How to Reduce Your Electrical Bill By Making Simple Changes to Your Commercial Lighting

Commercial lighting accounts for a significant portion of a business's energy usage and electrical costs. By making some simple upgrades and changes, companies can dramatically reduce their lighting expenses and overall electrical bills. Here are effective tips on how to lower lighting costs for your commercial space.

Conduct an Audit of Your Existing Lighting

The first step is to do a thorough audit of your current lighting setup. This will help you identify problem areas and opportunities for improvement.

Walk through your entire facility and make notes on the types of lighting used in each area. Count the number of lights. Note the kinds of bulbs installed. Are they outdated incandescent or halogen bulbs? Or more modern CFL or LED bulbs?
Check the wattage rating on each light fixture. Multiply the wattage by the number of hours the lights are on daily. This gives you a sense of the energy consumption.
Evaluate which areas may be over-lit or under-lit. Are there unnecessary lights turned on in closets, hallways or storage areas?
Look for ways to use natural daylight. Are there skylights or window areas that can substitute for artificial light during daytime hours?

Upgrade to LED Lighting

One of the most impactful changes you can make is upgrading your lighting to LED bulbs and fixtures.

LEDs consume 50-70% less power than incandescent bulbs and last 3-25 times longer. This reduces energy bills and replacement costs.
Switch out frequently used lights first. Prioritize areas like lobbies, work floors, meeting rooms, and spotlight fixtures.
Retrofit overhead fluorescent tube lighting with LED tube lights. They're direct plug-and-play replacements.
When replacing bulbs, choose LEDs with a color temperature of 3000-4000K to closely match the brightness and tone of traditional bulbs.
Install LED fixtures with motion sensors, timers, or daylight harvesting in hallways, bathrooms and other secondary spaces to maximize energy savings.

Implement Better Lighting Controls

Another big opportunity is enhancing your lighting controls. This allows you to turn off lights when not needed.

Install occupancy sensors or vacancy sensors to automatically turn lights on and off based on room occupancy. Great for restrooms, storage areas, hallways and private offices.
Use timers, time clocks or scheduling systems to turn lights off at night or during closed hours. Ensure no unnecessary lights are left on when the facility is unoccupied.
Zone switch lights so portions of larger spaces can be selectively turned off when not in use. For example, zoning by rows of overhead lights.
Use daylight harvesting controls that turn off artificial lights when ample natural light is available. Automated shades can assist.
Install smart lighting systems that enable remote scheduling, dimming and monitoring of lights via web or mobile apps.

Improve Spaces for Better Lighting Efficiency

Some design changes can also yield better lighting efficiency:

Paint walls and ceilings neutral white or light colors to maximize brightness and minimize required wattage.
Install light shelving and cabinets to reflect more light into previously shadowed areas.
Use lighter-color, reflective surfaces on desks, floors, counters and displays.
Relocate fixtures closer to work areas to directly illuminate needed spaces, instead of lighting everything evenly.
Remove obstructions like high partitions that block light distribution. Keep lighting unobstructed.

Maintain Lighting Properly

With proper maintenance, your lighting systems will function optimally.

Clean fixtures, lenses and skylights regularly to eliminate dirt and film buildup that reduces light levels.
Replace old lenses or diffusers that have yellowed or clouded over time. Opt for new prismatic lenses that direct light more precisely.
Check that ballasts and reflectors are in good condition. Upgrade old electromagnetic ballasts to more efficient electronic ballasts.
Ensure lighting circuits are not overloaded. This can lead to flickering and lower light levels.
Group lighting circuits on separate electrical panels to allow for greater control.

Hire a Lighting Contractor for Help

For large lighting retrofit projects, it can be worthwhile to hire a qualified lighting contractor.

They can help perform a detailed lighting audit and identify the most impactful upgrades.
A contractor can also assist in selecting the best LED products in terms of light quality, energy efficiency and pricing.
They can properly dispose of old lighting equipment and install new fixtures during off-hours.
Many electrical contractors have financing options available like lighting-as-a-service programs that require no upfront capital.

By taking advantage of these tips, you can realize substantial savings on your company's electrical bills through smarter commercial lighting. Prioritize upgrades in your most utilized spaces first, then tackle secondary areas. With improved efficiency and better lighting design, your business can operate with reduced energy consumption and lower overhead costs.