Commercial Construction & Renovation helps our subscribers design, build and maintain better commercial facilities by delivering content to meet the information needs of today's high-level executives.
Issue link: https://ccr-mag.epubxp.com/i/692286
THE LOWDOWN ON LED RETROFITS Why invest? As recently as fve years ago, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) said that linear fuorescent lamps accounted for more than three-quarters of commercial building light- ing service. Imagine how much energy (and money) could be saved if those fuorescent lamps were converted to LEDs, which can offer between 50 percent and 90 percent energy savings. The DOE says that national energy costs could be decreased by 25 percent if LED technology reaches projected market penetration levels in the next 15 years. Here's what you can expect to happen in your commercial or institutional building when LEDs are installed vs. fuorescents or HIDs: • Lamp life (up) • Operating costs (down) • Energy costs (down) • Replacement time and costs (down) • Heat emittance from lamps (down) • Facility cooling loads (down) • Risk of shock during replacement (down) Does my building need a lighting retroft? So, how do you know if you need a lighting retrofit? It's a valid question. Not every commercial and institutional building requires a lighting retrofit, depending on its age, the current systems in place, and future energy or sustainability goals. A common misconception is that an LED lighting retroft automatically means that fxtures must be replaced. 124 COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION & RENOVATION — MAY : JUNE 2016