The Use of Photoluminescent Products in Exit Signs and Egress Markings

If you are in the process of determining the best solutions for your new building or retrofit, then you have likely given some thought to the subject of emergency exit signs and egress markings. There have been tremendous strides made in this industry in the last decade, and exits signs have become far more eco-friendly, cost-effective, and energy-efficient. The advent of photoluminescent products has been the catalyst in this development. Let's take a look at just why photoluminescent products have surged to the lead in the race to light your exit paths.

Photoluminescent exit signs have several distinct advantages over incandescent signs and tritium powered signs. Photoluminescent exit signs and other egress marking products consume no electricity, burn through no batteries, and are virtually maintenance-free. The are 100% recyclable, and can be disposed of by tossing into your nearest metal recycling container.

Contrast this with what you need to do with other options for exits signs. Incandescent bulbs burn out, necessitating the need for constant replacement. Then there are the electrical issues, and wondering whether they'll actually operate during an emergency situation. Tritium exit signs have a whole other host of problems. They are actually radioactive, and are monitored by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Then there's the issue of disposal of these exit signs. They require special handling by a licensed hazardous materials handler, and the accompanying paperwork is yet another time consuming hassle. These things, combined with the fact that they must now be imported due to environmental concerns, (there is only one supplier—a Canadian company—in North America), clearly demonstrate the superiority of photoluminescent products.  

Photoluminescent exit signs and other egress markings collect ambient light when the building is in use and store it for future use whenever there is a need. The stored energy in one of these exit signs will allow it to stay illuminated for several days, with an intensity visible to 100 feet in dark or smoky environments. And, while no one really wants to think about this, these photoluminescent exit signs are explosion-proof, which is an important consideration for those who are faced with that requirement for their building's exit signs. 

Some of the best benefits of photoluminescent products are their cost-saving and energy-saving features. A building with 100 photoluminescent exit signs can save more than $3,500 annually over incandescent fixtures.  Companies in the US spend more than $1 billion a year to install, run and maintain their electrical exit signs. Switching to photoluminescent exit signs would save these companies more than $70 million a year.

While the energy saved by photoluminescent exit signs is considerable, so too is the reduced carbon footprint your building will leave. Replacing those same 100 exit signs will reduce air pollution by almost a half a million pounds of CO2 over the life of the product. 

The market leader in this industry is Jessop Manufacturing, and their Glo Brite® Eco Exit™ Signs are available at GloBriteSystem.com.