Lighting tips

Lighting Savers

Easy Savings     

Turn off lights in unoccupied spaces or whenever not in use.

Use natural sunlight. Open curtains and turn off lights near windows during the day.

Install efficient lamps; replace incandescent bulbs with CFLs and halogen lamps.

Use task lighting; focus light only where needed. This will eliminate the need for overhead lamps and reduce glare and eyestrain Regularly dust lamps to maximize life expectancy and light output.

How will I know which lamp I should purchase?      

Incandescent lamps: inefficient and short-lived bulbs. Only 5% of all electricity consumed by these lamps yields usable light. These should only be installed in spaces like a closet Halogen lamps: twice as efficient as incandescent lamps and live up to four times longer. Good in jewelry shops (gives off a slight sparkle that showcases merchandise well).

Compact Fluorescent lamps: 4x as efficient as incandescents and last 10x as long.

Tubular fluorescent lamps: standard option for office lighting. At least 4x more efficient and last 8-20 times longer than incandescents Metal halide lamps: best in high-ceiling areas and for spot lighting in retail. As efficient as fluorescent lamps but are slightly pricier High-pressure sodium lamps: 5-6x more efficient than incandescents. Good for parking lots or exterior building walls because of the yellow light it gives off.

Wattage levels from ENERGY STAR: Current incandescent 40 watts 60 watts 75 watts 100 watts

Replacement compact fluorescent 7 watts 13 watts 22 watts 27 watts

Light output from incandescent 450 800 1,100 1,600

Light output from compact fluorescent 450 800 1,100 1,600

Halogen Replacements   

150 watt flood light 35- or 60-watt halogen lamp Costs about $7, which is quite a bit more expensive than $1 incandescent lamps, but you’ll buy them much less frequently and save $25 in energy costs per lamp.

Halogen lamps pay for themselves in about 3 years if used 2 hrs./day for screw-in retrofits or 8 hrs./day for fixture replacement

Light-Emitting Diode (LED) Exit Signs   

Exit signs with 15-watt incandescent bulbs cost $30/yr. and need replacement lamps every year while LED exit signs cost $5/yr. and won’t need a replacement for 25 years DIY upgrade kits cost $15-$75 and are easy to install because they don’t require wiring. New fixtures cost under $100.

Use 95% less energy than incandescent signs and last 10-20x longer

Fluorescent Lamps  

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Fluorescent lamps have a range of efficiency: the most efficient lamps will reduce your energy use by 66% over the least efficient or “worst” fluorescent lamps Standard fluorescent tubes are T-12s (40W, 4 feet long) that use 10% more energy than 32W T8s. Ballasts for T-12s use 30% more energy than ballasts for T-8s. T-8s cost $50-$100 per fixture so consider local electricity costs and how often these lamps are in use. Upgrading will be worth it if the lamps are on 60+ hours per week. Do a free lighting analysis before deciding to upgrade.

Look into proper disposal methods in your region. Some pre-1979 ballasts contain PCBs and some lamps contain mercury as well.

Removing Lamps    

Remove some lamps and see if there’s still sufficient light in your facility.

Remove lamps in pairs. If you have a 4-lamp fluorescent fixture, try using only 2.

People working at computers may prefer less surrounding light Reduce lighting in over lit hallways/corridors

Recommended levels for various activities (by the Illuminating Engineering Society):

Graphics studio Kitchen, work bench, handwriting, cutting Conference room, cashier, reading Auditorium seating, halls, restrooms Restaurant dining, social hall, storage Public areas, dark surroundings 0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

Recommended Overal Ambient Light Levels (in footcandles)

120

Installing Occupancy Sensors Application Offices (private) Offices (open spaces) Restrooms Corridors Storage areas Meeting rooms Conference rooms Warehouses

Energy savings 25-50% 20-25% 30-75% 30-40% 45-65% 45-65% 45-65% 50-75%

 Sensors cost $25-$80 and are good for areas that are unoccupied for long periods of time. Good spots for these are private offices, conference rooms, restrooms, storage area  Energy-savings potential with occupancy sensors from the CA Energy Commission and US DOE

Improving Sales and Productivity with Better Lighting 

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Energy efficient lighting generates less heat and produces better color, preventing people from getting headaches from excessive flickering. People are more productive when they’re comfortable If you’re in retail, better color will showcase your merchandise better. Customers will feel more welcome and comfortable, which could increase sales especially if they stay in your store longer.

Source: www.asbdc-us.org/Resources/Energy_Efficiency_Pays.pdf