Electro/Telecom Industry Trends
February 2004
Choosing Wisely When Retrofitting or Replacing Lighting
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Lighting manufacturers have made enormous strides in delivering new types of lamps, luminaires (fixtures), ballasts, and control systems that cut energy consumption while increasing light output. Building owners and tenants have an array of options to choose from as they retrofit their spaces to become more energy efficient. But enhancing a lighting system’s efficiency — and effectiveness — requires far more than simply exchanging one type of lamp for a more efficient one. In fact, unless it’s done well, retrofitting or replacing a lighting system may cause more problems than it solves. “It can be a terrible mistake if not done properly,” says John Bachner, communications director of the National Lighting Bureau (NLB).
In the U.S., $58 billion a year is spent on lighting, with most of that being spent by businesses. It is no wonder, then, that many businesses are looking for ways to cut costs through more efficient lighting solutions. But many, says John, wind up paying more, not less.
He points to just one example — an organization that cut its lighting costs by 50 percent through the simple (and simplistic) expedient of turning off 50 percent of its fluorescent lights. The result? Productivity dropped by 28 percent. “For every $1 saved in energy, $250 was lost in productivity,” John says.
This may be an extreme example, but similar mistakes are still made every day with lighting in corporate America. Many organizations simply don’t understand the importance of lighting — that by providing adequate lighting for each employee’s tasks, they can benefit as their workers become more productive. Poor lighting, on the other hand, can result in less productivity, which can in turn require longer hours spent performing the same amount of work, leading to greater demand on a building’s resources. A dollar may be saved on lighting, but much more may be spent supporting that savings.
So what is the first step in designing, retrofitting, or replacing a lighting system? Find a good lighting designer. “Experienced designers can create concepts that are ideally suited to the tasks that are performed or are likely to be performed in the space. Their designs will also minimize the energy required to achieve the results that you want,” John points out.
With a lighting designer’s help, lighting can play a number of roles. If used properly, it can increase productivity, reduce errors, improve safety and security, and enhance visual appeal. And all of these can lead to increased profitability. In retail settings, lighting can be applied to boost sales. In parking lots, it can displace criminal activities, resulting in fewer security patrols being able to achieve better results. On the shop floor, better lighting can mean improved worker safety, more effective quality control, fewer rejects, and higher levels of customer satisfaction.
Lighting can have a large impact on the success of an organization. That is why it is so important for building owners and tenants to examine their own lighting systems. With more new lighting options than ever available, John recommends that building owners retrofit lighting systems that have been in place for 10 years or more, and entirely replace those that are 20 years or older.
The NLB, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing effective information about lighting and its benefits, offers several publications designed to explain in non-technical terms lighting and retrofitting and replacement options.