Central Electric Cooperative, Inc. > Energy Efficiency Blog > “Watts Up“ ? Savings with Commercial Lighting Upgrade

“Watts Up“ ? Savings with Commercial Lighting Upgrade

By Kandis Bray  – Lighting Specialist

 Program summary

Did you know that in commercial spaces, lighting typically accounts for 17-35% of overall electrical usage? By investing in an energy efficient lighting upgrade, you will save electricity and lower your utility bill. To help offset the cost of an energy efficiency lighting upgrade, Central Electric Coop offers incentives through their commercial lighting program. These incentives are available for existing commercial buildings and new construction projects and include incentives for LED lamps (bulbs), LED fixtures, and lighting controls. Central Electric Co-op even has a commercial lighting specialist to help you get started with a lighting project.

Benefits of a lighting upgrade

  • Commercial buildings: Completing a lighting upgrade can attract new tenants or encourage long-term tenants to renew their contract. Multiple case studies have proven Increased productivity is another non-energy benefit of a lighting upgrade.
  • Restaurants or retail space: New lighting can improve sales or create a desired ambiance.
  • Office space: A lighting upgrade can increase uniformity of the space and provide a more comfortable work environment for your employees.
  • New construction: Start saving energy during the planning process by meeting and exceeding code requirements with LED fixtures and lighting controls.

Do I need a lighting upgrade?

Here are a few simple questions to help determine if a lighting upgrade is needed for your facility:

  • Is your fluorescent lighting five years old or older?
  • Do you have yellow or cracked fixture lenses?
  • Do you hear constant buzzing from fluorescent and HID ballasts?
  • Do your light fixtures take time to get to full brightness?
  • Are your light fixtures different colors (warm white, cool white, daylight) and not uniform?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, now is the time to get started with a lighting upgrade to solve some of these common lighting issues and take advantage of Central Electric Coop’s commercial lighting program.

Getting Started   

  • Contact CEC prior to getting started with your lighting project.
  • Schedule a no cost lighting walkthrough (COVID protocol in place).
  • Select a local trade ally lighting distributor or electrical contractor:
  • Obtain CEC lighting specialist assistance with the pre-approval process.
  • Once the lighting upgrade is complete, CEC will issue the incentive check for the project.

 Contact Us First:

Please note, all lighting projects require pre-approval prior to ordering materials and starting installation. Contact Central Electric Cooperative prior to starting a lighting upgrade for pre-approval and qualified product requirements. For 2021, CEC has an incentive cap of $10,000 and incentives are subject to change.