Is Switching To LED Lighting The Right Move For Your Car Dealership?

Automotive dealers know that well-lit parking lots and show floors entice visitors to buy. This means that dealerships typically run their lights 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They also commonly install outdated metal halide, high-pressure sodium or fluorescent lighting fixtures that waste energy, require higher maintenance costs and lose 30 percent of their brightness annually. Sound familiar?

It is no secret that automotive dealers need well-lit environments that highlight inventory 24 hours a day and improve the quality of display areas. On an internal operations aspect, mechanics and office employees perform better under bright lighting conditions. A well-lit work area not only boosts productivity, but also plays a major part in safety when one considers the power tools and materials used in auto repair. Quality lighting at the workplace also plays a significant role in employee attendance and mood.

The Safety Source performed LED lighting upgrades at four of Champion Chevrolet locations throughout Michigan. Kathy Kaminsky, General Manager of Champion Chevrolet Brighton “The Safety Source has been our preferred energy service company and has provided Champion with best LED lighting solutions at the best price.”

Therefore, the answer is yes, LED lights can help in all these areas as well as lower the business’s carbon footprint. Running inefficient, high-energy lights with short life spans increases operating and maintenance costs. Custom lighting solutions showcase vehicles and encourage consumers to buy, promote workplace productivity and safety while saving the dealership time and money.

What Is The Industry Average?

The average auto dealership runs:

• 115 Lights
• 11 Hours a day
• 347 Days a year
• At an average cost of $0.12 per kWh

Dealerships that upgrade to LED lighting see an average of:

• 105,220 kWh yearly energy savings
• $3,251 yearly maintenance savings
• $11,410 yearly energy cost savings
• $14,661 total yearly savings
• $219,920 15 year LED life expectancy total savings

The correct LED upgrade will brighten your dealership, while saving you time and money. In addition, the energy and maintenance savings alone will enable you to invest in areas that are important to your business growth, including increasing inventory or hiring employees.

How to accomplish an LED upgrade for your dealership?

When you’re ready to upgrade to LED lighting, you can purchase all the lamps and fixtures you need outright, but this can be incredibly costly. To avoid this, some businesses may opt to upgrade one area at a time but this approach is extremely inefficient. Maintenance schedules will be inconsistent across your property, and lighting fixtures may be out of date by the time you finish the entire upgrade. This means starting all over again.

Savvy businesses are turning to the  Lighting-as-a-Service (LaaS)  model to upgrade quickly and affordably. When choosing a LaaS partner, businesses should look for one that:

• Maximizes savings
• Has experience in your industry
• Provides ongoing maintenance support
• Acts as a long-term partner

The difficulty of upgrading to LED lights depends on the approach you choose. Doing everything on your own, from planning to product selection to installation and maintenance, is significantly harder. It requires a deep knowledge of both your industry and LED lighting options. Without this knowledge, you may miss out on significant cost savings.

The easier and more efficient route is upgrading with a lighting service provider who can ensure you’re maximizing your savings, creating a healthier and safer environment and getting the most out of your upgrade. Upgrading to energy efficient commercial LED lighting doesn’t have to be cost prohibitive at all when you work with a LaaS partner.

At the Safety Source, we offer free  LED Lighting Audits. Schedule your free LED Lighting Audit Today and see how much money you could be saving.