How to Save Money on Your Business's Energy Costs With Smart Lighting Systems

Introduction

Operating a business can be extremely expensive, with energy costs being one of the largest expenses. In my office building, the lighting bill alone costs thousands of dollars per month. However, new smart lighting systems provide an opportunity to dramatically reduce these costs through energy efficiency and automation. In this article, I will discuss how business owners can save money on energy by implementing smart lighting solutions.

Evaluate Your Current Lighting System

The first step is to evaluate your existing lighting system and usage.

• What types of bulbs are currently used? Incandescent, fluorescent, LED, etc.
• How many fixtures are there and what is their wattage?
• Which lights are typically left on the longest? This highlights areas of waste.
• Are there occupancy sensors, timers, or daylight harvesting in place?
• When was the last lighting upgrade? Newer systems are more efficient.

Documenting these details gives you a baseline for improvement. It also helps identify the most outdated and inefficient lighting to target first.

Switch to LED Lighting

One of the best ways to reduce energy consumption is to switch from traditional lighting to LED bulbs and fixtures.

• LEDs use at least 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs and last 25x longer.
• They also emit less heat, which further reduces HVAC costs.
• The upfront cost is higher, but LEDs pay for themselves through energy savings in less than 2 years.
• Focus first on the most utilized lights.

Retrofitting older fixtures with LED tubes is a simple way to gain efficiency without replacing entire fixtures. New LED fixtures should be installed in outdated spaces.

Implement Smart Lighting Controls

Smart lighting systems allow for automation and control through intelligent sensors and software. Key features include:

• Occupancy/Motion Sensors - Lights turn on when motion is detected and off after a period of inactivity. This avoids lights left on in unused rooms.

• Daylight Harvesting - Light sensors dim artificial light based on the amount of natural light in the space. The office is well-lit but not over-lit.

• Smart Scheduling - Lights can be programmed to match business operating hours, turning on and off automatically. Scheduling avoids lights left on overnight.

• Zone Control - Control lighting based on usage with different settings per zone. For example, reduce hallway lighting after hours.

• Centralized Control - Remotely adjust settings for multiple lights/zones through centralized dashboard or app.

These features maximize efficiency by ensuring lights are only on at the required brightness when spaces are occupied.

Consider Lighting Layout

Evaluate lighting layout for further optimizations:

• Space lights properly - Overlap between fixtures leads to over-lighting. Lights should be spaced methodically.

• Use task lighting - Layer general ambient lighting with focused task lights for desks and work areas. Allows reducing overhead lighting.

• Install reflectors - Add reflectors to concentrate illumination where needed most and avoid lighting unused areas.

• Eliminate excess fixtures - Remove unnecessary fixtures.

Optimized layout works with smart controls for greatest efficiency.

Monitor and Analyze Usage

Once your new smart lighting system is implemented, monitoring and analyzing usage over time is key.

• Review energy consumption reports from your lighting dashboard/app.

• Identify any problem areas with higher than expected use.

• Continue adjustments to layouts, schedules, and settings.

• Ongoing optimization maximizes long-term cost savings.

Conclusion

The potential for energy and cost savings through newer, smarter lighting solutions is immense. While the upfront investment can be significant, businesses typically see a complete payback within 2-3 years through utility incentives and continued energy savings. A well-designed smart lighting system will continue providing value for many years to come through intelligent automation and efficient operation.