16 Oct Commercial Lighting Made Easy

Have you been looking for a way to become more familiar with the commercial lighting industry? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Choosing the best commercial lighting design and fixtures for your business can be challenging, but remarkable advancements continue to be made every day. From commercial lighting audits to night inspections, there are many ways commercial business owners can get professional guidance in optimizing existing lighting fixtures to best benefit operating procedures.

How Modern Commercial Lighting Has Evolved

The commercial lighting industry has continued to transform over the years in both technology and design. Many lighting fixtures are equipped with state-of-the-art features that give business owners more control over both the lighting and investment. While there have been many technological advancements in the commercial lighting industry, a few have been pivotal:

• Wireless Capabilities: Business owners can now outfit their establishments with smart lighting, which is lighting fixtures and designs that can be controlled from mobile devices and other smart technology. Fixtures with wireless capabilities cater to convenience for the average consumer because lighting can be controlled from any location, meaning you’re no longer required to be on site.
• Dimmers and Motion Sensors: Lighting fixtures and designs have been equipped with dimming features, so a light’s brightness can easily be adjusted in a space. Business owners with dimmable lighting have reported savings in both energy and expenses. Motion sensors are also an excellent feature to consider as it allows lighting to be controlled in low-traffic areas because these spaces usually don’t require lighting all day.
• Recessed Lighting: Many commercial establishment owners have turned to equip their spaces with recessed lighting as it is low maintenance, long-lasting, and offers remarkable design versatility. If your establishment experiences high-traffic, recessed lighting is an excellent option.

Commercial Lighting Audits

Business establishments are encouraged to schedule a commercial lighting audit as many benefits can come of it. An experienced energy auditor will visit your facility to complete an on-site walkthrough to investigate the existing lighting design and conditions. A commercial lighting audit allows a professional to pinpoint areas of improvement and suggest more efficient lighting solutions for both the interior and exterior areas of your property. Many business owners find commercial lighting audits to be beneficial because of the energy savings and cost-effectiveness.

Enhanced Heating and Cooling

By scheduling a commercial lighting audit for your facility, you will be able to identify possible weak areas in your existing heating and cooling system. At times, sealing around the doors and windows of an establishment may not be up to par, or current insulation may be worn, which results in inadequate heating and cooling. The energy auditor will inspect various areas of your establishment to discover weaknesses and provide suggestions about how you can improve heating and cooling in your building.

The Green Way

Becoming familiar with your existing lighting design will help you transition to a solution that’s better for our environment. There are various lighting options available on the market today that help businesses conserve energy and lower overall costs. Being conscious of our surrounding environment and ecosystem is vital, as lowering your individual impact has become the new norm.

Modernized Fixtures

The energy auditor assigned to your business establishment will provide you with a variety of suggestions for modernized lighting fixtures. The offered suggestions are made with your facility’s unique needs in mind to help minimize energy use and cost. Upon completing your commercial energy audit, your energy auditor will discuss your budget to ensure the suggestions fit and don’t require an unexpected investment.

Cost-Effective

A commercial energy audit provides business owners with sustainable solutions to improve their existing lighting design, energy use, and overall costs. Energy auditors are experienced in discovering small fixes that can make significant changes in commercial establishments. Business owners have reported substantial decreases in utility bills, maintenance needs, and frequent replacements.

Future Sales

Potential buyers are attracted to properties that have been updated or are designed with current market trends in mind. By scheduling a commercial energy audit and making adjustments accordingly, the likelihood of your building selling in the future increases substantially. Potential buyers are drawn to properties that promote energy-efficiency as environmentally friendly choices, and lifestyles are continuing to grow in popularity.

What About Night Inspections?

Many business owners don’t realize the impact quality lighting has on overall performance and success. The lighting in your establishment is important during regular business hours, but what about after hours? Scheduling a night inspection for your property will allow you to identify any issues after business hours and offers a variety of benefits:

• Decreased Likelihood for Accidents and Crime
• Enhanced Safety for Visitors and Employees
• Modernized Design
• Improved Visibility and Brand Awareness

What to Expect

A night inspection allows lighting experts to assess how lighting designs and fixtures function during hours of darkness. Upon scheduling your lighting audit, a team of experienced technicians will visit your location to inspect a variety of areas, from light poles and canopy lighting to tenant signage and security lighting. Along with your variety of lighting fixtures being examined, the technicians will also assess how safe and appealing your property is for customers and tenants. At the end of each night inspection, any repair cost estimates will be provided with your budget in mind.

