9 Reasons Why QTL LEDs Set the Standard in Architectural LED Lighting

9 Reasons Why QTL LEDs Set the Standard in Architectural LED Lighting

4 minutes

QTL LEDs have earned a reputation for excellence in the lighting industry, consistently receiving accolades for their exceptional performance. This distinction stems from QTL's commitment to precision in design and manufacturing, ensuring that its products deliver the highest quality of light for any application.

1. Color Rendering

At the core of QTL's LED technology is a focus on color accuracy, which is essential for creating visually appealing and functional spaces. One of the key metrics for evaluating color quality in lighting is the Color Rendering Index (CRI). CRI measures how well a light source reveals the colors of various objects compared to natural daylight. A score of 100 represents perfect color rendering, with modern LEDs typically achieving CRI scores between 80 and 90, which is considered good for general use. QTL LEDs achieve impressive CRI scores up to 98, ensuring superior color accuracy and a high level of color fidelity, making them ideal for applications where true-to-life color rendering is essential.

However, while CRI is a valuable and widely recognized metric, it has limitations; it only evaluates eight standard color samples, which is a narrow scope.

To address these limitations, the lighting industry has adopted a more comprehensive color metric: the TM-30 scale. Unlike CRI, TM-30 looks at 99 colors and incorporates three key metrics: Color Fidelity (Rf), Color Gamut (Rg), and Gamut Shape. These metrics provide a fuller picture of how a light source renders color, making it an ideal choice for applications that demand precise color accuracy, such as retail displays and museums.

TM-30 Color Rendition: This chart illustrates the fidelity index (Rf) for 99 distinct colors, offering a more granular analysis of color quality than traditional CRI.

QTL LEDs achieve outstanding TM-30 scores, ensuring superior color rendering across a wide range of environments. To provide our clients with complete confidence in our products' performance, QTL offers comprehensive photometric reports, delivering full transparency to lighting designers and specifiers—a level of detail and commitment that sets us apart.

2. Binning 

At QTL, our commitment to color consistency goes beyond TM-30 scores. We rigorously bin our LEDs to maintain tight control over color temperatures (CCTs), ensuring each fixture delivers uniform and aesthetically pleasing light. This tight binning minimizes color variations and creates a visually consistent lighting experience.

In addition, QTL adheres to the McAdam ellipse, a standard for measuring color consistency. The McAdam ellipse visually represents the acceptable range of color variation for a given CCT, and QTL's adherence to this standard ensures that its LEDs maintain consistent color quality across production batches and over time.

3. Dimming

Another area where QTL LEDs excel is in their dimming protocol performance. With the ability to dim smoothly from full brightness to as low as 0.1%, QTL LEDs offer a flicker-free, comfortable lighting experience. This dimming capability is essential in spaces where lighting needs to adapt to different moods or functions. Moreover, QTL’s advanced power supplies ensure reliable operation across a wide range of wattages, providing flexibility and ease of use in various lighting applications.

4. Small Cut Points 

Small cut points allow specifiers to achieve perfectly sized fixtures without excess, making QTL LEDs highly customizable for any application. This flexibility ensures a precise fit no matter the application.

Small cut points, big impact. QTL LEDs offer unparalleled customization for a perfect fit, every time.

5. Made in CT

QTL has the capability to manufacture LEDs in our Connecticut facility, ensuring strict quality control and adherence to industry standards. Our in-house Surface Mount Technology (SMT) capabilities allow us to assemble and produce LED products domestically, supporting projects that require Buy American Act (BAA) compliance.

high-speed Surface Mount Technology (SMT) machine in action, ensuring precision and quality in every PCB assembly.
QTL's Surface Mount Technology (SMT) machine in action, ensuring precision and quality in every PCB assembly.

6. Sustainability 

QTL LEDs are not only designed with performance in mind but also with sustainability. They are Declare Red List Approved, ensuring that they contain no harmful substances, and are RoHS compliant, meeting stringent environmental standards. This commitment to environmental responsibility makes QTL LEDs the trusted choice for projects that prioritize both performance and sustainability.

In addition to their long lifespan and low power consumption, QTL LEDs offer further efficiency when combined with our advanced power supplies, which optimize energy usage while maintaining consistent performance and longevity. This makes QTL LEDs an ideal choice for projects prioritizing environmental responsibility without compromising quality.

7. Awards

QTL's innovation is recognized across the industry, as demonstrated by its prestigious IES Progress Report awards. These LED lighting awards highlight QTL's groundbreaking advancements, including the SW-HE24/9.0 LED Strip, which offers the highest efficacy in the industry with 1159 lm/ft at 3000K, and the SW Individually Addressable LED Strip, which was the first of its kind to offer precise control and dynamic lighting effects.

8. Ratings: Dry, Damp & Wet

QTL LEDs are built for a variety of environments, offering Dry, Damp, and Wet location ratings to suit indoor and outdoor applications. Whether used in climate-controlled interiors, humid environments, or fully exposed outdoor settings, QTL LEDs maintain their durability and performance.

OPTI Flat with single row LEDs for dry, dam, and wet applications.

9. Tailored to Your Project Needs

QTL LEDs are available in multiple formats to meet the diverse needs of specifiers and designers. You can order them as:

No matter the application, QTL provides high-performance LED solutions with industry-leading quality, efficiency, and customization.

QTL’s commitment to excellence, precision, and sustainability makes us the trusted partner for all your lighting needs. With our high-performance LEDs, advanced manufacturing techniques, and industry-leading features, we provide solutions that exceed expectations in both functionality and aesthetic appeal. Whether you're designing for a commercial space or residential project, QTL LEDs offer the ideal combination of efficiency, durability, and superior lighting quality.

Looking for architectural LED lighting solutions? If so, we’d love to hear more about your lighting design project. Connect with us by emailing sales@qtl.lighting for more details.