FAQ & Glossary

LED Lighting FAQ & Glossary for Lighting Professionals

This page is designed for manufacturer reps, distributors, specifiers, engineers, and contractors working with LED Living products. Use the FAQ for quick selection guidance and the glossary for standards-based definitions.

General / Company

Sales note: These answers are written for external use and internal sales enablement.

What types of LED lighting products does LED Living offer?

LED Living manufactures a comprehensive range of commercial, industrial, and outdoor LED lighting solutions. The product catalog includes LED high bay luminaires, linear luminaires, troffers and panel lights, retrofit kits, vapor tight fixtures, hazardous location lighting, flood and area lights, canopy fixtures, bollards, and a full line of commercial solar LED lighting. These products are designed to support warehouses, manufacturing facilities, offices, retail spaces, parking areas, fuel stations, municipalities, and off-grid applications.

Who is LED Living’s primary customer?

LED Living products are designed for lighting professionals, including manufacturer representatives, distributors, electrical contractors, lighting designers, engineers, and facility managers. The catalog supports both new construction and retrofit projects across commercial, industrial, and outdoor environments.

Are LED Living products suitable for both new construction and retrofit projects?

Yes. LED Living offers complete luminaires for new construction as well as retrofit solutions designed to upgrade existing fluorescent, HID, or legacy LED systems. Retrofit options include troffer retrofit kits, linear retrofit kits, and shoebox retrofit kits for outdoor applications.

What is LED Living Technology’s background and leadership?

LED Living Technology was founded in 2009 by Oliver Szeto and has focused on high-performance LED and retrofit solutions for commercial and public-sector projects. In 2019, the company was acquired by Henry Mann, bringing additional leadership experience and an expanded focus on scalable energy-efficiency solutions.

Do you offer patented retrofit technologies?

Yes. LED Living Technology holds patents in LED and retrofit technology designed to simplify fluorescent-to-LED conversions, reduce installation time, and support consistent performance across large-scale facilities.

Can LED Living support commercial and government procurement requirements?

Yes. LED Living supports projects that require compliance-driven sourcing and documentation. When applicable, we provide options aligned with Buy American Act (BAA) and Trade Agreements Act (TAA) requirements to support federal, state, and municipal procurement standards.

Can you provide custom configurations for projects?

Yes. For projects that need specialized beam angles, mounting configurations, emergency backup, controls, or other performance requirements, LED Living can support customer-specific configurations to help meet application goals and installation constraints.

Are LED Living products DLC listed and eligible for utility rebates?

Many LED Living products are DesignLights Consortium (DLC) listed, making them eligible for energy-efficiency utility rebate programs where applicable. Rebate availability, requirements, and incentive values vary by utility and region, so project teams should confirm eligibility with local providers.

How do I select the correct lumen package for my application?

Selecting the correct lumen output depends on ceiling height, spacing, reflectances, application type, and target illuminance. A lighting layout using IES photometric files is recommended to confirm light levels, uniformity, and glare control before ordering.

What photometric files are available for LED Living products?

IES photometric files are available for most LED Living luminaires and retrofit solutions. These files allow lighting designers and engineers to model light distribution and performance in industry-standard lighting design software.

What is Solar Living?

Solar Living is LED Living’s solar-powered product line designed for outdoor environments such as parks, city streets, highways, campuses, and other sites where trenching or grid power access is limited. Solar Living systems are built to deliver energy-efficient illumination with off-grid operation.

Who does LED Living serve?

LED Living supports commercial and public-sector clients including hospitals and medical centers, schools and universities, casinos and hospitality, wineries and agricultural facilities, airports and transportation hubs, municipal infrastructure, parks and recreation, military installations, and public works projects.

How do I contact LED Living?

For pricing, availability, submittals, and technical support, email Sales@LEDLivingtechnology.com or call (215) 633-1558 during business hours (M–F, 8:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. ET).

How do I get product support or request an RMA?

For product support email support@LEDLivingTechnology.com. For return authorizations email RMA@LEDLivingTechnology.com. For shipping and receiving questions email ship@LEDLivingTechnology.com.

Product Specifics

Answers below are selection-oriented for reps, distributors, specifiers, engineers, and contractors. Where helpful, we include direct links to representative product series pages.

LED High Bay Luminaires

What is an LED high bay luminaire used for?

LED high bay luminaires are designed to illuminate large interior spaces with ceilings typically 15 feet or higher, such as warehouses, manufacturing areas, gymnasiums, distribution centers, and big-box retail environments.

What is the difference between round and linear LED high bays?

Round high bays typically provide symmetrical light distribution and are often used as HID replacements in open floor areas. Linear high bays provide a more controlled, rectangular distribution and are often preferred for aisles, racking, and manufacturing environments where uniformity and glare control are critical.

What lumen packages are available for LED Living high bays?

LED Living high bay luminaires cover a wide output range (from approximately 5,600 lumens to 56,000+ lumens depending on series and configuration), enabling designs for varied ceiling heights and application requirements.

Are hazardous location LED high bays available?

Yes. LED Living offers hazardous location and explosion-proof high bay luminaires for environments with flammable gases, vapors, or combustible dust where certified fixtures are required.

Troffers, Panels, and Retrofits

What is the difference between a troffer retrofit and a full troffer replacement?

A retrofit kit upgrades an existing fluorescent troffer housing with LED components, often reducing installation time and material waste. A full troffer replacement removes the existing fixture and installs a new LED luminaire, which may provide updated aesthetics and optical performance.

What sizes do LED Living troffers and panel lights support?

