What are the best lighting retrofit practices for existing buildings?

1 Assess your lighting needs

Before you start any lighting retrofit project, you need to assess your current lighting situation and identify your lighting needs and goals. You should conduct a lighting audit, which is a systematic inspection and measurement of the lighting conditions, equipment, and energy use in your building. A lighting audit will help you determine the existing lighting quality, quantity, and distribution, as well as the potential for energy savings and performance improvements. You should also consider the specific lighting requirements and preferences of your building occupants, such as the tasks they perform, the visual comfort they expect, and the feedback they provide. Based on your lighting audit and occupant input, you can define your lighting objectives and criteria, such as the desired light levels, color temperature, color rendering, glare reduction, dimming capability, and occupancy sensing.

3 Implement the retrofit project

After you have chosen the right retrofit option for your building, you need to implement the retrofit project in a timely and cost-effective manner. You should plan and schedule the retrofit activities, such as ordering the materials, hiring the contractors, coordinating the installation, testing the performance, and documenting the results. You should also communicate with your building occupants and stakeholders, such as the managers, employees, tenants, and customers, about the purpose, benefits, and impacts of the retrofit project. You should inform them about the expected changes in the lighting conditions, the possible disruptions in the normal operations, and the ways to provide feedback and suggestions. You should also monitor and evaluate the retrofit project, such as measuring the energy savings, comparing the lighting quality, and assessing the occupant satisfaction. You should use the data and feedback to verify the achievement of your lighting objectives and criteria, and to identify the areas for further improvement or adjustment.

4 Maintain the lighting system

The final step of the lighting retrofit project is to maintain the lighting system in a good condition and ensure its long-term performance and efficiency. You should perform regular inspections and cleaning of the lighting fixtures, lamps, ballasts, controls, and wiring, and replace or repair any damaged or faulty components. You should also train your building staff and occupants on how to use and operate the lighting system properly and safely, and how to report any problems or issues. You should also review and update your lighting policies and practices, such as the lighting schedules, dimming levels, occupancy settings, and daylight harvesting, to optimize the lighting use and energy savings. You should also keep track of the lighting performance and efficiency, such as the light output, color quality, power consumption, and maintenance costs, and compare them with the baseline and the industry standards.

5 Follow the best practices

To ensure the success of your lighting retrofit project, you should adhere to some general best practices that apply to any type of building and lighting system. These include using the appropriate lighting design standards and guidelines, such as those from the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) and American National Standards Institute (ANSI), as well as choosing high-quality and reliable lighting products and components with relevant certifications, ratings, and warranties. Additionally, it's important to consider the whole-building approach and integrate the lighting system with other building systems, like HVAC, security, fire, and automation systems. Implementing demand response and load management strategies, such as peak shaving, load shifting, and load curtailment can reduce peak demand and utility charges. Lastly, applying for incentives and rebates from utility companies or government agencies can offer financial support for lighting retrofit projects. By following these best practices, you can improve project outcomes and maximize your return on investment.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?