Facilitiesnet Discusses Maintenance Considerations of a Lighting Retrofit

Lighting retrofits also can underperform because planners did not look far enough ahead. They often fail to consider proper system maintenance, such as relamping, that can extend the project's performance life.

"It's counterintuitive to replace a lamp that is burning, but when about 80 percent — some say 70 percent — of the lamps have burned out, the others are close behind," Lien says. "That's the time to change them all at once. This can be done assembly-line style and completed in a fraction of the time, compared to spot relamping." In other cases, planners forget that facility activities constantly evolve, meaning upgraded lighting systems have to be as flexible as they are functional.

"Many organizations choose a system that does not give them any flexibility for the future," Dollar says. "Office environments may be rearranged, and warehouse racks may be relocated. Installing a system that doesn't provide some flexibility can result in a lighting system that is unusable or counterproductive."

Also, too many organizations fail to monitor savings generated by a retrofit.

"I don't see it being planned for a lot," Davis says. "(Organizations are) not assigning it to a building engineer or facility manager. It just tends to be off their radar." The solution, he says, is conducting an annual review of the new lighting-management system.

Finally, Satterwhite says managers must understand "the warranty programs that come with your typical retrofit and the means by which to take advantage of them. Make sure you have all warranties in writing and that the lighting-management company has the processes in place and the resources to enforce them."
The Future of Retrofits

For managers still on the fence regarding the need to undertake a lighting retrofit, several trends are worth noting. Consider the likely impact of rising electricity rates and demand charges.

This article is four of a four part series written by Dan Hounsell Editor of FacilitiesNet. To read the rest of this article and the series please visit http://www.facilitiesnet.com/lighting/article/Lighting-Retrofits-Consider-Maintenance-During-Installation--11230