Why Should I Think About Upgrading My Lighting?
There are a lot of reasons you should consider upgrading your lighting. Even though it will cost more upfront, you should be able to recoup that cost in energy savings. To determine whether or not they’re right for you, ask yourself the following questions.
- Do you want to know how much it’s costing you to light your facility?
- Do you want to reduce the usage of energy in your business?
- Have you been looking for an investment that will make your business more valuable?
- Would you believe that a lot of energy-saving projects qualify for incentives provided by your local utility provider?
- Do you want to reduce your operating costs, while still keeping the same or even better lighting quality?
- Do you want to help reduce pollution and “go green”?
What’s the Benefit of Getting Better Lighting?
Not only do you save money on energy and reduce your overhead costs (as mentioned before), there are plenty of other good things like greater light quality, better safety on site, and even higher productivity.
When to Purchase LED Retrofits
When calculating your ROI, think about the lighting you already have. It may sound weird, but sometimes LEDs are not the right option for certain facilities and budgets (it may just not be the right time). You should be wary of someone that tells you otherwise. If you really think about it, there will be new capabilities in technology as well as a lower price tag in the next decade. If you have modern fluorescents that are correctly placed, you may be able to just replace them with LEDs in phases. Find the area where the new LEDs will make the biggest change (like in high-volume production lines, warehouse aisles, and cold storage and cranes). You definitely want these lights to be reliable because they can’t go out and stop production during normal shifts. You’ll see the best results from a LED retrofit in a place that still uses metal halides or high-intensity discharge lamps. This is because LEDs can cut energy expenses related to lighting in half and decrease the overall energy usage by up to 50%.
Make Sure the Company Comes to You
Okay, so you’ve picked out an LED retrofit. Now you need to have a site visit. This is because there’s no universal standard or equivalency formula that makes sure you’ll have quality coverage when you switch out metal halides, fluorescents, and LED fixtures. Each kind of fixture lights up a room differently so doing a 1-to-1 swap isn’t optimal. A better idea is to begin your project with an in-person inspection. In addition, light levels are affected by many things, including the placement, obstructions, wall colors, and the amount of dust and dirt around. This essentially means that the same lighting that works for a cold storage facility in Houston won’t work for a manufacturing plant in Kansas, even if the buildings are the same size. Over-the-phone and over-the-Internet quotes are only estimates. The exact opposite of this are speciality firms that will have an engineer design a layout for you. This, of course, is very expensive. The best way to go is to have someone do a no- or low-cost visit in your scope of work as well as a specialized layout that’s included in a larger project management cost.
You Want a Workhorse and Not a Unicorn
Remember that there are three key elements to project management. These are quality, service, and price. A unicorn can be compared to a company that not only has high-end products, but also sells them at a low price with extra services (installation and rebates). That, of course, is what everyone wants. However, when something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Don’t just fall for that. The quote you should listen to is the one that gives you expert advice and outlines how you should use your project resources to maximize your ROI. If you have a limited budget or want to do this upgrade over a five-year period, a strong quote will have the installation in phases. This quote is a blueprint and should take into account your resources and goals, rather than just replacing halides or fluorescents or offering canned options. Also, LEDs are focused more horizontally and vertically than older lighting and a good new lighting layout will account for this. If you’re involving other electricians and contractors, you’ll probably need to have grid adjustments. The contract should be clear and the sales reps should be right on the case. If you experience anything less, walk away. You want to pay once for good service, not multiple times for bad service. In order to tell if a proposal is strong, make sure it is in line with your goals, has a clear implementation plan, and spells out everything—electricians, contractors, responsibilities, and scheduling.
You Want an Installation Without Expensive Interruptions
It is a wise idea to pay for project management, but only if it works. With that in mind, a good question to ask is “can you guarantee installation that minimizes work interruptions?” Be sure to ask for a single contact along with accessibility during the installation and a plan of responsibility for delays that may happen. Because installation can be more expensive than you thought it would be, it can be tempting to just coordinate the whole thing yourself. However, this isn’t always the wisest idea as your lack of experience in this area can create “bumps in the road” that can eat up production and staff time as well as reduce the quality of your LED investment. In addition, be sure that your product manager both mentions as well as understands local, statewide, and national energy codes. If they don’t, you’re probably going to end up with a liability instead of an upgrade.
Be Sure You Measure Before You Walk Away
At the end of the project, the company should come out and check everything. If you’re not hitting the right amount of foot candles or the occupancy sensors aren’t functioning properly, they should fix it at no additional charge. Another thing that shouldn’t cost extra is the rebate. They can give you back 50% of the total cost if you’re switching from an older/less efficient system. Push back if the project manager wants you to pay rebate fees or guarantees a rebate as a part of a price reduction plan. The problem with that is that rebates aren’t a guarantee, but rather an estimate. These local and state rebates depend on how much money is available to the issuing agencies and other factors outside of your project. Utility providers qualify the availability of funds when you begin your project and have to visit your facility to compare the system you have to the new LED one that’ll be installed. Relying on getting the rebate dollars that are left may leave you irritated with your project because the money may be gone before you’re approved and start it.