A priority for business owners is often the parking lot. They want it to be a place where employees and visitors feel safe. To ensure the feeling of safety, businesses want to keep their parking lots brightly illuminated at night.
You may feel like your parking lot is bright enough, but have you taken a look around? Dark areas can encourage criminal activity, harming your business’s reputation.
Replacing or upgrading your parking lights isn’t necessarily cheap, but it’s also something you don’t want to ignore. In the long run, a lighting retrofit can even save the business money on electricity usage. Most lighting systems installed over ten years ago use inefficient lamps and fixtures. Switching to LED lighting is more energy-efficient, and the lamps’ longer lifespan also reduces your maintenance and replacement costs.
If you’re still not sure if installing LED parking lot lighting is the right move for your business, here are four things to consider.
1. HID vs LED Lighting
HID lights use either mercury, metal halide, or sodium gas, and come with a ballast. They are more energy-efficient than halogen lamps and produce a brighter light, making them ideal for use in parking lots. They also come with a downside. It takes a few minutes for the lamps to warm up and start generating light.
While HID lights are standard in parking lots, LED fixtures are a better option. You get a faster return on your ROI with LED vs HID lighting. Even though the initial installation is higher with LEDs, the combination of almost zero maintenance and energy-efficiency makes it the more cost-effective option.
Did you know we have an entire blog dedicated to looking at HID vs LED? For a thorough comparison of your current HID lamps vs LED replacements, read our in-depth article here.
2. Number of Poles and Placement
Parking lots come in various configurations, and it affects lighting pole placement. Almost all lighting fixtures are attached to poles to spread the light out over larger areas. Before you start transitioning to LED parking lot lighting, decide if you are going to keep your current pole placement.
It is easier and cheaper to use the same poles with LED lighting. You only need to swap the fixtures instead of installing new poles. LED lights are also brighter than other types, meaning you may not need to use all of the poles. Removing the unnecessary poles can open up additional parking spots.
3. What to Look for in LED Parking Lot Lighting
Not all LED lighting works great in parking lot applications. There are a few characteristics you want to look for in the lamps. You want to check the color temperature and rendering index, alone with light and heat distribution properties. The product’s safety ratings and eco-friendliness are other aspects to consider.
Look for LED fixtures that assist in mitigating heat. LEDs have maximum energy efficiency in lower temperatures. Choose the color temperature according to the atmosphere you want to set in the parking lot. Do you want warmer lighting with an orangish-red color or cooler lighting that is white or blue?
Your LED beam angle can also play a large role in illuminating your parking lot. In our blog, LED Beam Angles – A Purchasing Guide, we review everything you need to know, including example equations, about LED beam angles.
4. Use Controls to Improve Efficiency
Pairing LED parking lot lighting with innovative controls delivers increased energy savings. Features like dimmable switches allow you to adjust the light’s brightness as necessary. You can also invest in motion and photo sensors that automatically control the lighting when triggered.
Cutoff and photocell controls automatically shut the lights off, giving you additional energy savings. You can also install sensors on the light poles that turn the fixtures on and off according to the environment.
Have a Professional Assess Your Lighting
LED lighting technology is constantly advancing with innovations being added almost daily. Whether you’ve decided to transition to LED lighting in the parking lot or are still considering your options, you want to have a professional assess your lighting. They can help you create a plan that maximizes your savings and sees the fastest return on your investment.
Contact Action Services Group today and see how we can help you with your parking lot lighting. Call 610-558-9773, email [email protected] or schedule a call that fits your needs by clicking the button below
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