As a facility manager, whether you are in an industrial manufacturing plant or a corporate office space, one or more of the following could be a sign that an LED Lighting Upgrade or Retrofit is needed soon. Today’s highly efficient LED lighting options not only provide a Return on Investment while significantly improving the aesthetics, safety, and comfort of your facility.
High Utility Bills
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (www.eia.gov), lighting accounts for 17% of the electrical use in commercial office buildings, industrial buildings.
Older fixtures and bulbs use more energy than newer replacements. An example is replacing an older T8 32-watt bulb with a 14-watt LED tube and it’s easy to see how the savings began to add up.
Costly Maintenance
- Older systems have a shorter life span so they need to be replaced more frequently.
- This puts a strain on the Maintenance staff, particularly if lights are high bays found in many warehouses, distribution centers, and industrial facilities requiring a lift to change bulbs. This can be expensive, time-consuming, and if lights are positioned in areas that interrupt your operations that might cause downtime or decreased production. Newer LEDs have a life span of 100,000 hours which is virtually maintenance-free.
Lighting Levels
Do employees ever complain about headaches or eye strain from too much or improper lighting, dark areas, or shadows from insufficient lighting in parts of the facility – employees use a flashlight or their phone to see as they carry out a task. If QC (Quality Control) is something that occurs in your facility, are the lights the proper color and light level for employees to effectively perform their jobs?
These are all signs that your lighting needs attention. Today, Commercial Lighting Designers take into consideration Human Centric Lighting (HCL) when designing workspaces to ensure the best lighting is in the appropriate space within the facility.
Environmental & Sustainability Goals Many companies with corporate sustainability goals actively look for initiatives to reduce their carbon footprint. Modern LED lighting is very efficient and a great solution for reducing carbon emissions. Another benefit of an upgrade is the responsible disposal and recycling of the older materials which is also good for the environment.
Utility Company Incentives
Many power companies offer rebates for switching to LEDs. There are also potential additional tax credits under IRC Sec. 179D, which states that facilities have the opportunity to claim a tax deduction of up to $1.80 per square foot for installing qualifying energy-efficient systems and buildings. Rebate information is readily available on your utility company’s website or one of our CSL consultants can help.If you think it might be time for a lighting upgrade to your facility, CSL can help. A brief discussion with one of our Lighting Consultants will provide you with the information to help determine if a lighting upgrade is necessary and if it is, the benefits and cost savings you will likely see.