Lighting for your business, whether it's an office, warehouse, or store, is critical for aesthetic and financial reasons. Businesses are increasingly seeking ways to preserve power as a growing number of organizations rely on long hours and computer technology. They may save money on energy by using energy-saving solutions, especially when it comes to lighting. Here are some of the top efficient tips for reducing commercial lighting costs!
Switching to LED lights, whether your building employs incandescent or fluorescent bulbs, is a terrific method for you to save money on electricity. While LEDs are more expensive, they utilize a fraction of the energy and last much longer, allowing your company to save money. LEDs are the most energy-efficient light bulbs for your business when compared to incandescent and fluorescent lights.
Incandescent bulbs last for 750 hours on average, while most LEDs last around 25,000 hours. That means that every LED bulb you buy saves your company more than 33 incandescent bulbs. Then there's the cost of electricity to consider. An incandescent bulb costs $240 to light for 25,000 hours, compared to $40 for an LED bulb. Over the course of a decade, switching to LED lighting might save your company thousands of dollars.
While fluorescent bulbs are better than incandescents, they still chew into your budget more than LEDs. Fluorescent bulbs are slightly more expensive than incandescent bulbs. However, they’re still less expensive than LEDs. The lifespan and power are two areas where switching from fluorescent to LED lights save your company money. In comparison to the 25,000-hour lifetime of LEDs, most fluorescent bulbs survive roughly 8,000 hours. For every LED, that's more than three fluorescent bulbs. Furthermore, LED lights consume far less electricity than fluorescent lights, and they operate at about a 30 percent higher efficiency. While moving from fluorescent to LED lights will cost you more money upfront, the money you'll save in the long run will make it worthwhile.
In most work environments, the lights don’t have to be on full brightness all the time. Bright lighting can strain the eyes. On the other hand, dimming the light improves the appearance of rooms, objects, and people. Dimmer switches are inexpensive and simple to install, usually costing between $10 and $25. When you lower the dimmer, you reduce the quantity of electricity that the bulb provides. This saves money for your company. You'll also lengthen the life of your bulbs because they use less energy.
Lighting controls and sensors help businesses save money on energy by turning lights off when they aren't in use. When an employee forgets to turn off a light as they leave a conference room, the motion sensors can kick in. They can also function as a security measure outside or illuminate areas for employees who come in late at night or early in the morning. Moreover, you can install daylight controllers to alter the interior lighting settings based on the amount of daylight available.
Keeping the lights on at all times, even when no one is at work, can provide an extra layer of protection for your small business. When you have security cameras, security alarms, and a lock system, however, you may not need to keep the lights on. Turning off the lights, especially late at night, can help a business save money on its electric bill. Do your staff members have a habit of forgetting to turn off the lights when they leave? Many firms will post signs reminding employees to switch off lights when leaving a room or the office late at night. The previously mentioned sensors and controls can also automatically turn off the lights at the end of the workday.
LED lights are significantly more affordable to operate when compared with other lighting sources. In fact, using LEDs is one of the best ways to save money on your commercial lighting costs. However, there are still some variations in quality from company to company. Here are some of the best indicators to look for in an LED product to help you save money while still getting a quality lighting fixture.
People often measure brightness in watts for most of their lives. You may be able to estimate how much light a 40-, 60-, or 100-watt bulb will produce. However, watts merely indicate how much energy the bulb consumes. LED lights have watt ratings like other bulbs. But they can provide the same amount of light with fewer watts. For example, a 5-watt MR16 LED lamp emits enough light to replace a 50-watt MR16 halogen lamp while using 90 percent less energy. So you should compare average lumens to current light levels while choosing LED bulbs. The lighting design of an LED project should include the selection of the most energy-efficient LED lamp.
LED light prices have dropped significantly in recent years, and large-scale adoption is now taking place for both residential and commercial use. However, not all LED lamps are equal. One way that manufacturers have made LED lamps cheaper is by decreasing their quality. Notably, they use plastic instead of aluminum and lower-grade drivers. A low-quality LED bulb has a shorter lifespan. This may seem insignificant to some people. However, their short lifespans might overshadow the cost reductions that they provide.
