Individual actions, when viewed individually and collectively, contribute to a greener world. And one of the things that can help everyone – businesses and homeowners alike – take steps toward a greener world is lighting retrofits.

The environmental impact of converting to more energy-efficient lighting technologies is significant, which is why the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is phasing out many inefficient lighting technologies such as T-12 lamps and ballasts, along with high-wattage halogen and High-intensity discharge (HID) lighting. These technologies contain large amounts of mercury in comparison to new modern energy-efficient technologies now available in the market.

While eliminating mercury is important, reducing overall energy consumption is vital.

LEDs (light emitting diodes) have set the standard for lighting efficiency. Referred to as LEDs because of the small energy efficient diodes which produce a large amount of concentrated light, the term LED refers to lamps, fixtures, the diodes, and even the technology itself. LEDs operate without the use of a ballast.

LEDs offer numerous benefits: 50-90% energy savings, big maintenance savings thanks to a large increase in the life of the products, greater lumen output, greater spread and improved uniformity that can be used in many applications. Though LED seemingly gets the most publicity, you should be aware of three other lighting technologies as well:

  • Induction: An ideal retrofit for HID lighting, induction lighting offers a 50-90% energy savings and 5-10 times the rated life of HID;
  • T8: Most common retrofit of T12 lighting, offering a 20-60% energy savings and 2-5 times the rated life of T12;
  • T5: Similar to T8, generally used for applications which entail higher mounting points.

Though these technologies offer considerable energy and maintenance savings, the exponential popularity of green building products and technologies has created a very competitive business landscape. While companies thrive off the opportunity to sell and install new lighting technologies, this intense competition has created the quick launch of new – sometimes untested – technologies.

When considering lighting retrofits, it’s imperative for businesses and homeowners to consider products from manufacturers with a proven track record, who also provide strong warranties on their products.

Lighting retrofit opportunities are a superb opportunity for businesses to reap thousands of dollars in energy and maintenance savings, while benefitting from the importance of more well-lit facilities. It is always important to remember that when it comes to lighting retrofits, nothing is more expensive than “the cost of waiting”, so it is important to take advantage of energy-efficient technologies, utility rebates, and the many benefits that lighting retrofits can offer.

In our next blog, we’ll touch on strategies for maximizing ROI with lighting retrofits, and we’ll explain how ROI, while very important, should be considered in context with other significant lighting retrofit benefits.

Until then, please call us at 800-548-3542 to learn more about commercial lighting retrofits and national lighting services.