Energy Savings

Retrofitting is an upgrade of existing lighting to achieve maximum energy efficiency. By upgrading, utility costs decline and illumination levels generally increase.

We will come out to your site and give a free consultation on lighting efficiency upgrades. Idaho Power currently offers rebates as an incentive for customers to retrofit their facilities.We work with our clients to ensure they get all of the rebates they for which they are eligible. If your project is large enough you can get into the custom efficiency program at Idaho Power, which provides even larger rebates.

The most common on retrofit is from T12 fluorescent bulbs to T8 . By making this change the customer cuts energy consumption by approximately 25-50 percent. T8 bulbs operate on electronic ballasts, which are more efficient than the older magnetic ballasts used by T12 bulbs.  T8 bulbs also provide better lumen maintenance and typically last longer than T12 bulbs.  We don't just install the same generic bulb/ballast combinations for each job.   There are many different bulb/ballast combinations that can be used depending on customer priorities- max energy savings/increasing/maintaining light levels.   

Now is the time to begin retrofitting your building to T8s!   As a result of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 the T12 electromagnetic ballasts will no longer be available for sale as of July 2010.

We can set up your retrofit program as you like.  Some customers prefer to retrofit their entire facility all at once. Others pick a more gradual retrofit program, replacing a certain number of fixtures each month.

If your business already has T8 lights there are still options for upgrading.  There are reduced wattage T8 lights that can save approximately 10% in energy costs with no noticeable loss of light.

Another idea for energy savings is LED exit lights, which can save up to 90% in energy cost over incandescent lights.  Occupancy sensors are also a great way to make sure lights are not on when they shouldn't be.   Occupancy sensors automatically shut off lights when the space is not occupied.

There are also energy saving opportunities highbay industrial lighting.   The most common type of high bay lighting is probe-start metal halide.  Energy saving options for this type of lighting include pulse-start metal halide or highbay fluorescent T8 or T5 fixtures.  What we have found is that in most cases the 6 lamp T8 highbay fluorescent fixture is a great replacement for the standard 400 watt probe-start metal halide light fixture.  We take a look at each individual situation and determine which option makes the most sense both from a lighting and economic perspective.

For customers with large numbers of parking lot lights we are able to change out the traditional probe-start metal halide fixtures to pulse start and get the project qualified with Idaho Power under their custom efficiency program.   We have seen payback periods on these type of projects under three years.

We have also started installing induction lighting fixtures as a replacement to traditional HID lighting.   These induction lights have a rated life of 100,000 hours with only minimal light depreciation over that that time period.  Induction lights also have an ability to be instant on and step-dimmed (meaning they can run at less than 100 percent output then switch up to the 100 percent output).