The number of specs you need to look at to choose the right LED products is confusing. It’s hard to know which information applies to your project and what data you can ignore. One common reason businesses are switching to LED lighting is for energy-savings. Thankfully, this is an easy lighting metric to look at. The number of lumens per watt (LPW) tells you how efficient the lamp is. Higher lumen ratings equal more energy savings. Lumens refer to the amount of light the lamp produces, while the wattage indicates how much power the fixture uses. The more lumens a watt produces, the greater your energy savings. You don’t only save on energy bills, you can also qualify for utility rebates. There are incentives for businesses that are Energy Star certified. It means both the lamp and fixture reduce energy usage. While LPW is an easy lighting metric to understand, there are others to consider depending on your type of business. The lighting metrics differ for offices, restaurants, and retail buildings.

Retail shop owners want lighting that makes clients look and feel good. They also want their lights to show off their merchandise.

• CRI or high-color rendering index ensures that the light doesn’t alter colors. Blacks are rich and deep. Customers won’t mistake a black sweater for a navy blue one. It also keeps blues from getting a purple tint.
• CCT is the light’s color temperature. Bright white lights can give a space a cold, sterile look. To make customers feel welcome and encouraged to stay, look for lamps with a warmer color temperature.

You want your customers to see the plate you set down in vivid color. You don’t want your lighting to make a steak burger look grey or eggs Benedict slightly greenish. It’s the fastest way to lose customers forever. Restaurants want to pay attention to the same metrics as retail spaces. A high CRI index ensures food looks as great as it smells. It’s the lighting metric you want to pay attention to, along with wattage. CCT is the other metric to look at. You want cooler lighting in a casual restaurant where customers don’t usually linger. It helps keep everyone moving along, at a steady pace. Higher-end restaurants want warm lighting. It encourages diners to linger over each course and enjoy the meal.

Whether you’re the owner or building manager you want employees and tenants to stay. Lighting has a lot to do with how someone feels about a space. You want to avoid low CRI lighting. It negatively affects peoples’ moods and gives the impression of a poorly managed building. It’s more difficult to retain tenants and employees when the lighting has a low CRI index. Lumens are something else to look for. You don’t want bright lights that can cause headaches, but the lights also shouldn’t be dim enough to become a hazard.

Whether it’s a retail, restaurant, or office building you want to pay attention to lighting metrics when you’re retrofitting the fixtures. Lumens is the first metric, and one everyone should pay attention to. It is a determining factor in energy savings, and how bright the lamp is. The other two metrics are CRI and CCT. These metrics determine how your space looks and influences a customer’s mood. Paying attention to these metrics can save you money, while also increasing customer satisfaction. If you are considering an LED retrofit for your facility, let the experts with Action Services Group help. We are standing by to answer your questions, call 610-558-9773 or email [email protected] today!