Currently, lighting costs have tumbled 84% in areas of Covent Garden Market where new LED lights have been installed by two small London companies including Ecopower Inc. and Stein Industries Inc. in April.
The EcoStein LED Lighting System from Ecopower Inc.has been installed on the second floor of Covent Garden and will be extended to retail areas of the first floor. And Stein Industries Inc.has partnered it to produce the system.
The EcoStein system has an automatic "daylight harvesting" system that uses sensors to raise or lower light levels, responding to the natural light coming through the windows. The controls for the system are wireless and can be adjusted for different zones of the building through an iPad.
According to some merchants, the new LED lighting system has even reduced spoilage in their fruit and veggies. And air conditioning costs also are down because the light produces half as much heat.
Robert Blenkinsop, a food scientist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, said cooler temperatures and the absence of some UV rays in LED lights could help slow the spoilage of fruits and vegetables.