How LED Lighting Upgrades In Facilities Save Money

We understand the importance of well-lit spaces in enhancing productivity and safety. However, many businesses settle for low light levels in their facilities, reducing visibility, increased energy consumption, and higher operation and energy costs. Let’s explore how an energy-efficient LED lighting upgrade for your facility can fix this while saving your business money and significantly reducing energy consumption.

The Challenge of Low Light Levels

Low light levels can negatively impact any facility, from warehouses and manufacturing plants to offices and retail spaces. Dimly lit environments strain the eyes and impede productivity while compromising safety. Outdated lighting systems often consume excessive energy, resulting in inflated utility bills and unnecessary business expenses.

The Solution: Energy-efficient LED Lighting Upgrades

LED technology represents a leap forward in lighting efficiency, offering superior brightness, longevity, and energy savings compared to traditional lighting sources. By upgrading to LED fixtures, businesses can transform their dimly lit facilities into well-lit, vibrant spaces while reaping a host of benefits:

1. Enhanced Visibility and Safety

LED lighting provides superior illumination that enhances visibility and reduces eyestrain, promoting a safer and more comfortable working environment for employees. In warehouses and manufacturing facilities, improved visibility translates into fewer errors, reduced accidents, and increased productivity.

2. Significant Energy Savings

One of the most compelling reasons to switch to LED lighting is its remarkable energy efficiency. LED bulbs consume up to 80% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs and last significantly longer, resulting in substantial savings on electricity bills and maintenance costs for the business. By upgrading to LED lighting solutions, businesses reduce their lighting-related energy costs while benefiting from a better working environment.

3. Long-Term Cost Savings

While the upfront cost of LED lighting may seem daunting to some businesses, the long-term cost savings far outweigh the initial investment. LED fixtures have an extended lifespan, lasting up to 25 times longer than incandescent bulbs and significantly longer than fluorescent lights. This longevity translates into lower maintenance costs and fewer replacement cycles, saving businesses time and money in the long run. Relumination customers typically will see an incredible 2-year return on investment for lighting projects.

4. Customized Lighting Solutions

Every facility is unique, with its own lighting requirements and challenges. That’s why customized LED lighting solutions tailored to the specific needs of each business are a critical part of Relumination’s turnkey process. Our experts will work closely with businesses to deliver the optimal lighting solution that meets their goals and budget.

Low light levels in facilities present a significant challenge for businesses, but it’s a simple fix. Energy-efficient LED lighting upgrades, especially when paired with network lighting controls, eliminate the concern of low light levels and potential injuries and mistakes inevitable in low-quality environments.

Speak with a member of the Relumination team to see exactly how much your facility could save with an energy-efficient lighting upgrade.

The Power of Intelligent Lighting Controls in Commercial Spaces

In the toward energy efficiency and sustainability, businesses are increasingly turning to LED lighting solutions to save money and energy in their commercial spaces. However, simply swapping out traditional lighting fixtures for LEDs is only the first step towards maximizing energy savings.

As technology advances to improve savings, we’ve consistently implemented intelligent lighting controls. Smart network controls for LED lighting are a game-changing technology that enhances the benefits of energy-efficient LED upgrades by providing unprecedented flexibility, customization, and control completely remotely. Here are a few reasons why we recommend upgrading to network-enabled LEDs.

1. Maximizing Energy Savings

One of the primary advantages of LED lighting is its inherent energy efficiency, offering significant reductions in electricity consumption compared to conventional lighting technologies. But intelligent lighting controls take energy savings to the next level by allowing precise adjustment of light levels based on occupancy, daylight availability, and time of day. Through features such as occupancy sensors, dimming capabilities, task tuning, scheduling functionalities, and more, businesses can fine-tune their lighting systems to minimize energy waste without compromising illumination quality. The result is substantial reductions in utility bills and a more sustainable operating environment.

2. Enhancing User Comfort and Productivity

Commercial spaces are dynamic environments with varying lighting needs throughout the day. Intelligent lighting controls empower users to tailor lighting settings to suit specific tasks, preferences, and occupancy patterns. Whether it’s creating zones with different lighting levels in open office areas, adjusting color temperatures to promote focus or productivity, or implementing daylight harvesting to balance natural and artificial light, these controls put users in control of their lighting environment. Businesses can create a more conducive and enjoyable workspace for their employees and customers by optimizing visual comfort and supporting productivity.

