Having performed commercial LED lighting retrofits for about 10 years now, I have identified one major theme that is significant, yet seldom discussed. Most projects get approved based on a Simple Payback Period (SPP).
The SPP is calculated on the total cost of the project divided by the annual energy savings the project produces. So if a project costs $100,000 and the annual savings is $50,000 ($40,000 in energy/$10,000 in maintenance) the simple payback would be two years.
What if I told you that the energy savings calculated are actually the smallest amount of savings your business will see based on doing the commercial LED retrofit?
By replacing a poorly lit facility with many failing fixtures with the proper LED solution, companies will save a lot of money on energy and maintenance. But, the savings from those items pales in comparison to the overall non-utility-cost financial savings that will be produced:
- Reduced Employee Turnover: Employees hate bad lighting. It makes their job harder and they don’t feel good when it’s dim and dreary. The result of consistently poor lighting is higher employee turnover, more sick days, and less productive shifts.
- Fewer Defects and errors: When people can see properly, they produce fewer errors and defective products.
- Higher productivity: If the people on your line can see better, they can move faster, will make fewer mistakes, and can spot defects quicker.
When companies invest in efficient commercial LED lighting, workers feel better, they do their jobs more efficiently, they appreciate the fact that the company invested in their working environment, and they stay with the company longer. With commercial LED lighting, the savings are more than just energy costs.
