Americas boom for the use of LEDs has been highlighted by the New York Times this week, accentuating their usefulness in both major and minor projects around the world, including the UK.The so-called lighting Big Three - General Electric, Royal Philips Electronics and Osram Sylvania - are increasingly embracing the efficient technologies in a response to the rising cost of energy and a demand for efficient lighting, the newspaper added.It also said that LEDs were noted for their practical applications in most traffic lights in the US all well as with more familiar icons of American culture, such as the descending ball used on New Years Eve in New Yorks Times Square. The news provider touted the Empire State Building as the next platform for their use, putting the lighting style on an iconic stage.One warehouse owner invested 20,000 (10,000) on the bulbs to light his factory and would recoup losses in two years - with the LEDs lasting a further 18 years.Halfway through the month, Philips announced profits of six per cent on the previous June, primarily pushed by the sales of energy-efficient lightbulb.