How to Save Money with LED Conversion
If you are noticing a lot of talk about LEDs lately, you are not alone. There is much buzz about them—and with just cause.
LED technology has evolved into an affordable option for every office or business.
At Kleinknecht Electric Company, we choose to upgrade to LED lighting for any commercial or industrial renovations, retrofits, or improvements to conserve energy. What’s more, doing so not only helps the environment but helps you to save money.
Why Switch to an LED Conversion
The Department of Energy lists the benefits of using LED bulbs as:
- 25-80 percent energy savings versus traditional incandescent bulbs
- LED bulbs last 3-25 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs
Replacing your lighting fixtures means that you will reduce your energy consumption and save money. Your initial investment will pay off in a short time.
In fact, you will see savings if you swap only your most-used bulbs for LEDs and gradually replace the others.
Many businesses are concerned about their sustainability. One of the best tips for improving sustainability is to select energy-efficient lighting. While incandescent lights are cheaper, LED bulbs are of excellent quality and efficiency.
With their installation, you receive many benefits, two of which are saving money in energy savings and reducing maintenance costs.
Not only are you able to save money by installing LED lights and fixtures, but since NYC enacted Local Law 97, if your existing building is over 25,000 square feet, you will need to reduce your emissions by 40% before 2030 and 80% before 2050 and LED lights will help get your building there.
Look to your savings in the long term, and you can see the quick and easy return of investment possible for your business when you switch your lights to LED options.
Here is some information to keep in mind when you are considering a switch:
Incandescent Bulbs vs. Light Emitting Diodes (LED)
The first thing you should do when deciding about switching to more efficient LED lighting is to learn about the most popular types of bulbs.
Incandescent Bulbs
Traditional incandescent bulbs are inefficient. So much so that from each watt of an incandescent light bulb, 95% is wasted. So, you are paying for 100% of the cost and getting 5% of the power.
These numbers really make you hesitate to flip the light switch, don’t they?
Energy inefficiency aside, the bulbs themselves are fragile. Even screwing them in the wrong way or nudging them can lead to a break.
Incandescent bulbs last about 1000 hours. LED bulbs last from 10 to 30 times longer.
Yet, these bulbs remain popular. This is especially surprising given their energy inefficiency and durability issues. There are a few reasons why they remain popular:
- They are cheap to manufacture
- People know incandescent bulbs from years of use
- They are easier to make than LED bulbs with advanced technology within
Switching to LEDs from traditional incandescent light bulbs helps the environment, saves maintenance, and you can save more money.
Light-Emitting Diodes (LED)
Light-emitting diodes or LEDs are the most recently developed type of energy-efficient light bulb.
They also happen to be the most efficient and longest-lasting.
Their technology is powered by chips that turn energy into light. In the case of ENERGY STAR-certified LEDs, they are about five times more efficient than traditional incandescent bulbs.
Because of the computer chip control, owners of smart devices favor LEDs as the level of lighting can be controlled via Bluetooth-connected devices.
Not only can the level of ambient lighting be changed from warm white to cool white, but the colors can also be altered on LEDs.
As they last longer than conventional bulbs (and from 8-25 times longer than halogen bulbs), the cost of converting to LEDs is counterbalanced by the savings in energy consumption.
Initial Costs of Converting to LEDs
One reason some business owners are hesitant to switch to LEDs is the sticker price.
LED bulbs have decreased in cost since they were first introduced to the market, but they are still more costly to purchase than incandescent bulbs. Though converting to LEDs might seem like an expensive undertaking, the switch pays for itself due to its efficiency.
How to Save Money with LED Conversion
The initial costs of converting your office or business to LED are not where the savings lie. This is typical of most retrofits.
From LED conversion for electrical efficiency to low-flow plumbing conversion for water conservation, retrofitting for improved efficiency is an investment in your business.
The most crucial cost-saving is the amount you will need to spend to keep the lights on. And this is where you will get your return on investment.
These are the most important numbers to keep in mind:
- LED bulbs use only 10 watts to an incandescent bulb’s 60-watt usage (or more).
- At a rate of 12 cents per kilowatt-hour, an LED costs only $30 to keep lit for the duration of its 25,000-hour lifespan. An incandescent would cost about $180 for the same amount of time.
However, you will not get the same mileage out of a traditional incandescent bulb as you will from an LED bulb.
A conventional incandescent light bulb lasts only about 1,200 hours. As office buildings have multiple light fixtures, the amounts add up, especially in a building that needs some lighting 24 hours per day.
And when you retrofit your light fixtures to be energy efficient, you are compounding your savings. Your initial LED installation will pay for itself in no time.
Switch With KEC
If you are looking for an easy way to save money in your business, contact Kleinknecht Electric Company. to discuss your options for switching to LED lighting.
Not only will the investment in your office building be worth retrofitting or installing LEDs because of the reduced maintenance and energy efficiency, but you will also save money.
Contact us today.
Kleinknecht Electric Company
19 West 44th Street Suite 500
New York, NY
10036
(212) 728-1800
