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When most people hear the word “audit,” they might imagine the IRS going through their financial statements while tax assessors ask all sorts of nerve-racking questions. Fear not; a lighting audit is nothing like that. In fact, it’s a good thing. For facility managers, commercial property managers, or anyone who is in charge of a large facility with commercial office or industrial-style lighting, a lighting audit is the first step in determining what kind of lighting retrofit options may be a …

Sometimes, the answer to this question is obvious. If the lighting in your warehouse looks like it might have been right at home in the 1950s, it’s definitely time to replace those old lighting fixtures. But what if the signs aren’t as clear? The truth is, today’s warehouses, distribution centers and other large indoor facilities are often lit by highly inefficient systems with outdated technology. If a facility is lit by high-intensity discharge (HID) or magnetically ballasted T12 fluorescent …

Growth. It’s what powers an industry to profitability. Precision-Paragon [P2], one of the country’s leading lighting manufacturers for commercial and industrial buildings, recently completed its annual “State of the Lighting Industry” survey on lighting industry trends. Industry growth was robust, as expected. One of the most exciting lighting industry updates reported was that 67 percent of lighting industry experts experienced either moderate or substantial growth in 2012. While this lightin …

Last week, RelightDepot attended LIGHTFAIR International, the world’s largest lighting show and conference, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was our first year attending the show, so we weren’t quite sure what to expect. The trade show floor is massive, and this year they added Hall F, a second hall downstairs with additional exhibitors. We definitely didn’t get to see everything, but we did our best to explore the exhibitors’ booths and take in some Philly culture by night. Here are some of th …

It's official. RelightDepot is now a recognized Service and Product Provider (SPP) partner in the ENERGY STAR® program. What’s involved in becoming an ENERGY STAR Partner? To be accepted as a partner in the program provided by the EPA and DOE, we had to meet several requirements. The most significant requirement was the submission of a detailed energy efficiency profile from a company we directly assisted with improving the energy efficiency of their operation, detailing the project scope and …

So you are considering your options for your relighting project.  You have learned that both T5 and LED fixtures are available, but are unsure as to which technology is best for your project.   While LED fixtures may be more appealing to the eye, there are several reasons why T5s are likely a better option. Costs of T5 vs. LED The reason most companies purchase T5 (fluorescent) light fixtures instead of LED fixtures is that fluorescent fixtures provide a more cost effective solution.  The upfr …

General Sports and Field Lighting can have a huge impact on your venue.  Aside from making a field, court, or gymnasium more aesthetically pleasing, appropriate lighting helps players and spectators.  If you are in the process of purchasing sports lighting, whether it be indoor (i.e., a gymnasium, arena, etc.), or field lighting (i.e., lighting for a football field, baseball field, lacrosse field,  basketball court, tennis court, etc.), there are several factors that you should consider.  The m …

While replacing existing lighting fixtures with energy efficient fixtures such as T5s and T8s will certainly help reduce your electricity bill, several of Florida’s electric companies offer Florida Lighting Rebates/Incentives.  The Florida Lighting Rebates will help reduce the cost of purchasing new lighting fixtures. Florida Power & Light  (FPL) Lighting Rebates As of May 2012, FPL through its Interior Building program provides between 65 cents to $3 for each linear fluorescent lamp as a …

Many linear fluorescent high bay fixtures are available with a number of different reflector options. This allows the fixture to be configured properly for a broad range of applications. The reflector material in fluorescent high bay fixtures determines how much light is reflected back down towards the work surface. The higher the reflectivity, the more efficient the high bay fixture is at delivering the light that the lamps generate down to the work plane. The typical options are as follows: …

As much as I don't like it, lighting retrofit projects for warehouses and commercial offices have to compete for corporate funds just like all other projects. If it was up to me, lighting retrofits would just be given the green light and prioritized above all other capital requests, and corporations large and small would come flocking to RelightDepot for their energy efficient lighting needs. In the real world, project sponsors have to justify why they want to spend money on new lights if the ex …