3. Streamlining Maintenance and Operations

Managing a large-scale lighting system can be a daunting task, especially in complex commercial environments with multiple zones and fixtures. Intelligent lighting controls simplify maintenance and operations by providing centralized management and monitoring capabilities. With remote access and diagnostic tools, facility managers can easily identify issues, schedule maintenance tasks, and monitor energy usage in real time. Proactive maintenance and troubleshooting not only minimize disruptions but also extend the lifespan of lighting fixtures, maximizing the return on investment for businesses investing in LED upgrades.

4. Facilitating Adaptability and Future-Proofing

The business landscape constantly evolves, and commercial spaces must adapt to changing needs and trends. Intelligent lighting controls offer unparalleled adaptability, allowing businesses to reconfigure their lighting systems as occupancy patterns, usage requirements, and regulations evolve. Whether it’s reprogramming lighting schedules to accommodate flexible work arrangements, integrating with building automation systems for seamless operation, or implementing advanced analytics for data-driven insights, these controls future-proof commercial spaces and ensure they remain agile and responsive in the face of change.

5. Promoting Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility

In an era of heightened environmental awareness and corporate social responsibility, businesses are under increasing pressure to reduce their carbon footprint and demonstrate sustainable practices. Intelligent lighting controls play a crucial role in optimizing energy usage, minimizing waste, and supporting green practices. By showcasing their commitment to sustainability through energy-efficient LED upgrades with controls, businesses reduce their environmental impact and appeal to environmentally-conscious customers and stakeholders.

Intelligent lighting controls are indispensable companions to energy-efficient LED upgrades in commercial spaces. By harnessing the power of advanced technology to optimize energy savings, enhance user comfort and productivity, streamline maintenance and operations, facilitate adaptability, and promote sustainability, businesses can unlock the full potential of their lighting systems and achieve lasting benefits for their bottom line.

Contact a member of the Relumination team to learn more about our turnkey approach that makes it simple for property owners and site managers to upgrade to intelligent LED lighting systems.

How Energy-Efficient LED Lighting Benefits Sustainable Practices

Sustainability has become more than just a buzzword—it’s a guiding principle driving businesses to adopt environmentally responsible practices. As companies seek ways to reduce their carbon footprint and minimize energy consumption, one solution stands out as both effective and economical: energy-efficient LED lighting.

Sustainable practices are the goal, but how does LED lighting contribute to the greater picture of sustainability in business? Let’s dive deeper.

1. Significant Energy Savings

One of the most compelling reasons to switch to LED lighting is its remarkable energy efficiency. LED bulbs consume significantly less energy than traditional incandescent and fluorescent lights, translating into substantial savings on lighting-related energy costs for businesses. By upgrading to LED lighting solutions, companies can slash their energy consumption by up to 90%. These savings benefit the bottom line and show management the impact sustainable practices can have on the business.

2. Extended Lifespan and Reduced Waste

In addition to being energy-efficient, LED lights boast an impressively long lifespan compared to conventional lighting technologies. LED bulbs can last up to 25 times longer than incandescent bulbs and up to 10 times longer than compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), minimizing the frequency of replacements and reducing waste. By investing in durable LED fixtures, businesses can significantly reduce the amount of lighting-related waste sent to landfills.

Most LED lights are also made from recyclable materials that can be used to create the next generation of energy-efficient lighting.

3. Improved Environmental Footprint

Beyond energy savings and waste reduction, LED lighting offers numerous environmental benefits that contribute to overall sustainability efforts. Unlike traditional lighting technologies, LEDs do not contain harmful substances such as mercury, making them safer for both human health and the environment.

Many businesses will consider their ESG score, which measures energy consumption among other factors of sustainable business practices. By choosing energy-efficient LED lighting solutions, the lowered energy consumption will raise this score and businesses demonstrate their commitment to improving standard processes within their industry.

Energy-efficient LED lighting is a powerful tool for businesses seeking to enhance their sustainability efforts. LED lighting solutions empower organizations to make a meaningful difference in their business and in our environment.

Speak with a member of the Relumination team today to learn more about improving your site’s sustainability practices!

The Impact of Lighting in Warehouse and DC Environments

In warehouses and distribution centers, efficiency and productivity are a top priority. From managing inventory to fulfilling orders, every aspect of operations plays a crucial role in the success of these facilities. While much attention is often given to optimizing processes and workflows, one factor that can significantly influence worker morale and productivity is often overlooked: lighting.

Here’s how improving your lighting can have a massive impact on worker morale and productivity in warehouse and distribution center settings.

