LEDing the Way to Savings: New light fixtures help reduce bills and increase quality of life

by Katie Daniel | December 6, 2017 12:22 pm

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By Vicky Broadus
Advances in light-emitting diode (LED) technology mean facilities no longer need to accept lighting elements that are difficult or expensive to maintain. LED fixtures have become increasingly affordable on the front end, especially when combined with utility rebates. Once installed, the technology’s energy efficiency, longevity, and reliability can significantly reduce both power and maintenance costs. As a result, many business owners and facility managers across Canada are choosing to retrofit their facilities with LED.

Out with the old
Identified by their distinctive round-shape bulbs, metal halide systems are still common in factories and warehouses, but they are not the most energy-efficient option for such places.

An example of a high-intensity discharge (HID) light, metal halides work like fluorescent lights in some respects and incandescent bulbs in others. They pass an electrical arc through a gas-filled tube like a fluorescent, and the arc itself creates bright, visible light, like an incandescent. However, the process is not efficient—about 75 per cent of the energy metal halides consume is wasted as heat. Further, since they are a 360-degree light source, for focused, directional applications, much of the light they produce goes where it is not needed.

Brightness is one of the selling points of metal halides. The 400- to 500-watt bulbs, most common in high-bay fixtures, can generate 25,000 to 35,000 lumens when first installed. However, lumen depreciation occurs quickly—a metal-halide bulb’s light output typically decreases by half within two or three years. (More information can be found in The Lighting Handbook 10^th edition, published by the Illuminating Engineering Society [IES].)

The other common industrial and commercial lighting technology is fluorescent lighting. While fluorescent fixtures are not nearly as power-hungry as metal halides, they have some drawbacks. Like metal halides, fluorescent bulbs are a 360-degree lighting source, which means the ceiling receives much of the light they produce. Similar to metal halides, they also have ballasts needing regular replacement. They do not take well to the cold, which can be a problem in unheated areas during winter. There are also fluorescents’ well-known issues like flickering, yellowing, humming, unintentional dimming, and burnouts. LEDs have a driver, but they typically have a longer lifespan than fluorescent ballasts. They also do not have bulbs that need replacement, like other kinds of fixtures.

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In with the (somewhat) new
For half a century, LEDs have been used for small indicator lights in consumer electronics like computer keyboards and telephones. These devices employ semiconductors and electroluminescence to create light. Electrical current provided by a driver passes through a microchip, which illuminates the tiny diodes. Due to LEDs’ low heat production, negligible energy use, long life, and durability, they were prized for enclosed devices not intended to be opened and tinkered with.

Only in the last decade has technology advanced and prices dropped to the point where LEDs can provide bright, affordable light for spaces as large as service centres, factories, and warehouses. In fact, the variety of LED fixtures and the light they produce has developed so rapidly they are now an option for virtually any type of residential, commercial, or industrial construction.

Besides their energy efficiency, brightness, reliability, and longevity, LEDs offer the advantage of being fully customizable, from light distribution and colour temperature to controls. Occupancy sensors and zoning add to their efficiency. When outfitted with sensors, LEDs can even respond to daylight for further savings.

A good manufacturer with an applications-engineering team is the best source of information on everything involved in outfitting and retrofitting individual spaces. They take down measurements, look at existing fixtures, and provide a detailed proposal based on the square footage, the ceiling height, and the client’s overall goals—for some, it is energy savings; for others, it is increased lumens or foot-candles. The manufacturer can recommend the appropriate light temperature for a space, from a warm 3000 Kelvin—ideal for settings such as restaurants—to the bright, white 5000-K light suitable for warehouses. A good lighting manufacturer can also assist with researching and securing utility rebates.

Though the purchase price of LEDs is rapidly decreasing, they can still cost up to three times as much as other forms of lighting on the front end. Therefore, it is important to ensure they are the right technology for the facility.

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Facilities with metal halides
If the space currently has metal halides, LEDs will likely improve the productivity, quality, and even moral—employees just feel better in a well-lit facility. Since they essentially use half the energy of metal halides, owners immediately see the impact on the bottom line.

High-volume production lines
Although the cost of new LED fixtures for entire facilities can sometimes be prohibitive, their incredible longevity makes it worthwhile to install them over high-volume production and assembly areas, where an interruption in workflow to replace bulbs can be costly. Some manufacturers are happy to work around production schedules, installing fixtures during planned shutdowns (e.g. automotive plants) or on weekends, thereby keeping
downtime to an absolute minimum.

Warehouses and distribution centres
Light from LEDs can be directed to go precisely where needed, unlike metal halide and fluorescent bulbs. Typically, an LED beam is between 110 and 150 degrees. Some can be adjusted to as narrow as 15 degrees to push light through aisles between high warehouse shelves. Occupancy sensors can be used on most light sources. When paired with LEDs, they have the potential to save even more energy, since warehouse aisles are often used infrequently.

Cold-storage facilities
LEDs do not appear dimmer below freezing—in fact, they thrive in cold environments. Freezers are generally occupied for only a few minutes at a time. This means traditional lights are either turned off and on rapidly as needed, or they are simply left on while the freezer is closed, creating unwanted heat and energy waste. LEDs emit very little heat, instantly come to full brightness, and do not degrade by frequent switching on and off. This makes them especially suitable for cold-storage facilities, particularly when combined with occupancy sensors.

