A Commercial Retrofit Is a Long Term Investment; Plan Carefully

Since most high-quality LED fixtures are rated for 250,000 hours or 20+ years of continuous 24 hour use, building owners considering a commercial lighting retrofit should realize that they are investing for the long-term.  A properly done LED retrofit requiring minimal or no maintenance will stay in place more than a decade.  Rather than relying only on the initial cost of fixtures and installation to evaluate return on investment, owners and managers should calculate the cost of ownership over the entire life of the project.

Of course, payback periods differ depending on what you are retrofitting.  For instance, changing from incandescent lighting to LED fixtures can result in a payback period less than a year.  On the other hand, retrofitting fluorescent tube fixtures with LED tubes takes a two-year payback while switching from fluorescent fixtures to LED tubes may provide a three-year payback.  Rebates and other incentives can lessen these payback periods.

Likewise, the quality of the site visit, the proposed layout, installation and customer service plan are more significant for LED retrofits than for metal halide or fluorescent retrofits requiring maintenance every 2-3 years.  While an LED retrofit doesn’t last forever, it comes close and deserves the extra care.

Considering LED’s longevity, it’s important to identify the right LED product for the project, such as LED color which varies from a very bright blue suitable for parking lots to a medium blue for an office setting and perhaps a warmer range for break areas.

Although return on investment accelerates when companies capitalize on funding opportunities, the funding process is often complex with many requirements including submitting the correct form at the right time and specific inspection criteria.  Choosing a company experienced in working with utilities and other funding agencies, really streamlines the funding process.  In addition, utilities often require that a participating contractor be in the loop to obtain funding for a building retrofit.

To optimize the return on a commercial lighting retrofit, building owners and managers should work with a partner who stays up-to-date with the latest advances in LED products and who is proficient in sourcing rebates. We’d like to share our expertise with you.  Please contact us for more information.

 

Benefits of Manufacturing Facility Lighting Retrofits

Retrofitting Lighting Systems

Retrofitting a production facility’s lighting has many benefits. So many manufacturing facilities use metal halide high bay fixtures or other fluorescent lighting. While these have advantages over some other systems, LED lighting offers many benefits making a retrofit a sound business decision. Every business wants to lower its operating costs, maximize productivity, and increase employee morale. Installing the latest lighting systems can achieve all three.

Cost-Effective

Cost savings are the obvious benefit. Utility costs can be reduced by as much as 70%, but even a 30 – 50% saving can make a lot of sense when taken over three or four years. This sort of saving not only delivers a quick ROI, but in future years it continues to deliver lower energy and operating costs. Lighting controls such as occupancy sensing, task tuning, daylight harvesting, progressive dimming, and automatic setbacks can assist a facility to achieve up to 90% energy savings and maintain safe, comfortable light levels across the facility.

In many states, there are utility rebates and incentives available to companies that install energy-efficient lighting and controls to reduce their energy consumption. We are experts in navigating how you can qualify for these incentives and will handle the application process on your behalf. Those incentives help to deliver an even faster ROI.

Higher Productivity, Safety, and Morale

Employees working in a well-lit area are less likely to make simple mistakes, for no other reason than they can see exactly what they are doing. Improved lighting also improves safety by enabling employees to avoid potential mishaps and accidents. Nothing disrupts productivity and lowers morale like a serious accident.

No Productivity Disruption

We will work around your systems and schedules to ensure your productivity is not disrupted. Many manufacturing facilities have regular preventive maintenance, repair, and new equipment installation events. We can work with your teams to do our work while projects like these are in hand. Our goal is to perform the implementation of your project around your schedule to minimize disruption to your business.

The Takeaway

There are many benefits, both immediate and long-term, to retrofit your manufacturing plant’s lighting system. The decision is based on knowledge, so if you would like to learn more and arrange an initial consultation, please just click here to contact us.