Press Release: McKee Group Outdoor Storage Facility LED Conversion

Stouch Lighting is pleased to announce the completion of an LED retrofit for the McKee Group’s outdoor storage facility in Clifton Heights, Pennsylvania. The McKee Group manages a self-storage facility with relatively fixed costs and was looking for a lighting solution to both reduce energy costs and improve light levels for the exterior lighting throughout the entire facility. The organization took advantage of new LED lighting to increase the light levels on the property while at the same time achieving their primary goal: reducing energy costs. Although the new energy efficient lights will save the McKee Group significant money on their annual energy bills (est. $3,753), the largest reduction in costs actually comes from improved maintenance efficiencies. Reducing maintenance costs is perhaps the most overlooked advantage of an LED retrofit and it was a big win for the McKee Group whose estimated annual savings on maintenance expenditures comes to $7,486. LEDs are such a boon in terms of maintenance savings because they last at least 2-4 times as long as virtually all conventional lighting solutions (100,000 operating hours or more for LEDs as compared to roughly 18,000 for HPS lights). This means the organization saves by not needing to repeatedly purchase replacement bulbs but also, and perhaps more significantly, on the cost of the recurring labor required to replace bulbs and maintain the facility in good working order. Total savings on energy and maintenance were estimated to be approximately $11,239.

The project entailed the one-for-one replacement of 101 existing lights composed of 70 Watt High Pressure Sodium (HPS) Wall Pack fixtures and 125 Watt 8’ T12 Linear Fluorescent fixtures with high efficiency LED lights and fixtures. The HPS lights were used to illuminate the exterior of the storage buildings (and are identifiable by their characteristic yellow glow) while the fluorescent lights were used to illuminate the inside of each storage unit. Stouch Lighting used its expertise as a lighting distributor to help specify the proper replacement fixtures for the project, and also served as the project manager during implementation. Both lighting types were replaced by a superior LED designed for the particular application. For more on the difference between LED and HPS lighting read here or for a comparison between LEDs and fluorescent lighting read here .

In addition to the huge reduction in energy and maintenance costs that will benefit the McKee Group for years to come, we were able to improve light levels by specifying the appropriate light distribution patterns for the new LED fixtures at various locations around the facility. Perhaps more noticeable, however, is the large difference between the dark yellow, virtually monochromatic glow from a 2000K HPS light and the cool white (5000K) LED light. This was a focus point with the facility’s management team because the new lights result in a much more secure and professional atmosphere around the entire facility. For an organization whose business is securing its customer’s belongings a sense of security is an important selling point for new and existing clients. HPS lights are well known for illuminating objects without color but they’ve been so ubiquitous for the last few decades because of their energy efficiency and long lifespan. Now that LEDs are superior in both of these categories it’s a virtual no-brainer to take advantage of the long-standing and obvious performance improvements of the light itself. Here’s another image of the project before and after the LED retrofit:

High Pressure Sodium Outdoor lights replaced with LEDs

When you look at this image you can really see the impact of a light’s color temperature and CRI on its ability to render color to the human eye. HPS lights make illuminated objects appear like a yellow/black shadow while LEDs make objects appear very much like you are used to seeing them during the day. Perhaps the only light worse in terms of color rendering than an HPS light is the related Low Pressure Sodium (LPS) lamp that uses exclusively sodium metals inside the fixture. Low and High Pressure Sodium lights are the virtually monochromatic yellow lights you often see on streets and parking lots. They have been the dominant light for organizations like municipalities for several decades because of their high efficiency. It is only recently that they are being surpassed by LEDs in terms of energy efficiency, quality of light, and reduced maintenance costs.

The results of the McKee Group LED lighting conversion are impressive to say the least. The organization was able to reduce its existing energy consumption by 63% (a 31,283 annual Kwh reduction). Considering the average cost of a Kwh of electricity is about $0.12 the annual savings total to roughly $3,753. Annual maintenance savings on top of the energy savings were estimated to be $7,486 and greenhouse gas reduction was estimated at 42,756 lbs annually. See the table below for a full comparison or read the case study here :

Light

Used For

Watts/Fixture

Energy Reduction Per Fixture

Total Energy Reduction

Color Temperature or CCT

HPS

Wall Pack

70 Watts

-

2200K

LED

Wall Pack

20 Watts

50 Watts

31,283 kWh ($3,753 annually)

5000K

Linear Fluorescent

Overhead

125 Watts

-

LED

Overhead

88 Watts

37 Watts

5000K

Replacing both High Pressure Sodium (HPS) and Linear Fluorescent fixtures with new LED lighting can make a big difference in the cost, effectiveness, and aesthetics of a real estate organization’s properties. Additionally, higher quality lighting with significantly improved color rendering makes for a noticeably improved feeling of safety and security for tenants and/or facility users, owners, and operators. Unfortunately, HID lamps like HPS and fluorescent lights are still somewhat ubiquitous. There’s a good chance that your facility is still shedding money by using them. If you are interested in learning more about the exciting trend in LED lighting Stouch Lighting can help. We have the knowledge and expertise to guide your organization through the process of an LED retrofit from start to finish. Contact us today to see how we can help, or use the ROI Calculator above to see how much you can save by making a long-term investment in energy efficient, long lasting LED lighting.

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