10 Reasons You Need A Commercial LED Lighting Upgrade

Posted by MichealH Alexander on November 12th, 2019

As a commercial electrician, we are often asked about the benefits of an LED Lighting Upgrade and whether it’s worth making the switch. Over the past decade in Australia there have been huge improvements in the availability of LED solutions, so there has never been a better time than now to consider the switch.

Here are the 10 top reasons to consider the switch:

1. Energy Savings

LED lights consume very little energy when compared to alternative lighting technologies. For instance, in an office environment, traditionally businesses ran 2 x 36-Watt fluorescent tubes which equates to 72 Watts in total with an additional 3-5 watts consumed in the ballast, say 75 Watts per fitting. With a switch to commercial led lighting you can retain the same lighting levels with a 24 Watt fitting, that is 51 Watt saving per fitting or 68% saving in your lighting energy consumption.

2. Environmentally Safe

Unlike more traditional lighting solutions such as mercury vapor or fluorescent lighting, LED lights do not contain mercury internal to the bulb. Because of that, these lights are much safer to dispose of. The damage to the environment at their end of life is far less than any traditional lighting.

3. Sustainable

LED Lamps can be recycled and reused because they don’t burn out. On top of this the manufacturing process is much less energy intensive and doesn’t take as many resources as traditional bulbs, again reducing the carbon footprint with their use.

4. Longer lifespan

LEDs run cooler than every other lighting technology, whilst this improves energy consumption it also improves the lifespan of the fitting, with many fittings rated to a 10-year lifespan.

5. Low Maintenance Costs

We all know how annoying it can be to have to change a light bulb or a fluorescent tube. With Office LED Lighting there are no consumable items (bulbs, tubes, starters) to be replaced in the fitting and hence no maintenance cost. In a commercial environment where you can have 300-500 fittings on an office floor this equates to a material saving to business. The only real cost is when a fitting fails entirely and needs to be replaced. Given the majority of manufacturers warranties are between 5-7 years this should only occur in rare instances. Again the dollar value of LED Lighting increases here compared to traditional lighting.

6. Government Rebate

As part of the NSW Government Energy Saving Scheme your business may be eligible to access financial incentives to invest in upgrades to save energy and reduce your carbon footprint.

7. Light Quality

The quality of the light from an LED is different from other lighting sources. This light is clear, bright, and clean, so it does not cast harsh shadows or cause the glare that some other lighting options can give.

8. Durability

The majority of LED fittings have no glass components and are therefore much more durable than other lighting alternatives. LED lighting is shock and impact-resistant. Thus, if you accidentally drop one or knock into it, you shouldn’t have to worry about shards of glass and toxic chemicals spilling all over the place. They provide the full lighting output instantly unlike mercury vapor and other technologies which take time to heat up. They are not susceptible to extreme environmental conditions such as cold weather, scorching heat or drastic temperature changes, which makes them the ideal option for every environment.

9. Safer

Incandescent bulbs generate a huge amount of heat and become scalding after operating for a few hours. This provides a hazard to anyone who may come into contact with the fitting but also a fire hazard for materials in close proximity. With the safety of your employees of paramount importance this needs to come into consideration.

10. Adaptable

Given the low amounts of power LED lighting can perform with, they are ideal when you are on the grid but are even better when you are off the grid using generator power or solar energy.

It is fairly easy to see from the above that LED Lighting should be a real consideration at any business that is trying to save money, save energy, becoming more conscious of the environment and what they can do to reduce their carbon footprint.

A Commercial Electrician Sydney will be able to walk through your office and give you a quick analysis on what it would cost to make an upgrade, if you are eligible for the government rebate to make the switch and how much money you will save on energy costs moving forward.