1. Improved Visibility, Enhanced Safety

Warehouse environments are inherently busy and filled with various hazards, from moving equipment to stacked inventory. Adequate lighting is essential for ensuring optimal visibility, reducing the risk of accidents, and promoting a safer work environment. Dimly lit areas can obscure obstacles and increase the likelihood of unintentional injury. By investing in smart LED lighting solutions, warehouse operators can significantly enhance safety standards and mitigate workplace injuries.

2. Boosting Morale and Well-Being

Imagine working in a dimly lit environment for hours on end. Not only can poor lighting strain the eyes, leading to discomfort and headaches, but it can also dampen morale and contribute to feelings of fatigue and lethargy among workers. Conversely, well-lit spaces create a more inviting and energizing atmosphere, fostering a sense of positivity and well-being among employees. By prioritizing lighting solutions that feel natural and bright, warehouse operators can create a more comfortable and uplifting workspace for their teams.

3. Enhanced Focus and Productivity

Studies have shown that lighting is crucial in regulating circadian rhythms and influencing cognitive functions such as alertness and concentration. Diminished lighting, especially in windowless warehouse environments, can disrupt these rhythms and impair cognitive performance, decreasing focus, accuracy, and productivity.

4. Supporting Sustainability Goals

In addition to the direct benefits for worker morale and productivity, investing in energy-efficient lighting solutions also aligns with broader sustainability initiatives. Traditional lighting systems consume significant amounts of electricity and often require frequent maintenance, contributing to both environmental impact and lowering operational costs. LED options reduce energy consumption and offer extended lifespan with minimal maintenance requirements.

5. Driving Operational Excellence

The cumulative effect of improved lighting in warehouse and distribution center settings is a more streamlined and efficient operation. By creating a safer, more comfortable, and productive work environment, businesses can optimize their processes, minimize downtime, and maximize throughput. Whether it’s picking and packing orders with precision or navigating aisles and corridors, lighting serves as a foundational element in driving operational excellence and achieving business objectives.

The significance of lighting in warehouse environments cannot be overstated. From enhancing safety and well-being to boosting productivity and supporting sustainability goals, the impact of high-quality lighting extends far beyond simply lighting a space.

Contact a member of the Relumination team to learn more and request a free lighting consultation.

Making The Most Of Your Capital Budget

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Capital budgeting is the planning process used to determine whether an organization’s long term investments such as new machinery, replacement of machinery, new plants, new products, and research development projects are worth the funding of cash through the firm’s capitalization structure.

How To Prioritize Projects

Capital budgeting is a difficult task for any business. Prioritizing projects is challenging and an upgrade could benefit any part of a building structure.  If you own a large building, it’s crucial to have adequate lighting for the safety, aesthetic and efficiency of your building. When it comes to prioritizing your next upgrade consider lighting as one of your options.

When To Start Planning

Planning can start when you feel comfortable with your budget and have a good idea of what you want the results to be. Once you have selected an area you wish to upgrade you can set a price point, look at contractors and look at different materials needed for your project.

Evaluating Quotes

When evaluating quotes, keep in mind that these are just estimates and can be too low or too high. Be cautious of quotes that seem too high or too low. Saving money is always great, but cutting corners to save costs could result in fees to fix the mistakes later on. Have a good idea of what the price should be at so you don’t get overcharged.

Choosing The Right Contractor

When it comes to choosing a contractor, you want to make sure they have a good reputation and customer reviews. You want to select someone easy to communicate with and who is open with you throughout the process.  It’s also essential to choose a contractor who has expertise working in the area you are trying to upgrade.

Relumination is committed to reducing overhead costs, saving electricity, minimizing facilities management expenses, and helping decrease environmental footprints. Consider us for your next interior or exterior lighting upgrade. Contact us to start planning for next year’s budgets.

How to Overcome Your Leadership’s Objections to a Lighting Retrofit

Your facility’s need for a lighting retrofit is clear to you. Yet, your supervisor, the owner, or another leadership team member needs to be convinced it’s time to move forward. Objections to a commercial lighting retrofit frequently are based on misconceptions you can overcome with facts. Here are ways to advocate for your facility’s commercial lighting retrofit in the face of three common objections.

Objection: A lighting retrofit is costly. Our organization has other budget priorities.

Response: Many organizations realize a return on investment for their lighting retrofit in less than three years. Today’s highly energy-efficient lighting solutions decrease maintenance and energy costs. For example, an Oregon grocery distribution center saved $189,811 in annual energy costs and $47,000 in annual maintenance costs as a result of its lighting retrofit. Experienced lighting solution providers like Relumination offer free lighting consultations to determine the viability of a lighting upgrade.

