Lighting Energy Audit

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The purpose of a lighting energy audit is to determine the amount of electricity used by lighting. With a consumption baseline established, Service Lamp can then recommend ways to reduce lighting cost while maintaining light levels.

What to Expect

Performing an lighting energy audit will give you a clear idea of your actual lighting costs. Lighting typically accounts for 20-29% of the total electric bill depending on building use. The rest of the electricity used is consumed by HVAC, water heaters, office equipment and other uses. Savings resulting from a lighting audit are typically in the range of 10% to 30% of the lighting bill with no major investment. Replacing fixtures may save as much as 50% to 75% of the lighting bill depending on the fixtures now used.

Where to Begin

The first step in the lighting energy audit is to determine the cost of electricity per kilowatt-hour.The next step is to inventory the types of fixtures and light bulbs used in each room or area of the building. That information is then used to compute the amount of energy used.

Electricity Cost

The cost per kilowatt-hour (kWh) is an important input to the survey. Utility bills typically show (1) the number of kilowatt-hours used and (2) the regulated rate per kWh. You will also find a number of charges are often added to the bill to get to (3) the total amount you owe. The real “rate” per kilowatt-hour (kWh) is the amount you owe divided by the kWh used during the month. This is referred to as the blended rate.

Operating Hours

The final input to the lighting energy audit is the number of operating hours per year. In the steel industry, for example, the operating schedule is 24 hours a day, 365 days per year in production areas. Offices and retail stores typically have 3,000 to 4,000 operating hours in a year. The final computation is watts used multiplied by operating hours and electricity rate. Service Lamp will recommend efficient, economical lighting solutions to lower your electricity cost.