LED Upgrades for Commercial Facilities

Are you ready to replace your obsolete fluorescent lighting with new energy efficient LED lighting? Consider a Retrofit Conversion for your commercial facility.

Facilities with existing lighting fixtures (parking garage, warehouses, office space, and showrooms) have 2 options when considering an upgrade to LED lighting:

1.  LED RETROFIT CONVERSION:  Upgrade your existing fluorescent fixtures with new wiring and new LED tubes.

This choice involves buying LED Retrofit Conversion Kits that are intended to work with your existing fluorescent lighting fixtures.

Retrofit kits are ideal for facility owners that have older T12 or T8 fluorescent fixtures in good condition. The retrofit procedure includes removal of current fluorescent tubes and ballasts from inside existing fixtures. The fixtures are then re-wired to bypass the need for a ballast, and use new LED tubes with integrated drivers. This process grants substantial energy savings.

Retrofits are generally the most cost effective and fastest way to move up to LED, since you do not have to purchase entire lighting fixtures to complete the overhaul.  While retrofit kits cost much less than new fixtures, the labor costs to install new fixtures versus retrofit your fixtures are similar. The update project can be completed fairly rapidly.

Recommendation:  LED Retrofit is recommended when your current fixtures are in good condition and your current amount of lighting is sufficient for your key working areas.  This option is also the best solution if your budget is limited, or when it is necessary to carry out the project with minimal downtime. The main advantages are a lower investment cost and faster installation.

2. PURCHASE NEW LED FIXTURES: Replace your outdated commercial fixtures with new LED fixtures.

This choice involves removing your existing fixtures completely and replacing them with new energy efficient fixtures built with LED technology. New LED fixtures come ready to install and require no re-wiring. These fixtures can be in the same locations as your previous installations, or your lighting plan can be re-configured to optimize the lighting available to your work areas.

Recommendation:  A new LED fixture purchase is the recommended option when you have the capital available for a higher initial investment, and want to maximize the performance of the lighting system.  New LED lighting fixtures are purpose-built for LED technology and have a lifespan from 20,000 to 50,000 hours of usage. New fixtures are a great choice for new construction projects and design upgrades.

CONCLUSION

In the simplest terms, retrofitting is replacing light bulbs and wiring whereas a full replacement includes replacing the entire lighting fixture.  An LED upgrade is an ideal time to reexamine the lighting needs of your facility. When deciding to overhaul your facility’s lighting to LED consider these 3 factors:

1. Condition of current fixtures (and wiring). If your existing fixtures are in good condition, consider a retrofit.  If your fixtures are in need of repair (or you are working on a new building project) new LED fixtures would be a better decision.
2. Lighting plan design.  Does your present light set-up give enough light over your most-used work areas or would you be better served by creating a new lighting design plan and adding additional fixtures?
3. Your project budget. LED retrofitting will have a cost savings over purchasing new LED fixtures.

Still need help making the right decision for your facility’s lighting plan? Contact our lighting specialists for an expert opinion.