Emergency services
Many emergency departments with metal-halide fixtures simply leave them on, knowing the lights can take up to 20 minutes to warm up. LEDs are more cost-effective. Fire departments, air support, and other first-responders appreciate LED’s ability to instantly illuminate a space with bright light. The better light also makes safety inspections and maintenance quicker and easier.

Places where good visibility is crucial
Clear, bright, daylight-simulating light is invaluable when matching paint colours and seeing imperfections in whatever is being worked on, whether it is a car or bricks for a residential project. The direct light produced by LEDs is uniquely beneficial for precise, sight-sensitive tasks such as welding and joinery, or even reading.

CHANGING THE LIGHTS FOR THOSE CHANGING THE OIL

[4] [5]                 Mr. Lube, a car servicing franchise, has more than 165 outlets in Canada. Most of its stores built before 2016 feature a mix of metal halides and fluorescent lights, and it is up to franchise owners whether they want to change them or not. Francois Trudel’s Ottawa-area Mr. Lube store had six metal-halide fixtures above the three service bays, and he was tired of how dirty they got, the heat they created—especially in summer—and of dragging ladders out to replace burnt-out bulbs. In 2016, he replaced the metal halides with six 20,000-lumen LED fixtures. Not only are the new lights “less harsh, less hot, and so much brighter, especially at night,” but Trudel also estimates he saves close to $200 on his monthly utility bills.

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Return on investment
When metal halides are being replaced with LEDs, the return on investment (ROI) is quick. Depending on the building’s size and available rebates, it can take from one to three years, taking into account both energy savings and maintenance costs. When ROI is not as dramatic, facility managers need to examine LEDs’ other benefits and make a ‘quality of life’ decision about their potential impact, and whether it justifies the upfront expense.

Long life
The highest-quality LED fixtures have a rated L70 life (retaining 70 per cent full strength) of 150,000 hours, which is about 17 years of 24/7 use (In contrast, metal halide and fluorescent bulbs typically have a rated life of two to three years.).

Lower maintenance
Some LEDs are built of anodized extruded aluminum with components designed to protect them from dirt and debris, which can lower the lifetime of other lighting sources. There are also no bulbs to change or ballasts to replace, meaning no electricians to hire, lifts to rent, or new bulbs to buy—though drivers do need replacement, it is, on average, every five to seven years.

Bright, clear light
If good visibility makes work easier, then LEDs can boost productivity, quality of work, and employee morale. One large machine shop in Louisville, Ky., decided to replace 160 recently installed fluorescent fixtures with 90 high-bay LEDs. It went from 6 to 12 foot-candles to 28 to 30 foot-candles, and it is much easier to see their work and read blueprints.

Less heat production
A metal-halide fixture can reach 148 C (300 F) or above, while a high-quality LED only hits about 37 C (100 F). Cooler operating light is important not just in cold-storage settings, but also in places that can become uncomfortably warm in summer, such as auto repair shops. Metal halides make spaces hotter—depending on duct placement, they can heat the cooled air from air-conditioning units before it reaches the floor, reducing the efficiency of an HVAC system.

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Building in savings
One place where temperature is a factor is brickmaking. A large Canadian brick manufacturer is among the growing number of companies changing metal halides to LED fixtures. The company turns out more than 300 million bricks a year at its 4-ha (10-acre) manufacturing facility in Brampton, Ont., where raw materials are brought in, broken down, moulded into bricks, and put in cars rolling through the kilns 24/7.

Much of the operation is automated, but employees are constantly monitoring the process. It is a dusty environment prone to high temperatures, especially around the kilns. As heat rises, it collects under the arched roof, which was exactly where the facility’s metal-halide fixtures were located. Since many lights were positioned directly above the kilns—having been installed before the current kilns were in place—they were inaccessible for maintenance.

The company decided to reduce expenses by replacing all the old lights with nearly 300 high-bay LEDs that have a high temperature rating and occupancy sensor. Their contractor got layout assistance from the fixtures’ manufacturer, and a series of utility rebates significantly reduced the brickmaker’s cost. The new lighting makes it much easier to detect imperfections in the bricks, and helps employees see where they are walking. The company has seen energy savings of close to $250,000 in the first year since lights were installed, and the feeling is both safety and morale have been improved.

Not all or nothing
Like most facility decisions, choosing whether to install new lighting often comes back to budget. In a large space, such as a brick factory or distribution centre, replacing every fixture can be a big expense. However, upgrading to LEDs does not have to be an all-or-nothing proposition. Installing new fixtures in phases is a good way to get a head-start on facility-wide LED lighting while staying within annual budgets and energy goals. Some lighting manufacturers offer programs eliminating most upfront costs entirely with a monthly service subscription.

LEDs are not yet the best solution for every environment. Places with extremely high temperatures, such as steel mills, still do better with other lighting forms. However, for most other types of facilities, there are LED fixtures ideally suited for the kind of work being done.

With lighting consuming up to 40 per cent of energy costs in some settings, it pays to research various providers to see where they rank in terms of reliability, durability, quality, and performance. With the right assistance and products, retrofitting almost any facility, whether done in stages or at once, can be a smooth process resulting in a brighter and more productive workplace, as well as energy bills that will light up the bookkeeper’s life.

Vicky Broadus has a master’s degree and 15 years of experience as a journalist. She is a writer for Big Ass Solutions, the parent company of Big Ass Fans and Big Ass Light. She can be reached via e-mail by contacting vicky.broadus@bigasssolutions.com[8].

 

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