LED Living troffers and panels are available in standard 2x2, 2x4, and 1x4 sizes to align with common ceiling grids in commercial and institutional spaces.

Linear Luminaires

What are linear LED luminaires typically used for?

Linear LED luminaires are commonly used in offices, schools, healthcare facilities, retail environments, and architectural spaces where clean lines, uniform illumination, and visual comfort are important.

What is direct versus direct/indirect linear lighting?

Direct linear lighting emits light downward toward the task plane. Direct/indirect lighting distributes light both downward and upward, reducing shadows and improving ambient brightness and perceived comfort.

Vapor Tight and Harsh Environment

What is a vapor tight LED luminaire?

A vapor tight luminaire is a sealed LED fixture designed to resist moisture, dust, and contaminants. Common applications include cold storage, food processing, car washes, parking garages, corridors, and industrial spaces exposed to harsh conditions.

Hazardous Location Lighting

What qualifies as a hazardous location?

Hazardous locations are environments where flammable gases, vapors, dust, or fibers may be present in sufficient quantities to create explosive or ignitable conditions. Lighting used in these areas must meet strict safety certifications.

Outdoor Lighting

What is the difference between an LED flood light and an LED area light?

LED flood lights provide wide, directional illumination for building facades, signage, and perimeter lighting. LED area lights are designed for uniform illumination of parking lots, roadways, and large outdoor spaces.

What fixtures are designed for parking garages and fuel canopies?

LED Living offers canopy luminaires designed for parking garages and fuel pump canopies, delivering uniform illumination, glare control, and long service life in demanding outdoor environments.

Solar Living

What types of solar LED lights does LED Living offer?

LED Living’s Solar Living line includes solar area lights, wall packs, canopy lights, bollards, sign and billboard lighting, sports lights, and portable solar light towers.

How many days of autonomy do Solar Living fixtures provide?

Days of autonomy refers to how long a solar luminaire can operate without solar charging. Depending on configuration, battery capacity, controls, and operating mode, Solar Living fixtures are designed to provide multi-day operation during periods of limited sunlight.

What is the difference between MPPT and PWM solar charge controllers?

MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) controllers actively optimize energy transfer from the solar panel to improve energy harvest in variable conditions. PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) controllers use a simpler charging method and are typically used in lower-wattage solar systems.

How is solar panel tilt angle determined?

Solar panel tilt is determined by geographic location and seasonal sun position. Selecting an appropriate tilt angle helps maximize solar energy capture and supports consistent system performance across the year.

A–Z Glossary

Definitions are written for lighting professionals and align to common industry usage.

Area Light: An outdoor luminaire designed to provide uniform illumination across parking lots, roadways, and large open areas.

Beam Angle: The angle at which light is emitted from a luminaire, influencing light distribution, spacing, and coverage.

Buy American Act (BAA): A U.S. federal law requiring certain government procurements to prioritize products manufactured domestically, subject to specific compliance criteria.

CCT (Correlated Color Temperature): A measurement of light color appearance, expressed in Kelvin (K), such as 3000K, 4000K, or 5000K.

CRI (Color Rendering Index): A metric indicating how accurately a light source renders colors compared to natural daylight.

DLC (DesignLights Consortium): An organization that establishes performance standards for energy-efficient lighting products and administers qualification programs tied to utility rebates.

Efficacy (lm/W): A measure of how efficiently a luminaire converts electrical power into visible light, expressed as lumens per watt.

High Bay Luminaire: A high-output fixture designed for indoor spaces with ceilings typically 15 feet or higher.

IES File: A standardized photometric data file used in lighting design software to model light distribution and performance.

IK Rating: A classification system defining a luminaire’s impact resistance, expressed as IK codes (e.g., IK10).

IP Rating: A classification system indicating protection against dust and moisture ingress (e.g., IP65).

Instant-On: A characteristic of LED lighting where full light output is achieved immediately upon power-up.

Input Voltage: The electrical supply voltage range a luminaire or driver can safely operate within, such as 120–277V.

LED (Light Emitting Diode): A semiconductor device that produces light when electrical current passes through it.

Linear Luminaire: A long, narrow LED fixture used to deliver continuous illumination in commercial, architectural, or industrial spaces.

Lumen: A unit of measurement indicating the amount of visible light emitted by a luminaire.

MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking): An advanced solar charge control method that continuously optimizes power conversion from the solar panel to maximize energy harvest.

Off-Grid Lighting System: A lighting system that operates independently of utility power using solar panels and battery storage.

Panel Light: A low-profile LED luminaire commonly used in ceiling grids to provide uniform, glare-controlled illumination.

Photometric Distribution: The pattern of light output emitted by a luminaire, typically represented in an IES file.

PWM (Pulse Width Modulation): A solar charge control method that regulates battery charging by modulating voltage pulses, commonly used in lower-wattage solar systems.

Retrofit Kit: An LED solution designed to upgrade an existing fixture housing, often reducing labor and material costs versus full replacement.

Solar LED Luminaire: A lighting fixture powered by a photovoltaic (solar) panel and onboard battery storage, designed to operate independent of grid power.

Trade Agreements Act (TAA): A U.S. federal law governing government procurement that requires products to be manufactured or substantially transformed in designated TAA-compliant countries.

Troffer: A recessed ceiling luminaire, typically 2x2 or 2x4, used in offices, schools, and commercial interiors.

UL Listed: A certification indicating a product has been tested by Underwriters Laboratories and meets applicable safety standards.

Vapor Tight Luminaire: A sealed LED fixture designed to resist moisture, dust, and contaminants in harsh or wet environments.