Site Plans and Service Schedules

Upon scheduling your first night inspection, you will be provided with a detailed site plan, so each following inspection is executed in an organized manner. The numbering system created for your establishment will allow for timely repairs and maintenance when required. Your night inspection technician will also establish a service schedule, so your location is visited regularly and maintained accordingly.

The Different Types of Commercial Lighting Solutions

Choosing the best commercial lighting design for your business can be challenging, especially if you’re not aware of the numerous solutions available on the market today. Commercial lighting, in particular, is lighting that exists in business settings to help light the space. Commercial spaces can include retail locations, restaurants, medical facilities, and more. The first step in choosing the best lighting design for your business is becoming familiar with the variety of commercial lighting solutions:

• Recessed Troffer
• Task
• Track
• Shoebox
• Wall Pack
• Outdoor Flood
• Warehouse
• Lay-in Fixtures
• Desk Lamps

Once you’ve become familiar with the range of lighting solutions, it’s recommended to consider the unique needs of your space, overall lighting intent, and any applicable weaknesses. Many business owners give special attention to the temperature of lighting, level of brightness, and whether direct or indirect lighting is preferred. Additionally, make sure to identify any need for dimming features or motion sensors in areas of your establishment.

The Benefits of LEDs

The acronym LED stands for light-emitting diode and is a type of lighting design consisting of two semiconducting materials. The diode in an LED is an electrical semiconductor component that consists of two electrodes: anode and cathode. When a light is turned on, electricity flows through both electrodes in one direction resulting in visible light. Semi-conductive materials like silicon or selenium are incorporated into the diode design to help stimulate electrical conduction.

Enhanced Safety

Business establishments are expected to be safe and well lit for both customers and employees. LED lighting increases safety for everyone as it has a higher color rendering index, thus resulting in brighter illumination. Business owners also choose to transition to LED lighting because of the design’s low heat output and low-voltage operating capabilities.

Cost-Effective

Upon transitioning to LED lighting, business owners worldwide have reported decreased utility costs and maintenance needs. This is exceptionally beneficial as business owners can focus those costs on other areas of the establishment. LED lighting has an impressive lifespan, meaning it’s unlikely that light quality will noticeably degrade. Additionally, these lighting fixtures are small inside, which offers remarkable design versatility and flexibility for a variety of lighting designs.

Environmentally Friendly

LED lighting has been proven to minimize carbon footprints for both commercial and residential locations. If you’re looking for a simple way to lower energy consumption and operating costs, transitioning to LED lighting is the perfect option. Many business owners have begun seeing positive results in their operations in a matter of months, which proves to be beneficial in itself.

Increased Efficiency

Unlike traditional lighting options, LED lighting has a higher light quality spectrum, a more centralized light beam, dimming features, and is known to not attract as many bugs. Each of these benefits directly affects an establishment’s electrical efficiency and maintenance requirements. Choosing to transition your business to LED lighting improves overall efficiency substantially.

Long-Lasting

LED lighting has an impressive lifespan when compared to traditional lighting solutions. Even though a large investment is required when making the initial transition to LED lighting, it pays off in the big picture as utility bills are reduced, and maintenance is needed less frequently. LED lighting has been proven to last two to four times longer than a variety of traditional lighting solutions, which is worthwhile for the investment alone.

Improve Your Commercial Lighting Design Today

Now that you’ve familiarized yourself with the world of commercial lighting, it’s time to take the step to improve your existing commercial lighting design. Whether you’ve already had a commercial lighting audit or are curious about how your lighting functions during hours of darkness, finding a qualified and experienced commercial lighting expert is vital. Reach out to friends, family, and business acquaintances to get suggestions about quality commercial electricians in your area today.