Are your energy bills soaring month after month?
According to the U.S. Energy Information Association, approximately 10% of all electricity used in commercial buildings in 2018 was for lighting. There are many reasons for this, but a couple of them include not using energy-efficient lighting, and leaving lights on when they aren't needed.
You can lower your power bills and carbon footprint without lowering the lighting effect on your property. This article looks at how the proper lighting, timers, sensors, photocells, and dimmers lower your energy usage.
The easiest and most effective way to save money by upgrading your lighting is by switching out old incandescent and fluorescent bulbs with energy-efficient LEDs. Sometimes this is as simple as unscrewing one bulb and screwing a new one in; other times, it may require switching out old light fixtures for new ones. Even if you have to switch out fixtures, it is still a relatively easy and low-cost task. LED lights use less energy and have a longer lifespan than older types of bulbs.
A timer is a device that turns on or off a given light after a preset time has elapsed during the day or night. Unless your company is operating 24 hours a day, there are likely times that you don't need all your lights on. Timers are an easy way to conserve energy by ensuring that the lights turn off by themselves when the building is closed. Timers can also be used for outdoor lighting.
Motion sensors activate lights when the fixture senses motion. For example, it can turn on the lights when a person enters a room and turn off the lights after a person exits. It goes a long way toward saving on your power bills. It solves the problem of a person forgetting to turn the lights off when they leave a room.
Motion sensors are great for outdoor use, too. Outdoor lights are easy to turn on and forget if you are indoors. Motion sensor lights outdoors will work when someone is in motion near the building, but when lights aren't needed, the motion sensors will turn off the exterior lights and conserve energy.
Motion sensor lighting has an added benefit: the element of surprise when it lights up an area. This is good for scaring off burglars or unwanted wildlife.
Photocell lighting, also known as dusk-to-dawn lighting, is a great option especially for outdoor purposes. These types of lighting fixtures contain a semiconductor which works automatically to provide illumination as the surrounding natural light fades. When the sun rises the following morning, the process reverses itself and the photocell fixture will turn off automatically. Thus it provides illumination when needed and saves you money by turning off the light when it's not needed.
Multiple types of light dimmers can be used in commercial properties, and they all work to save your company money. Some dimmers react to natural light to use less power as more sunlight enters your building. Then some dimmers sense motion and lower the lighting in a room when no one is in it. Finally, of course, traditional dimmers always allow you to manually dim the lights to the preferred level. The lower the brightness level, the lower the energy consumption. Your dimmer must be compatible with your light bulbs, so be sure to check the package for compatibility.
There are also lighting options that combine the best of both worlds by offering lighting fixtures that have both motion sensing and dusk-to-dawn features. These types of fixtures will turn on when they detect motion but only when the surrounding light is dim or nonexistent. These types of lights are available for external areas as well as indoor areas including dark hallways and basements.
Every organization has different priorities for their property and this is where hiring the right expert
can really pay off. The right lighting professional can assess your lighting needs and design a comprehensive lighting package for your property that will lower your electricity bills. Contact us today!