Why Renew (or retrofit) old lighting?

The individual energy costs for an old building such as a medium size office building (or other building/s of equivalent area) can be up to a huge $75,000 per annum for fluorescent lighting alone, and that can be topped up with an unbelievable extra $75,000 per annum for lighting maintenance costs. This makes it economically feasible to replace old, inefficient fluorescent lighting. Alternatively, old lighting can be completely retrofitted (refitted) with new, energy-efficient lighting components.

Example: Old 2-lamp (2-tube) lights can be replaced with a new light (or retrofitted with a kit) containing new, highly energy efficient components, e.g. 1 x long-life T5 or T8 Triphosphor lamp, lamp holders, a high efficiency light reflector, low loss electronic ballasts and capacitors.

Amazingly the new fluorescent lights still give off the same amount of illumination and the resultant energy saving can be up to a huge 25% of the total energy bill in office blocks etc. Equipment maintenance savings due to renewed lighting components can be just as spectacular. This would no doubt help create a better property cash flow situation for any business.

We will use our lighting design experience to evaluate the fluorescent lighting in your building. We calculate not only energy savings, but also maintenance savings. We will then use our considerable lighting installation experience to advise you whether it would be best to retrofit or to completely renew your lighting.

These new, 1-lamp lights, with their high efficiency, space-age components will give off as much illumination as the old, 2-lamp lights, but will use 50% - 60% less energy.

Savings can be huge in buildings such as office buildings and similar buildings where up to 50% of the electrical energy is often attributable to fluorescent lighting fixtures, therefore your total electricity bill could drop by up to 25%. Lighting maintenance savings due to renewed lighting components can also be huge, thereby dramatically increasing the commercial viability of the installation, with payback periods often as little as 3-years. This gives any business a boost with their financial planning by equating to a huge 33% return on investment and would no doubt help create a better cash flow situation for any business.

Corroborating evidence for lighting renewals/retrofits

Below (in italicized font) is an extract from a web site fact sheet from the original Energy Efficient Lighting Association of USA (EELA) that explains some of the relevant facts on lighting energy in their country. Although the statistical data will obviously vary for Australia, we are certain that similar parallels apply here:

• 90% of the estimated 5,000,000 commercial buildings in the US are over 10-years old, but most energy efficient lighting products have been developed within the last 10-years.
  
• Less than 10% of the 70,000,000,000 square feet of US commercial floor space has been upgraded with energy efficient lighting products.
  
• Lighting in commercial and industrial buildings accounts for up to 50% of America's $75,000,000,000 lighting bill. If high efficiency lighting were used to its full potential nationwide, electricity required would be cut 20% to 50%.

Upgrading with quality, energy efficient lighting products can save businesses about 50 cents per square foot (approx. $5/m2) on annual electricity costs. This gives an average payback of only 2.5 years = a 40% return p.a. on investment - and the upgrading cost can usually be paid from the energy dollars saved.

So why aren't US businesses scrambling to upgrade light fixtures? Surveys show it is because they are simply not aware of the huge savings opportunity and they need reliable sources of evidence of energy savings potential.