Don’t get caught out. If the LED lighting company you are talking to can’t answer these questions to your liking, then keep looking. It’s like asking your boss when you're getting paid this month and they reply "Don't know".

It doesn’t inspire confidence.

So put those LED lighting companies to the test and get the answers to these 9 crucial questions:

1. How do you calculate the savings made from upgrading the old lights to the new ones?

LEDs use less energy than other old forms of lighting. That's as sure as the night is dark. But to calculate your ROI, you want to know the exact numbers for your facility specifically.

Every lighting company should complete a survey of your premises. They should come away knowing exactly how many lights you have where, and what you do in that space. Without that, no one can calculate the optimum levels of light.

Our clients appreciate the granular level of detail we go into in our project breakdowns. It means you can see exactly where we’re getting our numbers from.

Here’s a sneak peek of what you’ll get from us:

Project Breakdown Snapshot

2. Can you guarantee the calculated savings?

You’re looking for honesty here. As they say, there’s no smoke without fire, so if they say “yes” to this question, you may need to wonder how much you can trust them.

What do you mean? I hear you ask. Surely if the numbers are completely accurate and rigorously put together then you can guarantee the savings?

No.

Unfortunately, savings cannot be guaranteed because we (or any other lighting company) are not there to control your lights every day. 

Savings are based on your operational hours of use so if these change for whatever reason, then the numbers will skew. 

Say Larry forgot to turn the lights off for a month (bad Larry!) then we can’t be responsible if savings weren’t as much that month. You’ll want sensors so this kind of thing can never happen but more on that in Question 5.

Lighting as a Service Variables

3. How do you put together a lighting design?

Lighting is deceptively complex. You can’t just put up a light and hope for the best. 

Only experts are good enough to be carrying out your lighting upgrade.

Here are some things you’ll want to see happen from any LED company:

• A detailed survey: taking down every existing light fitting
• Accurate numbers: number of lights, operational hours of use, kWh from your electricity bills
• An expert design: a qualified lighting design engineer uses software tools like DIALux. 

A DIALux simulation:

• calculates the exact levels of lux you need,
• ensures high levels of lighting uniformity,
• configures minimal glare which could negatively affect your workforce.

Without these, how can you be sure you’ll have sufficient lighting for everyone to do their respective tasks?

Imagine trying to complete a close inspection task with 30 Lux. Ha! It would not go well.

4. Can we see a sample luminaire?

Even in this online-ordering world we live in, nothing beats seeing the real thing you’re purchasing. 

Every company should be able to provide a sample of the type of luminaire you need.

You should get a Technical Data Sheet. And standards certificates should always be available upon request.

Technical Data Sheet Example

Lumenstream manufactures lights bespoke for your facility and can still get a sample to you. Just how do we do it?! We really are great.

5. Do the lights come with sensors?

If you’re going down the energy efficiency road, as we all should, you might as well go the whole hog. Get yourself extra savings with sensors and never have to worry about Larry forgetting to turn the lights off again.

You may find that sensors aren’t included in standard quotes. So asking for them may bump the price up.

That is if you’re not using Lumenstream. We always use sensors. Energy efficiency is our bag so we don’t think anything to help that should come at a premium.

Comparison of Microwave and PIR Sensors

6. Who installs the lights?

You want a trusted qualified electrician to make sure the job is done properly and follows safety standards.

You may be buying your lights wholesale, in which case, you probably have your own electricians on staff or contractors you like to use.

If you are going with a turn-key lighting company who are completing the installation, check who is doing it.

You’re looking for NICEIC-certified electrical engineers that specialise in industrial and commercial applications. That’s why we at Lumenstream don’t work with anything less.

Recent installation from Lumenstream

7. What happens with the old lights?

Potentially you could be looking at replacing more than 1,000 lights.

Who is going to take care of that waste? 

UK businesses have an obligation to recycle their electrical waste in accordance with WEEE regulations. Make sure to ask what is happening to the old fittings so you can rest easy knowing that the lighting is being recycled responsibly.

Recolight ensures WEEE compliance. We partnered with them so our clients don’t need to worry about any waste from an installation. You also get a certificate. WooHoo!

8. Will the project have any impact on our ongoing operations?

Funnily enough, one thing that is absolutely vital to your business, is that operations continue running.

You’ll be pleased to know that it’s possible to have a small team of 2-4 complete your lighting project. 

Operatives can use safe isolation procedures meaning they can work through highly complex manufacturing facilities, switching off one luminaire at a time. This means little to no disruption to your operations.

Ultimately, if there is any area that needs to be done outside of hours, the Lumenstream team can be flexible to your needs.

9. Who maintains the lights?

The answer to this question depends on what avenue you go down.

If you are buying your lights wholesale, make sure to check your warranty. I only say this because some guarantees are limited by the number of hours of operational use throughout the year.  So if you are a 24/7 operation, this is something that you need to carefully consider. Do the warranty terms only cover 18/7 hours of continual usage, for example?

Traditional lighting companies’ manufacturers' warranties (now there’s a mouthful) also do not include the cost of removing or testing a faulty light fitting. You could also be footed with the engineer call-out charge. No, thank you.