LED lamps used to have big fins, several diode light sources, and harsh white light distribution. Thankfully, this is no longer the case due to developments in aesthetic design and lighting quality. High-quality LED bulbs are now available that are difficult to differentiate from typical incandescent or halogen lamps. LED bulbs come in a wide range of lighting colors and lens choices to help disperse and distribute light as well. When purchasing LED lamps, look for those with a similar appearance to incandescent lamps. Examine the color temperature and choose a light color that complements your space. The Kelvin number is what you should look at. The lower its value, the warmer the light will be.
We hope you have enjoyed our article on some of the top efficient tips for reducing commercial lighting costs! If you’re looking to purchase commercial LED flood lights to upgrade your business’s lighting, you should reach out to Eco LED Mart today!
A high-quality commercial building comes down to the details. Not only do you want to have a creative, functional design, but you also need to prioritize quality in the materials, plumbing, and electrical work.
Lighting can’t be overlooked when building a new commercial property. How will your employees get any work done, or how will your customers successfully shop if there isn’t good lighting? Be sure to account for commercial lighting in your overall construction budget.
We’ll be exploring the average commercial lighting cost per square foot as well as factors that can affect the final cost.
Indoor lighting and electricity for commercial buildings cost $3.20-$4.00 per square foot on average. Lighting falls into a category called “outfitting,” which encompasses the finishing touches that get added to a building after the preliminary construction phase is complete.
In addition to lighting, other components that fall into the outfitting phase include:
Costs per square foot continue to rise in most categories, but lighting tends to fall right in the middle of the other outfitting categories. Keep in mind you’ll also be charged labor costs, but each electrician sets their own hourly rates.
It’s not a guarantee that you’ll always pay $3.20 per square foot for commercial lighting, even though that’s the average. There are numerous factors that affect your final overall cost, so it’s important to get price quotes in the beginning stages of your commercial construction project.
Four main factors that impact costs include:
The location of your commercial project will have an impact on your final cost. Different regions throughout the United States have higher or lower costs of living, which often directly correlate with the price of services.
The US regions with commercial construction costs from lowest to highest are:
Location-based costs can get pretty granular. Price differences can come down to specific states, cities, or even different neighborhoods within cities.
While the electrical wiring for lighting and physical lighting fixtures are two separate things, it’s still beneficial to consider what types of lighting fixtures you want. You’ll definitely see a significant price difference between installing multiple chandeliers or only sticking with fluorescent lights.
The average total costs of various fixtures (including installation costs) are:
Depending on the purpose of your commercial building, your interior design will call for different lighting fixtures. In a high-class restaurant, you’ll probably want to budget for more expensive fixtures like chandeliers and wall sconces. But for warehouses, you’ll be well equipped with standard ceiling lights.
It may seem redundant, but the size of your commercial project will directly impact your overall costs. Larger projects will have higher electrical costs than smaller projects. However, many contractors and manufacturers actually charge less per square foot on larger projects. This is another factor that you’ll get a more clear idea of if you get multiple price quotes before beginning.
You know the saying, “You get what you pay for”? This adage definitely applies when hiring an electrician or contractor. It’s ideal to find a commercial electrician that uses high-quality products and has plenty of experience to back up their installation techniques.
To make it clear, high-quality electricians can offer competitive prices. But if you’ve gotten five quotes and one electrician has offered a significantly lower quote, alarm bells should go off that they probably don’t offer high-quality installation.
If you’re simply updating the lighting in an existing commercial space, your costs will be lower than starting from scratch. This is because most of the infrastructure for lighting is already in place – you’ll just need to update fixtures and make any necessary repairs.
In this case, your overall cost will probably only be $2-$3 per square foot. Of course, there are always exceptions to this rule based on the size and scope of your project.
While some costs are out of your control (like the quality of installation), others are definitely within your power to change. Here are a few tips on how to lower your overall commercial lighting costs:
At the end of the day, it’s important to pay a fair price for high-quality electrical work in your commercial building. Use these average cost estimates to inform your budget, but be sure to talk with professional electricians directly.
If you live in Minnesota, 4Front Energy would be happy to provide a free quote for your upcoming project, whether that be new construction, remodeling, or adding on. Our highly-rated and experienced electricians will get your lighting wired correctly the first time.
Reach out today to get your free estimate!