Most businesses need to be focused on sustainability for both environmental reasons and cost saving. One area where improvements in sustainability can be made is the way you light your business premises. Retrofit lighting offers a practical and effective way for a business to become more sustainable without having to undertake extensive renovations, which can be disruptive to your operations.
Understanding Retrofit Lights
Retrofit lighting is the process of upgrading existing lighting fixtures with more energy-efficient components, rather than replacing the entire system. This process could involve swapping old incandescent or fluorescent bulbs for LED alternatives, installing smart controls or adding sensors to help automate lighting usage. The overriding benefit of retrofit lights is that they work with your existing infrastructure, which can minimise waste and reduce installation costs.
Retrofit light projects can also be tailored to suit the specific needs and budget of your business. Whether you’re running a small shop or managing a large office complex, there is likely to be a retrofit solution that can help improve the efficiency of your lighting. These upgrades can also be implemented gradually, which allows your business to spread the cost over time while still gaining immediate cost savings and environmental benefits.
The Environmental Benefits of Retrofit Lights
The main environmental benefit of retrofitting your lighting is the reduction it can bring to your energy consumption. LED bulbs, which are usually used in retrofit projects, use up to 75% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs. This big decrease in energy usage leads to lower carbon emissions which can help your business reduce its carbon footprint. By upgrading rather than replacing entire fixtures, retrofit projects can also reduce waste. This then leads to fewer materials ending up in landfill and less demand for new products to be manufactured, transported and installed. Installing retrofit light systems also works with the benefits of a circular economy, which aims to reduce waste, recycle and reuse existing resources.
Many retrofit light systems can also be designed to use smart technology like occupancy sensors or daylight-saving systems. These features can reduce energy waste by making sure that lights are only on when needed. For example, an occupancy sensor can automatically turn lights off in empty rooms, while daylight saving systems can adjust the amount of artificial light based on the amount of natural light available.
Retrofit light solutions can also reduce the amount of light pollution that your business may give out. Older types of lighting systems can send light out in all directions, including upwards. The modern LED bulbs and fixtures used in retrofit lights often have much better control, which can focus the light where it is needed and reduce unnecessary light pollution.
The Economic Advantages for Your Business
The energy savings from using more efficient light systems can mean that you end up with lower electricity bills. Depending on the size of your business and the extent of the retrofit project, these savings can be significant and can often pay back the investment of the retrofit within a few years. Many governments and energy companies also offer incentives for businesses that install energy-saving lighting solutions. There are often tax breaks, grants or rebates available, which can all help with the initial costs of a retrofit project. It is worth researching if there are any schemes available in your area as they can make installing sustainable lighting even more financially beneficial.
Conclusion
If you retrofit your lighting systems rather than installing new lights, this can give your business a practical way to become more sustainable. It can also reduce energy consumption, minimise waste and cut costs, which can have a positive effect on the environmental footprint of your business.