Cleaning light fixtures saves money – Industry Trend or Event – Statistical Data Included
Enterprises can save 10 percent or more on lighting costs by simply cleaning lighting fixtures on a regular maintenance schedule, according to a four-year building lighting study by the interNational Association of Lighting Management Companies (NALMCO). Known as the Luminaire Dirt Depreciation study, the federally funded project involved scientific measurements of available light throughout the test group sampling to determine the benefits in terms of both improved lighting and reduced costs of periodic cleaning of the lighting fixtures themselves, with a goal of installing fewer fixtures in the first place.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) figures show the electricity needed to run commercial and industrial buildings costs $90 billion per year. According to the EPA, lighting accounts for 30 to 40 percent of electricity used in commercial buildings, which translates into $27 billion to $36 billion spent on lighting annually. The study targeted office buildings, schools, health facilities, and retail stores.
“For some 50 years, essentially ever since the fluorescent light fixture has been in common use in commercial buildings, the negative effect of light loss due to dirt accumulation on lamps and luminaire surfaces has resulted in reduced light levels,” said Norma Frank, past president of NALMCO and chairman of the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America’s Lighting Maintenance Committee. “In addition, architects and lighting designers have been specifying and installing initial design levels of illumination above the required levels to compensate for accumulation of dirt, resulting in increased up-front costs and more electrical power wasted daily,” she added.
NALMCO is a 47-year-old organization of lighting management and related companies that promotes professional lighting management techniques, the benefits of quality lighting, and the expansion of the lighting management industry. The worldwide association includes lighting maintenance companies, manufacturers of lighting and its components, as well as designers and contractors.
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