In Europe cities like Berlin, Prague and Warsaw, the ancient gas street lamps are to be replaced with LED lamps, which will cut power consumption by more than 90% without altering the old-world look or the light quality of the gas-driven fixtures.

The retrofit is designed by Berlin-based Braun Schaltgeräte & Service with assistance from LED solutions provider Future Lighting Solutions. And the first eight LED models were recently installed on Berlin’s Alexanderplatz public square.

The LED replacement modules from Braun 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. The LED lamps substantially reduce energy consumption, and have a lifespan of more than 50,000 hours, much longer than 4,000 hours for gas and an average 16,000 for standard electrical illumination. Color rendering are also improved for better visibility of street signs and other objects.

Braun was assisted by Future Lighting Solutions with proof-of-concept and other technical support services including optical modeling to help develop an LED retrofit that would use the same four screw base sockets as the incandescent mantles in the existing gas lamps. Engineers of Future recommended an LED layout that would match the brightness and light distribution of the gas-illuminated street lights as closely as possible.

The design of Braun’s ‘LED Gaslight’ was rated No.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. And the company plans to market this lamp throughout Europe, where there are 100,000 gas lamps overall. 

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 www.futurelightingsolutions.com.