Having the right lighting is one of the most important choices that you can make when it comes to energy efficiency at your small business. Plus it helps to create the right setting for your employees and customers .
For several years, the owners of the eco-toy store Dilly Dally Kids wanted to use LED lighting in the East Vancouver store, but couldn't find a product that produced the warm light they were looking for. All that changed last year, when they switched three dozen MR16 halogen track lights to LEDs for savings estimated at about about 2,500 kWh per year.
Thanks to a $312 rebate from BC Hydro on the purchase of the LEDs, the owners expect to pay back their investment on the upgrade in just 18 months. And they solved two problems they had with the track lighting: frequent burnout and the extra, unwanted, heat produced by the halogen lights.
The Dilly Dally Kids story underlines both the importance of selecting the right lighting option, and the increasing popularity of LEDs. LEDs are especially suited as a replacement for traditional incandescent or halogen screw-in bulbs.
Replacing traditional bulbs is a fairly simple upgrade for most businesses, and the payback can be less than a year, thanks to Power Smart incentives on efficient lamps. Plus, LEDs have dropped in price an average of 85% over the past five years and are now available in a wide variety of shapes.
But even if you're replacing high pressure sodium lamps or high-bay lighting, LEDS offer increased energy efficiency and a longer lifespan than older lighting technologies. That longer lifespan means that you need to replace lamps less often, reducing maintenance costs.
Wondering which LEDs might work in your business? Start by looking at the available product incentives. You can see which LED incentives are available for the type of lighting you're considering replacing.
- Use the e.Catalog to see all the available LED incentives.
- Use the LED screw-in lamps tip sheet [PDF, 62 KB] to ensure that your project is eligible for incentives. Not all replacements (e.g. replacing CFLs with LEDs) are eligible for incentives.
- Need more info about screw-in LEDs? Our Power Smart lighting expert addresses frequently asked questions.
The dollar savings ad up. In the past, business owners have received an average incentive of $3,174
by implementing an energy efficient upgrade project, like lighting. The incentive plus the money you save on energy bills each year means you can reinvest back into what matters most – your business.
Five minutes is all it takes to get started or to request more information about your potential savings. Visit bchydro.com/express .
