Vanguard Building Solutions, a national energy efficiency and specialty mechanical solutions company offers these tips to determine if LED lighting is right for you.
LED LIGHTING – IS IT RIGHT FOR YOUR BUILDING? (PDF)
What is available in LED lighting and can it be affordable for building owners and tenants?
• 2×2 and 2×4 lay-in LED fixtures are now cost competitive from major manufacturers
• 6” cans have LED retrofit kits that are reasonable and can save up to 80% on your energy consumption
• LED replacements for compact fluorescent plug ins are available and can save almost 60%
• Incandescent screw in lamps to LED have been around and the cost has come down considerably
• LED stairwell fixtures allow for 50-70% savings
• Outdoor/parking lot fixtures – the right LED fixture can save 70% on energy, provide even distribution of light and have a life expectancy of 22-25 years!
Benefits of LED Lighting:
• Indoor fixtures have an expected useful life of 50,000 – 75,000 hours
• Outdoor fixtures have an expected useful life of 100,000 hours
• Even distribution of light
• Will be perceived as brighter based on the quality of light
• Security – facial recognition is much greater with LED light than any other light source
• Many options to match look of existing fixture
• Maintenance free
• At the end of its useful life the fixture still operates but at a lower light level – doesn’t fail and turn off
Drawbacks of LED Lighting
• Still more expensive than fluorescent
• Many 2nd and 3rd tier companies selling low-quality LED products to compete on price
• After 15 or 20 years you will need to replace the driver in the fixture or the fixture itself
Should I consider LED lighting technology for my building?
Only you can answer that question but it makes sense to get educated on the technology, costs and benefits for your situation. LED pricing has come down and many facilities are seeing 2-4 year paybacks from new LED lighting.
What should I know before doing an LED retrofit?
• Who is the manufacturer?
• What is their warranty? (some large manufacturers are offering 10 year warranty’s)
• Find a lighting company that has the capability to do photometrics (layout areas of your building with a software package and be able to show you light levels before and after installation)
Vanguard Building Solutions, LLC is a turn-key provider of energy efficiency upgrades. There are no hidden costs for our clients. We do all the up-front work to determine the opportunity and provide you with a price to perform the work. There are no change orders and we handle all of the rebate applications for your benefit.
To schedule a lighting/energy assessment or for more information:
Mike Sherman, President
Vanguard Building Solutions, LLC
856.816.5006
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