Also, a lighting retrofit usually qualifies for significant utility company incentives. The professionals at Relumination know how to get the maximum utility rebate their clients are eligible for.

Objection: We did a lighting upgrade 12 years ago. We don’t need a lighting retrofit now.

Response: That upgrade was to T8 fluorescent lighting. Switching to energy-efficient LED lighting would reduce energy costs. Although we did see a measure of energy savings from going to T8 fluorescent lighting back then, a portion of those savings resulted from T8 fluorescent’s lower light levels. By choosing LED lighting, we could simultaneously increase light levels and lower costs.

Objection: There isn’t a business need for a lighting retrofit.

Response: Commercial lighting retrofits have benefits for all of our stakeholders. Since a retrofit can improve light levels, employees make fewer mistakes. In turn, quality control improves and the risk of injury decreases.

In addition, better lighting makes customers feel safer when they come to our facility. For management, the advantages of a commercial lighting retrofit are in the bottom line.

When you overcome your leadership’s objections to a commercial lighting retrofit, contact us at Relumination for a free lighting consultation.

What to Consider When Comparing LED Products

A good LED system will last for years, deliver the right amount of light for the area and the people working in it, and will not generate unnecessary heat. A bad LED system will have a shorter effective working life, may not generate enough light for as long as expected, and may also cause other problems. So, knowing what to look for and how to spot a bad LED will pay dividends.

Warranty

LED lighting should last for many years. Most manufacturers offer a minimum 5-year warranty and many are beginning to offer a 10-year as the standard. Any fixture with less than a 5-year warranty suggests a higher potential for quality issues.

Illumination

Brightness is given in lumens, not wattage. Older technologies typically offer an omnidirectional output, while LED offers the ability to direct the light where it is needed using specially designed optics built into the fixture.

The LED Chip and Capacitor

The quality of the product depends to a critical extent on the chip. Traditionally, the best chips were manufactured in the USA and Japan, but now Korean and Chinese companies also make high quality chips. Chip quality depends on both the material used and its size. Smaller chips have a shorter life and provide less illumination. All LED fixtures will have a life expectancy, many quality manufacturers offer an L70 rating over 100,000 hours.

Color Temperature and Accuracy

Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) is a gauge of how yellow (warm) or blue (cool) the color of light emitted from a light bulb appears. It’s measured in the Kelvin unit and is most commonly found between 2200 Kelvin degrees and 6500 Kelvin degrees. Color Rendering Index (CRI) is a measure of a light source’s ability to show object an object’s “truest” color. Simply put, the metric is a number between 0 and 100 that is used to predict how well a product renders color. The closer to 100, the better – or truer – colors should look under its light. Color accuracy matters in many manufacturing plants where detail is key.

Summary Point

LED lighting is essential for a safe and efficient work environment. Choosing and installing the right type of lighting for each area is essential for both worker efficiency and product life. There are countless online retailers and fly by night manufacturers that can offer an LED fixture, although quality manufacturers offer quality materials, heat sink technology and design to provide a long lasting, energy efficient product. Contact us, to discuss your needs.

How to Overcome Your Leadership’s Objections to a Lighting Retrofit

Your facility’s need for a lighting retrofit is clear to you. Yet, your supervisor, the owner, or another leadership team member needs to be convinced it’s time to move forward. Objections to a commercial lighting retrofit frequently are based on misconceptions you can overcome with facts. Here are ways to advocate for your facility’s commercial lighting retrofit in the face of three common objections.

Objection: A lighting retrofit is costly. Our organization has other budget priorities.

Response: Many organizations realize a return on investment for their lighting retrofit in less than three years. Today’s highly energy-efficient lighting solutions decrease maintenance and energy costs. For example, an Oregon grocery distribution center saved $189,811 in annual energy costs and $47,000 in annual maintenance costs as a result of its lighting retrofit. Experienced lighting solution providers like Relumination offer free lighting consultations to determine the viability of a lighting upgrade.

Also, a lighting retrofit usually qualifies for significant utility company incentives. The professionals at Relumination know how to get the maximum utility rebate their clients are eligible for.

Objection: We did a lighting upgrade 12 years ago. We don’t need a lighting retrofit now.

Response: That upgrade was to T8 fluorescent lighting. Switching to energy-efficient LED lighting would reduce energy costs. Although we did see a measure of energy savings from going to T8 fluorescent lighting back then, a portion of those savings resulted from T8 fluorescent’s lower light levels. By choosing LED lighting, we could simultaneously increase light levels and lower costs.

Objection: There isn’t a business need for a lighting retrofit.

