Top 8 reasons to switch to LED lighting for your facility

Lighting and energy costs account for a significant portion of maintenance expenses and operating budgets. While compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs are one money-saving alternative to incandescent bulbs, LED lighting is another option that provides maximum cost-cutting benefits to facility maintenance professionals.

Discover what makes switching to LED light bulbs the smart choice for facility maintenance professionals and see how it could pay off for your building.

Why LED lighting: eight reasons to switch

The right illumination can help employees be more productive and customers less stressed, all while saving your facility money in multiple ways. Dive into the details of why making the switch to LED building lights can help your facility.

1. LED facility lighting improves work conditions.

Light bulbs and fixtures that emit harsh light and hum when operating can wear on worker energy levels. LED bulbs are virtually silent when installed correctly and are available in cool shades, making them the better choice for your facility. Making the switch could help you see a marked improvement in employee productivity, which will help maximize payroll hours.

2. LED building lights resist extreme temperatures.

Outdoor lighting is critical for ensuring the security of your facility and the safety of your workers and guests or customers, but some bulbs can’t hold up to the most frigid outdoor temperatures. When you switch to LEDs for your facility’s exterior fixtures, the winter months won’t have you worried about whether your lighting will continue to work.

Pro tip: Having the right supplies on hand is important for preparing a facility for winter weather. Discover the top cold weather supplies for facilities and see how investing in the appropriate equipment can help you keep your facility in top shape all winter long.

3. Utility rebates can mean LED light savings.

In addition to energy and operating cost savings, your facility can qualify to earn money back simply by making the switch. Many local utility companies offer rebates as incentives to use energy-efficient products, including LEDs. Check your area to see if giving your facility an LED lighting upgrade could qualify for rebates.

4. LED facility lighting can meet every need.

Whatever your facility’s lighting needs are, there is an energy-saving solution. LEDs come in a wide variety of color temperatures and rated lifespans for both residential and commercial applications.

With cool light at 2,200K, warm light at 5,500K and average lifespans from 10,000 to 100,000 hours, the options are seemingly endless. Plus, many of these lamps are dimmable, making them an excellent choice for decorative and industrial applications alike.

Pro tip: Lights in cool shades are ideal for assisted living facilities because the color of light they emit is easier on aging eyes.

5. Cost of using LED light bulbs is lower long term.

An LED’s energy-saving qualities mean they virtually pay for themselves. While they do cost slightly more up front than an incandescent bulb does, costs are decreasing as technology advances.

LEDs require less energy (over 80% less) to operate while emitting the same amount of light. You’ll see the price difference in the first few utility bills and increased savings to your bottom line as time goes on.

Pro tip: For optimal LED light savings, the Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR® program recommends that you select a bulb or fixture with the highest number of lumens necessary for the intended application with the lowest amount of watts required to operate.

6. An LED lighting upgrade saves on labor.

By implementing LEDs in the lighting fixtures in your facility, you can reduce the amount of payroll hours and cost spent on relamping light fixtures.

For example, the payroll cost to relamp a fixture could be between $0.50 to $1.00 per bulb, depending on whether workers need to use a ladder to complete the task. If you factor in that the average LED can last about 25 times longer than the average halogen bulb, every bulb you purchase could mean you’re saving $12.50 to $25 of costs to your payroll.

Pro tip: In 2021, fall protection topped the list of OSHA jobsite safety violations. The potential risk of injury accompanies every instance a worker uses a ladder to change a light fixture. Switching to LEDs can minimize this risk by reducing the necessity to relamp fixtures as frequently.

7. Using LED lights for business reduces waste.

Because LEDs last decades longer than most other lightbulbs, disposing of them is a rare event. This means less waste to dispose of for your facility. Like most other bulbs, however, LEDs need to be disposed of appropriately to avoid contaminating the environment.

Pro tip: Light bulbs play a significant role in a facility’s total cost of ownership, or TCO. Having an understanding of your facility’s current TCO can help you lower operating expenses. Find what you need to know about calculating total cost of ownership.

8. LEDs make facility lighting quality more consistent.

With commercial LED lights, you can be confident that the color and brightness the bulb emits will be the same from the first time it turns on until it expires. Unlike other options that require a warm-up period when switched on and begin to flicker over time, LED lights will keep your facility consistently illuminated.

Pro tip: If you’re in the hospitality industry, using LED bulbs in your facility will ensure that you are meeting minimum lighting standards because the lumen output of these bulbs will stay the same over time.

By the numbers: cost of using LED light bulbs

This cost breakdown shows how much switching to LED facility lighting from halogen on just one bulb could save over the course of a year. Imagine the savings you could earn with upgrading most or all of your bulbs.

Ferguson can help with your switch to LED facility lighting

Opting for LED building lights will reduce operating costs, increase productivity, save payroll hours and improve customer satisfaction. Ferguson offers a wide range of building lighting options to help you make the switch. Shop LED lighting to realize significant savings in your facility.