Tag Archives: energy efficient lighting

Commercial Lighting Retrofit

Energy Efficient Lighting Retrofit and Design

Commercial Electrical, Electrical Saving, , , ,

Before and After Lighting Retrofit Design

Although energy mismanagement happens for various reasons, one of the most common sources of misused energy stems from overhead lighting. Up to 60% of your energy bill may be directly linked to the amount of energy that is used to keep the lights shining overhead. This isn’t only an expensive option due to the amount of energy it takes to keep the lights running, but it is expensive because of the heat the lighting produces. Especially during summer months, excessive overhead lighting creates an added source of heat that often requires additional air conditioning. So not only are you paying more for your electric bill for lighting, but you are also paying more for excessive air conditioning use.

Although overhead lighting is an important aspect of daily operations, it is crucial to know that a lighting retrofit can assess your current energy use to see if there are ways to cut down on your expenses. A lighting retrofit is the process of replacing part or all of an electrical system with lighting and controls that make it use energy more efficiently. This process will not only save you money long term, but it will also allow you to confidently tell your customers and business partners that you are an energy conscious company.

Schaffhouser Electric offers lighting retrofit and design services to help your company become energy efficient. Your lighting retrofit may include any or all of the following:

  • Analysis of and reduction of cost of overhead lighting
  • Removal of lamps and ballasts
  • Delamping, which is the process of testing the luminosity of your space and determining if it’s brighter than it needs to be, while still providing maximum safety and efficiency
  • Replacement of T12 bulbs with T8 bulbs, which are narrower and more energy-efficient
  • Analysis of and reduction of hours of operation using innovative controls
  • Analysis of and reduction of costs of outdoor signage, exterior, and parking garage lighting
  • Analysis of and reduction of cost of holiday lighting

Lighting retrofit and design is an investment that will yield significant returns. Our team here at Schaffhouser Electric Company will be able to work with you to discuss how much money this process can save you each and every year. We are happy to share solutions to reduce energy costs.

To learn more about lighting retrofit for your business, give us a call or email us today!

 

Energy Waste

Cutting Down on Energy Waste – Efficient Use of Resources

Electrical Saving, Home Electrical, , , ,

Did you know that energy mismanagement is the reason why many businesses pay more than they need to pay for energy? The amount of energy expended by companies often gets overlooked and is often viewed as an expense that doesn’t have any room for fluctuation. Schaffhouser Electric Company has undergone extensive training about energy mismanagement to become experts in this field. We received training from the globally recognized energy management specialists, Schneider Electric. Our training has deepened our knowledge and ability to recognize ways for our clients to cut down on their costs and to maximize their efficiency.

Although every business will face energy waste to a certain degree, the amount can be limited. Some of the ways we can help you include:

  • Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station Installation – With ever-changing gas prices and the concern for emissions and pollution, many people are going green by switching to an electric vehicle. If you’re thinking of making the leap, let us know! We can install a charging station properly and professionally.
  • Efficient Lighting Plans & Controls – Many times, lights are left on unnecessarily in places of business. Even if you need to develop a system based on shifts or time blocks, we have the expertise and know-how to establish a system that minimizes energy waste without cutting down on productivity.
  • Troubleshooting – Sometimes energy-saving products and systems can contribute to a reduction in power quality. But going green doesn’t have to mean sacrificing comfort and ease. If you’ve been having problems with your eco-friendly technologies, give us a call! We are troubleshooting experts and can help you get the most out of your energy-saving systems.
  • Critical Power – If power is absolutely critical to your business, you likely don’t want to rely solely on the power grid. If your business falls into this category, the experts at Schaffhouser Electric can help you develop a power source that you can count on at all times.
  • HVAC Controls – To increase the comfort level of a home or business with minimal waste, we offer HVAC control solutions. This can be a great way to conveniently cut down on operating costs, without sacrificing the enjoyment of your space.
  • Energy & Power Management Systems – We offer energy-assessments of your business, and can help you pinpoint areas of waste and areas in which improvements can be made. This can be especially beneficial to business owners, and can significantly decrease energy waste and overall operational costs.

Contact us today to see how we can help cut down on your energy waste!

Schaffhouser Electric Retrofit services

Lighting Retrofit – The Best Way to Save Money on Electricity

Commercial Electrical, Electrical Saving, , , ,

Lighting Retrofit

Do you remember those initiatives about turning off the lights when you left a room? The idea was that when you switched off the lights, you were able to decrease energy consumption and save money.

Well–no surprise to us–it really works! And applying that logic to an office or industrial setting will greatly affect your bottom line.

Lighting can use between 30% and 50% of the energy in most commercial buildings. Convincing your employees to flip those switches can really add up on the savings.

You can also take it one step further with a custom Lighting Retrofit.

Benefits of a Lighting Retrofit

Changes to your lighting system are one of the most cost effective upgrades you can make. There are a few ways to DIY the process, but mapping out your changes with a professional lighting designer can maximize your efforts and increase your energy efficiency.

