NES Services: Energy Saving Lighting Retrofits





				Types Of Facilities And Typical Opportunities Different facilities, because of their intended use, present retrofit opportunities that on the whole are somewhat distinct from one another from a design requirements perspective. While similar technologies may be employed to capture savings, the specific solutions often cannot be commonly employed to all types of facilities. Click on the facility category below for a brief description of some of the typical retrofit opportunities found. Keep in mind that these are just examples and that you should involve an experienced professional when determining the most effective alternatives applicable to your facility.








				Small Box Discount Retailer Small Box Specialty Retailer Large Box Department Stores Large Box Grocery and Discount Retailer Convience Store	Government/Institutional/Commericial Industrial Distribution Warehouse Multi Tenant Residential Resorts/Hospitality

Small Box Discount Retailer

These facilities usually have very few fixture types and the current primary lighting is almost always fluorescent. If the existing fixtures have T12 lamps, then a retrofit to T8 with electronic ballast would be very beneficial. Fixtures with 8' T12 lamps can be converted to a 4' T8 lamp system that provides much greater efficiency, longer lamp life, better light and lower costs for bulb replacement. Fixtures with 4' T12 can be retrofitted in a variety of ways with T8 lamps to balance the needs of lighting and energy efficiency. The payback of these retrofits is typically 2-3 years. Exit signs in these facilities are often incandescent and can be replaced with new LED exit signs that are almost maintenance free. If the primary fluorescent fixtures are already T8 then any retrofit would most likely not have a very good payback. However, do keep in mind that if the motivation is improving light levels (not saving energy) then options are often available to retrofit T8 fixtures as well. If the primary existing lighting is standard HID, opportunities are available for retrofitting or replacing these with newer more efficient technologies. Payback varies greatly depending on individual circumstances.

Small Box Specialty Retailer

Small box specialty retailers often have a variety of fixture types within individual stores and an even greater diversity between different stores due to the age of stores and due to the different strategies employed by an owner’s different brands. One of the “no-brainer” retrofits is to retrofit any remaining T12 systems to T8 with electronic ballast. This has already been done by most retailers but some stores in your chain may remain. One of the most significant opportunities for these type of stores is to replace incandescent down lights and track heads with Compact Fluorescent or Ceramic Metal Halide systems. These systems usually provide a 75% reduction in energy consumption for fixtures retrofitted or replaced. While the merchandising/visual plan may not be conducive to the replacement of all incandescent or halogen lamps, many can be retrofitted to or replaced by these new systems which offer energy savings, longer lamp life and reduced maintenance costs. Paybacks vary greatly depending the visual strategy but paybacks of 2.5 to 3.0 years are common.

Large Box Department Stores

Large Box Department stores in the past have usually had a somewhat diverse lighting plan but more recently have begun to standardize and simplify their lighting. Most retailers in this category have already retrofitted their stores from T12 to T8. If you have not, is should be considered as a central element of your energy saving plan. In addition, the incandescent and halogens that have been used for display are candidates for selected removal or replacement with Compact Fluorescent of Ceramic Metal Halide.

Large Box Grocery and Discount Retailer

Large Box Grocery & Discount stores in the past have usually relied on fluorescent or HID for overall lighting of stores and had very little in the way of specialty lighting. Most retailers in this category with pre-existing fluorescent lighting have already retrofitted their stores from T12 to T8. If not, this should be considered as a central element of your energy saving plan. In addition, many facilities that were originally designed with standard metal halide systems are now being retrofitted with a variety of strategies (T8 or T5 High Bay Systems, Pulse Start, or Ceramic Metal Halide with electronic ballast). The longer operating hours of these stores coupled with the decreasing costs of these newer systems has resulted in many customers revamping their entire lighting systems and getting savings along with improved lighting and reduced maintenance costs. In addition, the incandescent and halogens that have been used for display are candidates for selected removal or replacement with Compact Fluorescent of Ceramic Metal Halide.

Convenience Store

Lighting Retrofits for Convenience Stores present some of the best paybacks available because so many of these stores operate 24/7. The interior fixtures of these stores are usually fluorescent and if they are still T12, they can be retrofitted to T8 fluorescent systems and yield paybacks averaging 2 years. In addition, the canopy lights often provide a great opportunity to combine the benefits of an energy saving program with the dramatic improvement in light levels that can be achieved by updating the older HID canopy fixtures. LED lighting is also beginning to make an impact in the convenience store market especially where color banding is used on the building and canopy.

Government/Institutional/Commercial

These facilities usually have fairly standard lighting schemes for the majority of their square footage. For facilities that use standard fluorescent fixtures for lighting, retrofits from T12 to T8 systems has been the primary source of energy savings. Also used extensively are occupancy sensors for offices, training rooms and storage areas. Areas using HID type fixtures such as gymnasiums, lobbies or atriums may also present opportunities by converting to newer HID systems or employing daylight sensors and controls. Exit signs should be converted to LED if you find that they still are incandescent.

Industrial

Industrial facilities usually have special needs associated with lighting that are dependent on the work being performed but since the operating hours are usually high, many opportunities may exist to save energy. As is common with most other facilities, fluorescent T12 systems can be retrofitted to T8 systems that offer energy savings, better light output and improved lamp life all of which can be helpful considering the maintenance challenges in industrial facilities. In addition, there are an increasing number of options available for replacing older HID lighting systems with either T5/T8 high bay systems or new HID systems. These systems also incorporate occupancy sensors with multi-level lighting controls which promises significant savings when employed in facilities that have not already embraced this technology.

Distribution Warehouse

Distribution and Warehouse facilities present some of the best opportunities for good paybacks with lighting retrofits. This is due to their typically high operating hours and because of recent advancements inlighting technology for warehouse applications. One of the best opportunities for quick returns on investment is in facilities that have high bay HID lighting. The older HID lighting systems experience significant loss of light as the lamps age and the system is not as "friendly" with occupancy control systems as the newer HID systems and fluorescent high bay systems. Many facilities are now replacing older HID systems with fluorescent systems that easily allow for use of occupancy sensors and multi-level lighting strategies which can reduce demand by as much as 25% and usage by over 50%. These goals can be achieved without degrading overall maintained light levels. In addition, newer electronic HID ballast and improved lamps provide additional options for those facilities wishing to stay with HID systems. Bi-level lighting technology is also available in many of the HID systems that also provides tremendous savings potential.

Multi Tenant Residential

The greatest opportunity for return on investment with multi tenant properties are in the common areas such as parking structures, lobbies, hallways and stairwells. These areas have high usage and can generate good paybacks and significant savings. Also contributing to good paybacks for retrofitting common areas in these facilities is that their utility rates are usually higher than average and much more closely reflect the rates of a typical small/residential user. Examples of typical retrofits are T12 fixtures that can be retrofitted to T8, exit signs that can be replaced with LED signs, incandescent lamps that can be replaced with compact fluorescent.

Resorts Hospitality

The greatest opportunity for return on investment with Resorts and Hospitality properties are in the common areas such as parking structures, lobbies, hallways, conference space and stairwells. These areas have high usage and can generate good paybacks and significant savings. Careful attention to detail is necessary when undertaking the retrofit to ensure that the functionality of the space is not compromised (especially in meeting rooms, training areas and conference space). Retrofits include converting T12 systems to T8, replacing incandescent with compact fluorescent or HID and replacing exit signs. Guest rooms can also be included in the retrofit due to improvements that have been made with fluorescent technologies that have been able to compete with successfully in replacing many incandescent lamps.