 for gas and an average 16,000 for standard electrical illumination. They will also improve color rendering for better visibility of street signs and other objects.
Engineers at Future Lighting Solutions, the exclusive supplier of LUXEON LEDs, provided proof-of-concept and other technical support services including optical modeling to help Braun develop an LED retrofit that would use the same four screw base sockets as the incandescent mantles in the existing gas lamps. Future’s contributions included recommending an LED layout that would match the brightness and light distribution of the gas-illuminated street lights as closely as possible.
Braun plans to market its ‘LED Gaslight’ throughout Europe, which has more than 100,000 gas lamps overall. The design already was rated #1 in a comparison of four vendors’ retrofit products for its near-perfect replication of the color, brightness and light distribution of the gas originals.
The detailed case study is available for download
About Future Lighting Solutions:
Future Lighting Solutions is a leading provider of LED lighting components and solution support for lighting designers and OEMs interested in taking advantage of solid state lighting technology. Future Lighting Solutions provides LED lighting knowledge, resources, programs, partners, solutions and logistics support to promote the development of LED products and installations. The company is a division of Future Electronics, the third largest electronic components distributor in the world. Both companies operate in 169 locations in 41 countries in the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit http://www.futurelightingsolutions.com/.
