Reduce lighting expenses

Lighting, which consumes 25% to 30% of the energy used in commercial buildings, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, accounts for a significant portion of a store’s total energy bill. Here are some tips for cutting lighting-related costs:

• Upgrade old T12 fluorescent fixtures to T8 fluorescent lamps and electronic ballasts. In addition to an estimated 40% energy savings, high-performance T8 systems offer better color rendition and create less heat. Grocery stores with high ceilings might want to consider using T5 lamps and indirect fixtures to boost both lighting quality and efficiency. T5 lamps are far more energy efficient and offer better light quality than the high-intensity discharge lights typically found in high-ceiling stores.
• Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps. CFLs use about two-thirds less energy, last about 10 times as long and produce much less waste heat than incandescents.
• Turn off lights in unoccupied areas.
• Make the most of available natural light. Cleaning windows and skylights regularly will allow maximum daylight to enter the building and significantly reduce the need for electric lighting.
• Eliminate unnecessary lights and lower light levels as appropriate.
• Use automatic controls to turn lights off or to dim lights in daylit spaces. If you can not afford automatic controls, install simple timers or clock switches to ensure that lights are turned off at the appropriate time.
• Install occupancy sensors in restrooms and areas that are frequently unoccupied. Inexpensive and easy to install, occupancy sensors have been shown to save up to 30% on lighting costs during normal working hours.
• Use security lighting strategically.
• Convert exit signs to high-efficiency LEDs. The energy-saving technology can also be used in refrigerated cases.
• Design light quantity and quality for the task and for occupants’ needs. Average maintained light levels (footcandles) for stores are 30 footcandles for high-volume retail and 100 footcandles for low-volume or higher-end retail, according to the IESNA Lighting Handbook.
• Install timers or photocells on outside lights.
• Keep light fixtures clean and dust-free to maintain light output.
• Budget and train for group relamping. Although it means replacing lamps before they expire, group relamping (as opposed to spot replacement) dramatically reduces the time spent replacing each lamp, which can cut a company’s overall lighting maintenance budget by more than 25%. Also, group relamping reduces the cost of lamps through bulk-purchase discounts and provides additional benefits in lighting quality. A planned-maintenance program of group relamping and fixture cleaning at a scheduled interval maximizes system performance.