Here’s a great way to change your point of view on lighting, as you calculate the true cost of lighting as part of total construction cost. Think of this is the same way you consider the purchase price of a new car or any other personal purchase. When you buy a car, you’ll need to include such items as maintenance, gasoline, and insurance to determine how much it will cost to own and operate the vehicle over a period of time.

This will be valuable information when you are figuring your building or renovation costs as well, which means you should consider lighting that includes cheap light fixtures (but not fixtures that are cheaply made). In simple terms, there’s more to lighting than initial price, lumens, wattage, and so on. Make sure you include all the factors so you’re making a wise lighting decision.

 

Industrial, Commercial

Think about the fixtures you’ll need for a large industrial or commercial space, to cite one example. High bay LED lights may cost a bit more at the start, though even this cost will be less than you might think when you work with specialists who offer cheap light fixtures of high quality. Ask yourself how much lighting actually costs, but make sure you understand the factors that go into the cost of providing good lighting for your activity. Here’s a solid list to get you started.

• Initial cost of fixtures (obviously)
• Energy use
• Maintenance labor
• Replacement cost
• Heating, air conditioning, ventilation costs

This last item is not often considered in building plans, but using high bay LED lights can reduce these costs simply because they don’t put off heat as classic incandescent bulbs do. Industry studies show that energy costs make up about 70% to 75% of total cost after initial purchase. Labor, including installation and maintenance account for about 10%. The rest is divided among HVAC energy expense (5% to 10%), miscellaneous materials, and so on.

 

Durability vs. Initial Cost

This breakdown should put high bay LED lights at the top of your priority list, because when you’re trying to save money on lighting, efficiency in energy use is of utmost importance. When you buy cheap light fixtures, make sure you receive durable, efficient fixtures that deliver more than what the initial price indicates. This is certainly possible when you work with specialists in the LED fixture world.

LED lights use about 80% of electrical energy to produce illumination. Very little is lost to heat, something which can’t be said for traditional incandescent lights or fluorescent fixtures. Not only will you reduce your energy costs, you will reduce those important HVAC expenses. In addition, your new high bay LED lights will give you 100,000 hours or more of worry-free service, which practically eliminates the cost of maintenance labor and replacement bulbs.

If you’re renovating and upgrading an existing space, consider a retrofit to these energy-efficient fixtures. Be just a bit smarter about fixture placement. This, in combination with LED technology, will vastly improve overall illumination. Finally, even when your budget says “cheap light fixtures” make sure you invest in products from leading manufacturers and expert suppliers. You’ll be glad you did.