Lighting retrofit to provide Calif. beverage retailer with $1M in annual energy savings

Netanya, Israel Metrolight, manufacturer of electronic high-intensity discharge lighting solutions, together with West-Lite Supply Co., has successfully completed upgrading the lighting systems at 90 BevMo! Locations, providing the beverage retailer with almost $1 million in annual energy savings.

The upgrade, the largest electronic HID retrofit project in California in 2009, was subsidized through several state utility rebate programs.

“BevMo! is so pleased with the performance of the product that it has specified that Metrolight’s technology be used for the lighting systems in all BevMo! stores currently under construction,” said Eric Marquart, director of construction, BevMo!, which operates 90 stores in California and 10 in Arizona.

BevMo! Stores average 10,000 sq. ft. and sell alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and a variety of “goes with” products, including specialty foods and snacks, cigars, glassware and related bar and wine accessories. Stores are organized by product category and are well sign-posted and color-coded, making it easy for customers to find the sections they are interested in. Signs are fun, easy to read and informative.

“Metrolight has not only allowed us to significantly reduce the amount we spend on lighting solutions, but their technology has enhanced our famous BevMo! experience, which hinges on our unique color-coded classification system and friendly and welcoming environment,” Marquart said.

Metrolight replaced thousands of 250 watt magnetic HID fixtures with Metrolight’s SmartHID 150 watt Electronic HID fixtures, allowing the retailer to maintain required lighting levels throughout its stores.

Using Metrolight’s solutions BevMo! expects to achieve 51% in energy savings, reduce its lighting maintenance costs by almost 50% and realize close to $300,000 in utility rebates.