What Business Owners Need to Know About Retrofitting Old Lighting Technology

Lighting accounts for a significant portion of the average commercial building’s energy consumption. As a result, upgrading your commercial lighting can significantly impact your business’s operating costs.

Retrofitting old lighting technology has become an increasingly popular option for commercial businesses worldwide looking for an excellent way to save money while improving performance. Instead of replacing the entire lighting system, retrofitting changes the components of the existing lighting system to help illuminate the building better and improve the business’s bottom line.

This article will cover everything you need to know about retrofitting old lighting technology in your commercial building. We’ll discuss what it means to retrofit old lighting, the various benefits of retrofitting old lighting, and technologies you should use be aware of when retrofitting your lighting technology.

Continue reading for a closer look at what lighting retrofitting entails and how Staco Electric can help you with your commercial retrofit lighting needs.

What Does it Mean to Retrofit Your Commercial Building’s Lighting?

Retrofit lighting is a simple upgrade to your company’s existing lighting solutions and light fixtures to increase energy efficiency. This includes replacing all light fixtures and bulbs with more energy-efficient, reliable, long-lasting bulbs and light fixtures.

A lighting retrofitting project will include evaluating your current system for potential improvements and outfitting it with any additional components or accessories needed to enhance energy usage or light quality. This could entail replacing entire lighting fixtures or installing more energy-efficient lamps. By retrofitting your existing lighting solutions, you can be sure that your new lights will not fail unexpectedly and create costly maintenance repairs.

If your lighting is more than a decade old, if employees or tenants are complaining about poor lighting, or if you are tired of keeping up with the maintenance of outdated lighting, retrofitting lighting may be a good alternative.

4 Benefits of Retrofitting Old Lighting Technology

Many businesses make the mistake of believing that if something isn’t broken, it doesn’t need to be replaced. As a result, they continue using outdated components for years longer than they should, simply because they still work. However, when it comes to lighting, modern developments have made newer lighting technology much more efficient. Using outdated lighting solutions is a disservice to your business and your employees.

There are several benefits that your company can gain by retrofitting old lighting technology, including:

Increased Energy Savings

The primary benefit of retrofit lighting is the significantly lower energy consumption compared to traditional lighting solutions. Operating expenses account for a significant amount of a commercial building’s lifetime cost, with energy costs from lighting accounting for the lion’s share. This makes energy-efficient lighting solutions for commercial buildings an obvious choice.

Increased Safety

The safety of those who work in or visit your commercial building is critical. Outdated lighting systems may be more prone to failure or electrical problems. Upgrading to new, updated lighting will help reduce potential accidents, and knowing that everything is running as safely as possible provides you, your tenants, visitors, and employees peace of mind.

Higher Quality Lighting

Another aspect of retrofit lighting that is frequently overlooked is the improved quality of light produced by updated light fixtures. Old lighting systems often produce lower-quality light, and while they may effectively illuminate your space, they may harm production and your employees’ emotional state. Higher-quality lighting gives your employees better visibility to work more efficiently and productively. And, if you have tenants in the space, they will also appreciate the improved lighting quality.

Lower Maintenance Costs

Lastly, another benefit of retrofit lighting is the significantly lower maintenance costs of upgraded lighting fixtures. Traditional light fixtures have limited lifespans, resulting in significant maintenance labor hours and replacement bulbs, ballasts, and so on. With upgraded lighting solutions, your new light fixtures will have an exponentially longer operating lifespan, requiring fewer replacements and maintenance hours.

3 Tips to Consider Before Retrofitting Your Lighting

At some point, outdated, inefficient lighting is no longer worth the time, expense, and hassle of constant replacements and maintenance. When that time comes, consider talking with a retrofit lighting service professional about upgrading your commercial lighting.

If you’re thinking about upgrading your commercial building’s lighting, here are a few things to consider to ensure you get the most out of your investment:

Understand Your Needs and Requirements

Each space in your commercial building will have its own set of requirements based on the type of work done in that space. Some of these factors include access to or lack of natural light, the existing style and the number of lamps, and more. Before retrofitting your existing lights, be sure you understand precisely what your company needs to succeed.

Discuss Your Budget

Once you’ve determined what you need and how to meet your facility’s lighting requirements, it’s also important to discuss your budget for the retrofit lighting project. When looking to cut costs, consider looking into rebates, discounts, low-interest loans, and other cost-cutting incentives. Many resources offer local, state, and federal funding to help incentivize businesses to use more energy-efficient lighting solutions.

Use Existing Infrastructure

Lighting retrofits provide the same flexibility and updated technology as new lighting system installations and can aid in building optimization and efficiency. Compared to the time required to install a new lighting system, retrofit lighting does not require the replacement of the main external elements and can even be integrated to work with existing infrastructure.

Let Staco Electric Help You Choose the Best retrofit Lighting for Your Business

The various types of retrofit lighting options can make choosing the right lighting for your facility difficult. Fortunately, there are several great lighting options for any workplace, whether you work in a large manufacturing facility or a small office. We hope this guide has helped you learn about the benefits and applications of various retrofit lighting solutions to help you find the best lighting solution for your needs.

Is it time to upgrade your commercial lighting?

Staco Electric is dedicated to providing our customers with dependable and professional retrofit lighting services in Kansas City.

Our highly trained, fully licensed, and experienced team of lighting professionals has extensive experience providing businesses of all industries with expert assistance to help them find a lighting solution tailored to their needs. We’re proud to specialize in retrofit lighting services and utilize cutting-edge technology to ensure your commercial business is more energy efficient.

If you’re considering upgrading your commercial lighting, contact Staco Electric today to learn more about our wide range of commercial lighting solutions and speak with one of our retrofit lighting specialists about how we can help you.