LED Retrofits: 6 Key Benefits For Businesses

LED retrofits are the latest trends in both commercial lighting solutions today. If you are thinking about retrofitting your current property with LED lighting for your upcoming facility but remain unsure about it, you have come to the right place. This article will tackle LED retrofits and their benefits. We will also look at the things you need to consider regarding this particular lighting solution.

Let’s start by first understanding LED retrofits. Retrofit simply means conversion. It is the act of adding a new component to an existing property. So when we say LED retrofits, we are talking about LED lights replacing conventional lights. Today, LED retrofits have become prominent as more and more people are switching to better lighting solutions.

Benefits of LED Retrofits

We have talked about LED lights being better than traditional lights, but what exactly are the advantages of LED lights? Why are people shifting to LED? Let’s discuss the benefits of LED retrofits in-depth below:

  • It is cost- and energy-efficient.

One of the main advantages of LED lighting solution is that it is significantly cost-efficient. It dramatically reduces your energy consumption, essentially decreasing energy costs. Your savings can be somewhere between 25% to a whopping 90% when you switch from traditional lights to LED lights. The more LED retrofits you install, the bigger the savings you get. Of course, if you are a commercial building owner, it is a no-brainer to make the switch.

Comprehensive LED retrofits even guarantee more significant cost reductions. If you install components like daylight sensors and occupancy sensors, having LED lights is even more cost-efficient in the long run. Daylight sensors detect natural light and dim or turn off artificial lights when they are redundant. Meanwhile, occupancy sensors make light switches a thing of the past. These sensors can automatically turn the lights off when space has wholly been vacated.

Let’s look at some figures to prove the point. In the Keyon One Office Center parking lot case study, switching to LED lights yielded 78% savings in energy costs.

Here’s a rundown of other studies and their respective energy-saving contributions:

In a commercial facility, energy costs make up the majority of the operating costs over its lifetime. If you are going to be smart about running a commercial property, switching to a LED lighting solution is the way to go. LED lights offer a higher and faster return of investment (ROI) than traditional lights ever could.

  • It is environment-friendly.

Since LED lights reduce energy consumption, they are environment-friendly. If you care about leaving as little carbon footprint as possible, LED retrofits definitely make a sound choice. LED lights have little to no environmental impact, as they do not contain any harmful chemicals like mercury. They are far safer for the planet than traditional lights.

Customers nowadays are smart. They care about whether the companies they support are observing sustainable practices in their conduct of business. It is an added perk that you can attract more customers when you express your care for the environment by employing sustainable solutions in your business, such as the use of LED lights.

  • It is low-maintenance.

LED lights are inherently low-maintenance. You do not even have to repair or replace them frequently, depending on how much you use them. They are reliable, easy, and not costly to maintain. With this modern lighting solution, you need not worry about maintenance downtime and disappointing your customers.

In fact, it has been proven to reduce maintenance costs dramatically, too. In the McKee Group outdoor storage facility case study, the shift to LED lights incurred $7,486 in annual maintenance cost reductions. In the Franklin Institute parking garage case study, it yielded $7,674 in annual maintenance cost reductions. The Keyon One Office Center parking lot case study generated $1,178 in annual maintenance cost reductions.

  • It is safer.

We have talked about LED lights being safe for the environment, but did you know that generally, it creates a safer facility, too? A LED lighting solution is higher-quality than a traditional lighting system, so it dramatically reduces the potential lighting-related incidents that may occur. As such, it puts everyone at ease while they are on your property. Most notably, your employees can be more productive. Better lighting has been proven to increase productivity by as much as 5%.

LED lights are brighter than traditional lights, so they create better visibility, too. As such, they help lower cases of break-ins and other criminal activities at night.

  • It creates a better ambiance.

LED lights improve the ambiance because they offer ample and vibrant lighting. As we have already mentioned earlier, this lighting solution helps boost workplace productivity. They do not flicker over time as most traditional lights do. They are much more pleasing to the eyes, so anyone can work for a prolonged period without feeling labored.

The good thing about LED retrofits is that they can detect natural light, particularly daylight sensors. Your employees would not have to work with all the lights turned on an entire day, even when the sun is still out. Accordingly, natural light makes people feel better than artificial light. Essentially, that better feeling also contributes to increased productivity.

  • It qualifies for incentives.

The pressure to combat climate change is significantly increasing over time, which is why even federal and local governments are doing their part to help save the environment. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 incentivizes business owners with a tax deduction of $0.6 per sq. ft. when installing energy-efficient lighting. Moreover, business owners can qualify for bonus depreciation if their original lighting system is 20 years old or less.

Yes, you can earn incentives and rebates for simply choosing a better lighting system for your facility! In the Neumann University campus lighting case study, the switch to LED lights generated $24,000 in rebates; in the Upper Chichester Gymnasium case study, it generated $2,160 in rebates; and in the McKee Group outdoor storage facility case study, it generated $1,880 in rebates.

What are the Things to Consider During LED Retrofits

Once you have finally decided to switch and retrofit your facility with LED lights, you need to consider a few significant factors. Here are some of the things you need to know when retrofitting with LED lights:

  • Know the difference between fixtures and luminaires.

If you only want to retrofit your luminaires and keep your existing fixtures, be mindful to select compatible options. Pick LED lights that are compatible with your existing fixtures to avoid any hassle. However, you have nothing to worry about if you are retrofitting your entire lighting system, all fixtures and luminaires included.

  • Manage expectations carefully.

We have discussed that generally, LED lights have a longer lifespan than traditional lights. Keep in mind that it all depends on your usage. Some accompanying components might need replacements before the actual lights do, so it is best to plan and set aside an extra budget for these unexpected maintenance works.

Summary

Running commercial facilities is not an easy task. The daily and scheduled maintenance alone can be overwhelming, not to mention the overhead costs that go into it. One of the best ways to ease your burden is to improve your facility’s lighting solution through LED retrofits. LED lights are far better than traditional lights and come with many economic, environmental, and even social benefits. To find out more about retrofitting your facility with LED lights, don’t hesitate to find and consult a Power Partner MN member contractor here.