How to Save on Business Electrical Costs With DIY Lighting Retrofits

Lighting accounts for a significant portion of a business's energy costs. By replacing outdated, inefficient lighting with energy-efficient alternatives, companies can realize substantial savings on their electricity bills. Performing lighting retrofits yourself rather than hiring an electrical contractor can further reduce costs. Here is a guide on how to save on business electrical costs by doing DIY lighting retrofits.

Assess Your Existing Lighting

The first step is taking inventory of your current lighting situation:

• Walk through your entire facility and document what types of lights are in use (LED, fluorescent, incandescent, halogen, etc.).
• Note the wattage of each bulb or tube. This should be printed somewhere on the bulb or ballast.
• Count the number of each type of light fixture.
• Look for signs of old age: flickering, buzzing, discoloration. These indicate lights at the end of their lifespan.

This audit will identify your most inefficient lighting to target first for replacement. Older incandescent and halogen lights are generally the biggest electricity hogs.

Calculate Potential Savings

Once you know what you're working with, crunch the numbers to estimate potential savings. This will help build the business case for retrofitting:

• Add up the wattages of all bulbs/fixtures to determine total wattage.
• Multiply by the average number of hours the lights are on per day.
• Multiply by your local electricity rate per kWh.
• This is your estimated daily lighting cost.

Now research LED or fluorescent replacements that could reduce wattage by 50% or more. Calculate estimated costs after retrofitting for comparison. The difference is the possible savings.

Purchase Efficient Replacements

There are many options for efficient lighting upgrades:

• LED tubes can replace fluorescent T8/T12 tubes. Ensure you get compatible tubes for your existing ballasts.
• LED downlights can replace old-fashioned can lights. Choose models compatible with your specific can type.
• LED bulbs come in all common shapes/sizes to replace incandescent or CFL bulbs.

Compare lumens rather than wattages. Lumens indicate brightness. Choose LEDs with similar or higher lumen levels to match existing bulb brightness.

Buy replacements in bulk online to get discounts. Stick to recognized brand names like Phillips, GE, or Sylvania for quality assurance.

Install New Lighting

Here are some best practices for safely installing new commercial LED lighting:

• Check compatibility. Ensure new LED tubes work with your current ballasts or buy ballast-bypass tubes. LED downlights must match can sizes.

• Follow electrical safety. Always turn off power at the breaker before replacing lights. Use a non-contact voltage tester to verify power is off.

• Hire an electrician if you don't feel comfortable working with commercial electrical. They can also install dimmers or occupancy sensors to enhance savings.

• Dispose of old lighting properly. Fluorescent tubes contain mercury and should be recycled. LEDs contain electronic components that also require special disposal.

• Stagger replacements. Change out lights over time rather than all at once to spread out upfront costs. Prioritize the most outdated and inefficient lights first.

Verify Energy Savings

Once retrofits are complete, verify that the new lighting is performing as expected:

• Take new wattage measurements and calculate expected daily/monthly kWh usage.

• Compare new calculations to actual usage shown on utility bills in subsequent months. It may take a full billing cycle to see the reduction.

• Use a kWh monitoring meter to measure actual wattages of new fixtures. This can identify any dead LEDs to replace under warranty.

By methodically approaching lighting retrofits as a DIY project, I've been able to reduce lighting electricity usage in my small business by over 40%. The initial investment in efficient LED replacements paid for itself in under a year through energy savings. Following similar steps can help any company realize substantial savings by reducing wasted electricity.