Some of you might be wondering what a lighting retrofit is. A lighting retrofit is the process of replacing outdated, inefficient lighting with more efficient technology in order to save money and reduce daily operating costs. If implemented correctly, a lighting retrofit can be a great investment, showing favorable payback terms and a generous ROI.
There are many steps that need to be done in order to achieve a well balanced lighting retrofit. The first is called the energy audit or lighting analysis, this is the most important process. This is when the auditor designs a well balanced blend between maintained light output and optimal energy savings. Remember that anyone can decrease the light output to save money, but only a qualified energy auditor can design a lighting plan that reduces the negative effects of worker productivity due to bad or insufficient lighting.
The next step is the install phase, this is just as important as the energy audit and design process. You want to make sure that your designer is involved heavily during the install phase, making sure the installers put the plan into action according to the design. They are hard to come by, but I would recommend finding a turn key electrical contractor that is capable of the energy analysis as well as having a qualified staff to follow through with the install. This way you will have a designer and an install crew that is working for your approval, whereas a designer may be more interested in his or her commission than the overall performance of the lighting retrofit as a whole.
Just keep in mind who will be preforming your audit and what their involvement will be after you decide to move forward with a lighting retrofit.