Response: Commercial lighting retrofits have benefits for all of our stakeholders. Since a retrofit can improve light levels, employees make fewer mistakes. In turn, quality control improves and the risk of injury decreases.

In addition, better lighting makes customers feel safer when they come to our facility. For management, the advantages of a commercial lighting retrofit are in the bottom line.

When you overcome your leadership’s objections to a commercial lighting retrofit, contact us at Relumination for a free lighting consultation.

Improving Worker Safety and Profitability

Maintaining a warehouse or distribution center is not an easy task, especially since these buildings are generally quite large and demand more time and effort compared to other operations. For instance, operating a small antique shop is simple because you can start and finish with great results in an extremely short period of time, but a warehouse just has so much square footage to cover. It is important to consider the fact that the lighting is a crucial part of any building, but especially warehouses and distribution centers as they require so much lighting and have a lot to do with worker safety.

Better Light Quality, Less Accidents

When you invest into LED lighting, you will know that the quality level of lighting is better than other options. Protecting your workers is an important part of running a business, especially because an injury claim can cost thousands of dollars rather quickly. Additionally, dealing with a serious injury from your employees can lead to a huge damper on productivity as they may be an important part of your team. While this may indirectly relate to lighting, this does not change the fact that going with LED for warehouse & distribution center lighting is definitely the best option available.

Longer Lasting, Less Replacing

It is not uncommon for a warehouse to require dozens of lights to maintain proper lighting, and this can get expensive, especially when you consider energy expenses. Fortunately, LED lighting lasts much longer than alternative choices, so not having to replace them as soon as you would with other types of lighting means savings on the purchase of lights and the time required to replace them.

Excellent Durability is Ideal for this Work Setting

While there are some businesses that do not go through much physical work, a warehouse is likely to see a lot of moving around of items with heavy machinery. It is extremely beneficial that LED lighting is very durable compared to other lighting types, and this is because being able to withstand a little bit of pressure can mean not needing to replace a light after getting hit by a hand or object lightly.

If you want to improve your warehouse or distribution center with LED lighting, contact us for more information.

How To Use IoT Controls To Aid Social Distancing In Your Facility

A major issue that businesses and workplaces are facing today is encouraging its workers to abide by social distancing guidelines. In larger facilities, this is not always easy to monitor and can be overwhelming. However, an LED lighting system that utilizes IoT (Internet of Things) technology can put this task at your fingertips and eliminate the need to tour your facility. This technology monitors the people and assets in your facility and reports back to you in real time, and also allows for LED lighting adjustments for worker safety. IoT controls can also make it easier for your employees to meet social distancing guidelines and stay safe.

Social Distancing Controls

Employee Location Monitoring – IoT applications are able to track the location of people in your facility and uses an advanced algorithm to provide accurate data by the room. Employees and others wear tags for tracking purposes which are detected by smart sensors. You can also use these applications to replay data and see where people have been in the past, and whether they have broken any social distancing guidelines. Searches and alerts are also available.

Occupancy Tracking – Other IoT applications make use of location tracking to calculate the occupancy of a specific room or area in your facility. Sensor networks are able to track the movement of your employees and provide accurate views of occupancy in real-time, highlighting problem areas where social distancing isn’t (or cannot be) practiced. These IoT applications can also show where employees tend to congregate over time.

Facility Insight – The ability to sense the lighting levels and occupancy for an entire facility will reveal hidden problem areas and reduce human error. Real-time and historical data is made available in one central location. Monitoring the environment in your facility, or multiple facilities is vital to understanding worker behavior. HVAC failures and other equipment failures can cause workers to abandon social distancing and congregate in more comfortable areas, and alarms can be used to alert you to potential problems before this occurs.

Safety Controls

Advanced Lighting Controls – A wireless IoT system will allow you to easily adjust lighting levels by room and area not only to enhance worker comfort and safety but to encourage workers to practice social distancing in problem areas. Different lighting profiles, made by collecting data on employee movement and occupancy, can be configured by area throughout an entire Smart Building and adjusted accordingly throughout the day.

Fine Tuning – Other IoT apps can allow for occupancy sensing and adjust light levels automatically, and can be used to program the lighting system to dim a problem area progressively during high-occupancy times. These functions can be customized room by room for easy management of social distancing and can be done from virtually any mobile device.

Conclusion

The current health crisis is one that large facilities have never seen before and innovative solutions are needed to protect worker safety, health, and productivity. Using an IoT system with your LED lighting will make monitoring social distancing manageable and offer innovative solutions for enforcing worker safety. If you have questions or need more information on how an IoT system can help you, be sure to contact us.