CRE and LED is a bright idea
When it comes to attracting quality tenants, there’s already plenty of information about using lighting. Much of it, though, has to do with landscape lighting, security lighting, and specific lighting – such as ambient and task – for residential properties.
When it comes to commercial properties, lighting can be just as crucial to attracting top-quality tenants. For years, LED has been the standard but we are now experiencing a lighting revolution. In fact, new and improved technologies are almost being developed as fast as, well, the speed of light.
A bright idea is getting brighter
The first LED light was developed back in 1962, and its early usage was usually in the computer tech industry. Over the decades, improvements in delivery of LED light, as well as its relatively low cost and energy efficiency, have made LEDs very common. This increase in demand combined with what some experts see as a glut on the market have led to a push for differentiation – and this, in turn, is leading to customizable options for specific industries.
- Indoor spaces exposed to daylight have been shown to improve worker morale and productivity, as well as regulate human circadian rhythms. The good news is that high-CRI (Color Rendering Index) LED bulbs are able to mimic natural daylight, which can be tremendously appealing to potential tenants.
- Similarly, tunable lights can create different moods for different tasks. Cooler lighting with high intensities is better suited for concentration and focus; warmer lighting and lower intensities are ideal for creativity and cooperation – and all of this can happen in a single space with the help of a switch.
- For retail tenants, there is fierce competition as they battle to offer shoppers a new and more personalized experience. The combination of LED lights and smart mirrors in the dressing room allows customers to adjust
lighting so they can see clothing at different times ofday . An outfit’s color, for example, will look very different in the white light of midday and the warmer tones at sunset.
- In the simplest of terms, connected lighting is a system of light fixtures, connected to a network, that can send and receive data. Data can be used to better manage the building, from usage to temperature to humidity to efficiency. This system can either be delivered through a retrofit of existing light fixtures (also known as network control lighting) or Power-over-Ethernet, which is the installation of an all-new connected lighting system.
Lighting delivers more than light
Perhaps the most exciting innovation in the world of light is Li-Fi, which is short for Light Fidelity. Presently, we are all familiar with broadband and Wi-Fi – and just as the name implies, Li-Fi means the light bulb is the router, with data traveling at 224 gigabits per second on the rapidly blinking waves of an LED bulb. In other words, where there is an LED light bulb, there is Internet.
Presently, a major disadvantage is also one of its advantages. Since LED light cannot penetrate walls, a signal’s range can be limited. On the other hand, it means that a company’s internal communications are secure from users in another room, building, or even outside.
The brightest and the best in SoFlo
The team at Morris Southeast Group is always excited about advances in technology and its impact on commercial real estate. It’s important to keep properties relevant to meet the changing needs of owners, investors, and tenants. To learn more about property investment opportunities, and/or other services, call us at 954.474.1776. You can also reach Ken Morris directly at 954.240.4400 or via email at kenmorris@morrissegroup.com.
Tags: LED
