What is the
total cost of lighting?
Energy conservation is a major issue in the U.S. today. Our goal is to make achieving maximum savings easy. One way we accomplish this is by presenting a conservative look at all of the costs of lighting a space. Our “total cost of ownership” approach allows you to evaluate each area of potential savings. As you evaluate your lighting, try our energy savings calculator for lighting retrofits.
For traditional lighting products, here is a rule of thumb for understanding the total cost of lighting:
- Electricity to run your lighting comprises 77% of your lighting costs.
- Electricity for your HVAC to offset the heat produced by a light bulb comprises 8% of your lighting costs.
- Labor to maintain your lighting (replacing burnt-out bulbs) comprises 11% of your lighting costs.
- Replacement materials (the lighting products themselves) comprises 3% of your lighting costs.
- Recycling burnt-out products comprises 1% of your lighting costs.
New efficient technologies are changing this breakdown by significantly reducing the on-going maintenance and energy costs for lighting. Typically, the added up-front expense for these newer products is recovered quickly.
Geographic location, the type of building and many other factors can influence your actual lighting costs.