Thankfully, LEDs are very reliable but it is good to have cover if a light happens to fail. Like with us, we will replace any luminaire with a mechanical failure for the duration of the 60-month contract. So if a light is faulty, we are just one call away.

These 9 questions are an absolute must to make sure you’re getting the quality lighting upgrade you want. But you may have more questions. In that case, we are here to answer them.

To get those answers you need, reach out to me Stephanie McNeill in any way that suits you:

By phone: 0161 7111 343

Take care of your core business, and leave your lighting to us.

Learn About LED Lighting

The Basics of LED Lighting

What are LEDs and how do they work?

LED stands for light emitting diode. LED lighting products produce light up to 90% more efficiently than incandescent light bulbs. How do they work? An electrical current passes through a microchip, which illuminates the tiny light sources we call LEDs and the result is visible light. To prevent performance issues, the heat LEDs produce is absorbed into a heat sink.

Lifetime of LED Lighting Products

The useful life of LED lighting products is defined differently than that of other light sources, such as incandescent or compact fluorescent lighting (CFL). LEDs typically do not “burn out” or fail. Instead, they experience ‘lumen depreciation’, wherein the brightness of the LED dims slowly over time. Unlike incandescent bulbs, LED “lifetime” is established on a prediction of when the light output decreases by 30 percent.

How are LEDs Used in Lighting

LEDs are incorporated into bulbs and fixtures for general lighting applications. Small in size, LEDs provide unique design opportunities. Some LED bulb solutions may physically resemble familiar light bulbs and better match the appearance of traditional light bulbs. Some LED light fixtures may have LEDs built in as a permanent light source. There are also hybrid approaches where a non-traditional “bulb” or replaceable light source format is used and specially designed for a unique fixture. LEDs offer a tremendous opportunity for innovation in lighting form factors and fit a wider breadth of applications than traditional lighting technologies.

LEDs and Heat

LEDs use heat sinks to absorb the heat produced by the LED and dissipate it into the surrounding environment. This keeps LEDs from overheating and burning out. Thermal management is generally the single most important factor in the successful performance of an LED over its lifetime. The higher the temperature at which the LEDs are operated, the more quickly the light will degrade, and the shorter the useful life will be.

LED products use a variety of unique heat sink designs and configurations to manage heat. Today, advancements in materials have allowed manufacturers to design LED bulbs that match the shapes and sizes of traditional incandescent bulbs. Regardless of the heat sink design, all LED products that have earned the ENERGY STAR have been tested to ensure that they properly manage the heat so that the light output is properly maintained through the end of its rated life.

How is LED lighting different than other light sources, such as incandescent and Compact Fluorescent (CFL)?

LED lighting differs from incandescent and fluorescent in several ways. When designed well, LED lighting is more efficient, versatile, and lasts longer.

LEDs are “directional” light sources, which means they emit light in a specific direction, unlike incandescent and CFL, which emit light and heat in all directions. That means LEDs are able to use light and energy more efficiently in a multitude of applications. However, it also means that sophisticated engineering is needed to produce an LED light bulb that shines light in every direction.

Common LED colors include amber, red, green, and blue. To produce white light, different color LEDs are combined or covered with a phosphor material that converts the color of the light to a familiar “white” light used in homes. Phosphor is a yellowish material that covers some LEDs. Colored LEDs are widely used as signal lights and indicator lights, like the power button on a computer.

In a CFL, an electric current flows between electrodes at each end of a tube containing gases. This reaction produces ultraviolet (UV) light and heat. The UV light is transformed into visible light when it strikes a phosphor coating on the inside of the bulb. Learn more about CFLs.

Incandescent bulbs produce light using electricity to heat a metal filament until it becomes “white” hot or is said to incandesce. As a result, incandescent bulbs release 90% of their energy as heat.

Why should I choose ENERGY STAR certified LED lighting products?

There are more lighting options available today than ever before. Despite that, ENERGY STAR is still the simple choice to save on your utility bills.

LED bulbs that have earned the ENERGY STAR are subject to very specific requirements designed to replicate the experience you are used to with a standard bulb—so they can be used for a wide variety of applications. As the graphic on the right demonstrates, a general purpose LED bulb that does not qualify for the ENERGY STAR may not distribute light everywhere and could prove to be a disappointment if used in a table lamp.

ENERGY STAR means high quality and performance, particularly in the following areas:

• Color Quality
  • 5 different requirements for color to ensure quality up front and over time
• Light Output
  • Light output minimums to ensure you get enough light
  • Light distribution requirements to ensure the light goes where you need it
  • Guidelines for equivalency claims to take the guess-work out of replacement
• Peace of mind
  • Verified compliance with more than 20 requirements to address performance and labeling
  • Long-term testing to back up lifetime claims
  • Testing to stress the products in operating environments similar to how you will use the product in your home
  • 3-year minimum warranty requirement

And as with all ENERGY STAR products, certified LED bulbs are subject to random testing every year to ensure they continue to meet the ENERGY STAR requirements.

For more information on how to select an ENERGY STAR certified bulb for each application in your home, view the ENERGY STAR Light Bulb Purchasing Guide (PDF, 1.49 MB) or use the interactive online Choose a Light tool.