A professional lighting retrofit will update all or part of your electrical systems, bringing them up to today’s energy efficient gold standards.

You can save money on lighting in one of two ways: decrease wattage or decrease use time. A good lighting retrofit will do both, saving you money across the board.

Besides monthly energy reduction, retrofitting your lighting can also make you eligible for certain tax rebates and exemptions. Look into your local regulations to see how your tax bill can be lowered as well as your energy bill.

Finally, everyone loves an energy efficient company! With a professional lighting retrofit, you can wear your greenness as a badge of honor and attract certain clients who value that.

What’s Next?

During your retrofit, a Schaffhouser electrician will work with you to create a custom plan for your space. Among other things we will :

● Analyze and reduce the cost of overhead lighting
● Remove unnecessary lamps and ballasts
● Delamp, which is the process of testing the luminosity of your space and determining if it’s brighter than it needs to be, while still providing maximum safety and efficiency
● Replace T12 bulbs with T8 bulbs, which are narrower and more energy-efficient
● Analyze and reduce hours of operation using innovative controls
● Analyze and reduce costs of outdoor signage, exterior and parking garage lighting
● Analyze and reduce cost of holiday lighting

A Schaffhouser Lighting Retrofit is the fastest and most efficient way to decrease your energy costs. When you’re ready to save some money, give us a call at 615-325-8001.

Office Lighting

How to Light Your Office for Productivity

Commercial Electrical, Electrical Saving, , ,

Ever wonder why you have a headache at the end of a day at the office?
It could be your boss again, but if it happens every day, there’s a good chance improper lighting is the culprit.

Somewhere along the way, we decided that bright, overhead fluorescent lights were the only way to light a common area. School and corporate office buildings are the worst offenders, and it greatly affects the productivity of everyone in the building.

So, what are some good lighting solutions for a workspace? Here are some things to consider:

Maximize Natural Light

Big windows are the best source of light available. Natural light is brighter than artificial light, but sunshine has the added benefit of enhancing workers’ moods.

Natural light also saves energy, making it the best economic choice, too.

Muted Overhead Light

Obviously, you can’t survive in an office on natural light alone.

When choosing overhead lighting, skip the big, buzzing fluorescent lights and opt instead for softer light fixtures. Not only does this add personality to your office, it reduces the harshness of overhead lights.

Task Lighting

In addition to natural light and soft overheads, task lighting for individual employees is essential. Lamps placed around an office and on employees’ desks will allow them to control the lighting they need.

Soft, But Not Too Soft

The name of the lighting game is balance.

The default of many office buildings is too much overhead, artificial light. That much light strains the eyes, but so does going too soft. Play around with different lighting options until you strike just the right balance for your employees and work tasks.

Need help designing the perfect light for your office? Give us a call a Schaffhouser Electric, and we’ll talk through all of your options with you.

 

Energy Efficient Lighting

Environmentally Friendly And Energy Efficient Green Lighting

Home Electrical, , , ,

With the rapidly expanding market of environmentally friendly products available here in Nashville today, there is no excuse for not updating your home to be as environmentally friendly as possible. We are all familiar with the idea of green waste disposal through recycling, green transportation through hybrid vehicles, and green eating through local food choices, but where else in your daily routine can you be a little greener? How can you do your pocketbook and the environment a favor without making any sacrifices? One easy and impactful way to get greener is through focusing on energy efficiency, starting with green lighting! We have come a long way since Edison’s founding bulb, and the options for playing with light as both a functional necessity and aesthetic instrument are endless. Even within the subset of green lighting, it is still hard to know exactly what kind of environmentally friendly design would best meet your home’s needs of according taste and energy efficiency. Thankfully, Schaffhouser Electric is bringing to Nashville the finest selection of cutting-edge green lighting developed in Europe and adapted to meet your needs.

If this year’s winter is indicative of the climate we can expect to navigate for the next few seasons, let alone years, we want to be ready to shift gears as quickly and seamlessly as the weather station changes forecasts. Choosing Schaffhouser Electric’s services for managing your energy and power systems and updating your current control plan means that you will be able to definitely scratch off temperature as a concern of yours regardless of the weather, at least within your own home! Small savings in operational expenses that are built into investments in green lighting and environmentally friendly energy efficiency add up to a huge difference in your bottom line, whether residential or corporate.

Nashville residents are going above and beyond to help out their community in this time of climatological uncertainty. Unprecedented numbers of shelters have sprung up in homes, churches, schools, and even businesses in efforts to keep our unhoused friends off the streets and safe from extreme temperatures. The public infrastructure wasn’t in place to accommodate the entire unhoused population when the first polar vortex struck, but the sense of community and mutual accountability was. Fortunately, this sense of community led to open doors and warm beds, and we as a city proved our ability to act quickly and intelligently in the face of changing conditions. Wouldn’t you as an individual like to contribute to that sense of preparedness by starting with your own home and knowing that whatever happens with the weather or the market, you’ll at least be ready to take care of whomever you need to? Call Schaffhouser Electric today to get on board with Nashville’s forward-looking populace.