How Much Can I Save?

High Intensity Discharge Fixture

One 6 lamp high lumen T-8 fluorescent fixture will provide more light than a 400 watt High Intensity Discharge fixture.

Each existing 400 watt HID fixture consumes 465 watts. By replacing it with a 6 lamp T-8 fluorescent fixture the usage will be reduced to 221 watts. This reduction in usage will result in over 50% savings on lighting cost.

For example a facility that replaces one hundred 400 watt Metal Halide fixtures with one hundred 6 lamp T-8 fixtures will realize a savings of 24,400 watts. If this facility operates 12 hours a day 5 days a week, the annual reduction will be 76,128 kilowatt hours. At a blended rate of 10 cents per kilowatt hour, the lighting cost will be reduced by $7612 per year.

465-221 = 244 watts x 100 fixtures = 24,400 watts saved
24,400 watts x 12 hours x 5 days x 52 weeks = 76,128,000 watt hours
76,128,000 watt hours/1000 = 76,128 kilowatt hours x .10 = $7612 saved

An HID lamp will lose approximately 40% of its lumen output after 6000 hours of use. A T-8 lamp will maintain 94% of its lumen output for the life of the lamp. In the above example, after 2 years the output of the HID fixture will be reduced to 60% but will still consume 465 watts. This translates into a reduction of light without a reduction in cost.

Fluorescent Fixture

One 4 foot, T-8 high lumen lamp will provide more light than one 8 foot, T-12 lamp.

A 2 lamp, 8 foot T-12 fixture consumes 144 watts. By replacing it with a 2 lamp, 4 foot T-8 fixture, the consumption will be reduced to 74 watts. This results in a 48% savings in lighting cost.

For example a facility that replaces one hundred 2 lamp, 8 foot T-12 fluorescent fixtures with one hundred 2 lamp, 4 foot T-8 fixtures will realize a savings of 7000 watts. If this facility operates 12 hours a day 5 days a week, the annual reduction will be 21,840 kilowatt hours. At a blended rate of 10 cents per kilowatt hour, the lighting cost will be reduced by $2184 per year.

144-74 = 70 watts x 100 fixtures = 7000 watts saved
7000 watts x 12 hours x 5 days x 52 weeks = 21,840,000 watt hours
21,840,000 watt hours/1000 = 21,840 kilowatt hours x .10 = $2184 saved

A T-12 lamp produces 64 lumens per watt while a T-8 lamp produces 92 lumens per watt and has a higher color rendering.

In addition to the savings generated by lighting upgrades, most utility companies also offer rebates for these upgrades.

Most lighting upgrades have a 2-3 year return on investment.

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