OUTDOOR AND GARAGE LIGHTING
SOLUTIONS
Most parking lots and garages are illuminated with high intensity discharge (HID) lamps, which
are not suitable for dimming or frequent on-off switching. Updating outdoor lighting systems with
energy-efficient light fixtures and controls can help businesses reduce energy use while providing
safe and secure illumination for people and property. There are many control-friendly, energyefficient LED and fluorescent lighting options available to upgrade your outdoor lighting. No
matter which option you choose, Smart Ideas for Your Business® offers cash incentives to help
shorten the payback of your project.
1 REPL ACE OUTDATED FIX TURES
Replacing high-pressure sodium and metal halide
fixtures with LED fixtures can reduce energy use by
as much as 50 percent while improving light
controllability and quality. LED lighting comes on at
full brightness instantly, and its directional light
emission minimizes light pollution. Its long lamp life
and durability cut maintenance costs. Above all, LED
performance actually increases as operating
temperatures drop, making it ideal for lighting
outdoor parking lots and unheated garages.
2
CONSIDER A LIGHTING CONTROL SYSTEM
Car dealerships that use outdoor lighting to showcase
their inventory and other businesses with complex
lighting needs may be able to reduce their lighting
use by more than 50 percent with a lighting control
system. Smart Ideas offers incentives for “intelligent”
software-based control systems that optimize the
performance of a network of efficient light fixtures
and sensors. Control strategies—which may include
continuous dimming, occupancy sensors, daylight
harvesting, scheduling and zone control—are
selected by the user and programmed into the
system. Combinations of different control strategies
can yield even greater savings.
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New T8 and T5 linear fluorescent lights with vapor
tight fixtures are often the most economical source of
lighting for indoor parking garages, offering high
efficacy, good color rendering and long life. When
paired with occupancy sensors, they reduce energy
use even further.
PROJECT SNAPSHOT
G R A C E S T R E E T T O W E R S, L L C
MEASURES IMPLEMENTED
T8 fixtures and electronic ballasts
TOTAL PROJECT COST
$9,811
ESTIMATED ANNUAL ENERGY
SAVINGS
108,134 kWh
ESTIMATED ANNUAL COST SAVINGS
$8,110*
SMART IDEAS INCENTIVE
$4,752
ESTIMATED PAYBACK PERIOD
WITHOUT INCENTIVE
1.2 years
ESTIMATED PAYBACK PERIOD
WITH INCENTIVE
0.6 years
Lighting controls are relatively simple to install and
can make a big difference in energy usage. Occupancy
sensors turn lights on when vehicular or pedestrian
motion is detected and off when there is no motion.
Photocells switch outdoor lights on at dusk and off at
dawn. Time clocks control lights according to an
on/off schedule.
For garages, stairwells and other areas where code
requires lighting around the clock, bi-level fluorescent
or LED fixtures with intelligent controls can switch
between high and low light levels in response to the
presence of vehicle or pedestrian traffic. Each fixture
maintains a low light level when the space is
unoccupied and quickly switches to full light output
when occupancy is detected.
4 UPGRADE YOUR SIGNAGE
Don’t overlook outdoor signage when searching for
energy saving opportunities. LEDs are well suited to
signage, with their low profile and monochromatic
light, which makes them very efficient in colored light
applications. LEDs perform well in cold environments
and they are also impact-resistant, making them a
good, durable choice for high traffic areas. Smart
Ideas for Your Business offers incentives for replacing
incandescent, neon and other low-efficiency channel
letters with LED channel letters in outdoor signage.
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3 USE SENSORS AND CONTROLS
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PROJECT SNAPSHOT
PROJECT SNAPSHOT
OV ER THE R A INBOW ASSOCIATION
E H R H A R D T ’ S T R A I L E R S A L E S, I N C.
MEASURES IMPLEMENTED
Outdoor LED luminaires with photocells
MEASURES IMPLEMENTED
Outdoor LED channel sign
TOTAL PROJECT COST
$14,759
TOTAL PROJECT COST
$2,150
ESTIMATED ANNUAL ENERGY
SAVINGS
54,594 kWh
ESTIMATED ANNUAL ENERGY
SAVINGS*
8,414 kWh
ESTIMATED ANNUAL COST SAVINGS
$4,095*
ESTIMATED ANNUAL COST SAVINGS
$631*
SMART IDEAS INCENTIVE
$5,611
SMART IDEAS INCENTIVE
$600
ESTIMATED PAYBACK PERIOD
WITHOUT INCENTIVE
3.6 years
ESTIMATED PAYBACK PERIOD
WITHOUT INCENTIVE
3.6 years
ESTIMATED PAYBACK PERIOD
WITH INCENTIVE
2.2 years
ESTIMATED PAYBACK PERIOD
WITH INCENTIVE
2.5 years
*Estimated annual cost savings are based on an electricity rate of 7.5 cents per kWh.
CONTAC T US
Smart Ideas for Your Business offers cash incentives, technical services and whole-building solutions to help businesses
use energy more efficiently. For more information, visit ComEd.com/BizIncentives, call 855-433-2700 during normal
business hours to speak with a Smart Ideas representative or email us at [email protected].
© Commonwealth Edison Company, 2014
This program is funded by ComEd customers in compliance with Illinois law.