Lately I have been involved in many discussions regarding the practicality of replacing compact fluorescent lights (CFL's) with new energy efficient LED tube lights. The quick answer is absolutely "YES" however, only if you adhere to a to a set of guidelines to assure the product you are purchasing meets your project requirements. There are many important factors to take into consideration. Among them are warranty, reputation of manufacturer, longevity, light output (lumens), color temperature (kelvin), working voltage and end type.

• Warranty: All product lines can have failure, so by having a superior warranty you can assure your company that in the event of a product failure down the road you will be able to receive a replacement product opposed to buying a new item. Because of the higher cost of LED's this is very important. I would recommend a 5 year warranty to help assure that the bulb exceeds your return on investment (ROI).
• Manufacturer Reputation: Due to the huge increase of poor quality LED manufacturers that appear and disappear on a daily basis I would recommend a company that has been in business for a number of years. Long-standing manufacturers are much more likely to have worked through the initial problems that common with all new technology. The warranty mentioned above will have little benefit if the company is out of business or if they are unwilling to honor their warranty.
• Longevity: Due to the fact that LED tube lights are more expensive than CFL's it is very important to examine the lifespan of the lamp you intend to purchase. The greater the lifespan the more significant your savings over time will be. This is important not only for the tube light but for the extended savings such as maintenance and cooling reduction. I would recommend a lifespan of 50,000 hours!
• Light Output: Commonly measured as "lumens", this will help give you an idea of the brightness of a particular lamp. NOTE: Many new fixtures have reflective materials to enhance the light output on a given work surface.
• Kelvin: Color temperature is also important to to assure you can achieve the look and feel of the light for your specific lighting project. Typical LED tube light Kelvin color temperatures include Warm White (2700-3200k), Natural White (4000-4500k), Day White (5500-6000k) and Cool White (6500-7000k).
• Working Voltage: Due to the wide voltage that can be found in any commercial facility, it is important to be aware of the voltage of your facility. Most quality LED tube lights can accommodate voltage between 120-277VAC. This can assure your company that the tubes will operate regardless if the system is 120v or 240v.
• End Type: It is important to determine the end power type of the fixture you are going to replace. Standard end types include single end and double end power. You should choose the appropriate lamp to avoid additional retrofit labor.

LED tube lights are far more energy efficient than CFL's and by choosing a quality linear tube you can significantly reduce power consumption while providing the same or better light output. Top quality LED tube lights will provide years of maintenance free operation and in most cases a reduction in lighting energy between 50-70 percent can be achieved. For most commercial businesses a LED lighting upgrade will not only provide a positive financial benefit, it will also move your company toward its goal of being a cleaner and greener facility.