FAQ

Q: Is choosing LED lighting the same as choosing conventional lighting?

LED Lighting technology and trends are constantly changing.Selecting good LED lighting requires a mindset change. Like all electronic gadgets, a truly value-for-money LED lighting should take into consideration return on investment(ROI) and product specifications such as LED chips in use, optical design, heat dissipation, LED driver function and compatibility.

Q: What is Colour Temperature?

Colour Temperature has been described as a method of describing the colour characteristics of light, usually either warm (yellowish) or cool (bluish), and measured in terms of Kelvin (K). It is important to note that different brands use different terms to identify colour temperature. 

Q: What is Colour Rendering Index (CRI)?

The Color Rendering Index (CRI) is a scale from 0 to 100 percent indicating how accurate a "given" light source is at rendering color when compared to a "reference" light source. The higher the CRI, the better thecolor rendering ability.

Q: What is Luminous Flux?

Luminous Flux is the measure of the perceived power of light i.e brightness level. The unit for luminous flux is lumen (lm). 
When shopping for light, compare lumens to be sure you're getting the amount of light, or level of brightness, you want.

Q: What's the lifetime for LED Lighting?

LED chips are designed to last more > 40,000 hours. By 40,000 hours, the LED chips do not fail completely. Instead, its brightness will depreciate to 70% its original brightness.
It is important to note that LEDs are dependent on a component called the "driver". Therefore, selecting a good LED lighting means selecting one that uses a reliable & well-matched driver, not based on its appearance & costs.
 
Read more: http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/publications/pdfs/ssl/lifetime_white_leds.pdf

Q: LED Lights are expensive, is it worth buying?

Expand your definition of cost.
Buyer decisions are often driven by the price tag on an item, without regard for lifetime costs. Lamp technologies differ fundamentally in their lifetime and power consumption, and both have a significant impact on the true cost of providing light over an extended period. For example, at present the initial price of a halogen lamp is significantly lower than the price of an equivalent LED lamp but an LED lasts five to ten times longer and consumes one-fifth the energy. The true dollar cost thus favours LED. The graph analysis for replacement lamp alternatives to a 75W tungsten filament incandescent lamp (no longer available) shows a starting cost of the price of a lamp, each step representing the replacement cost for another lamp, and the rising continuous line indicating the electricity costs of running the lamp.

*Note: All lamps have equivalent light output. Banned 75W incandenscent for reference only 

References & Further Reading:

Australian Government; YourHome, Australia's guide to environmentally sustainable homes
http://www.yourhome.gov.au/energy/lighting

The Federal Trade Commission 
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0164-shopping-light-bulbs