Updated lighting fixtures upgrade office rental space in Springfield MO
We received a request for an electrical contractor estimate at an office complex in the southwest corner of Springfield, Missouri. The rental units looked beautiful – inside and out – except for the lighting. The building was probably only 15 years old, but many of the light fixtures were straight out of the 1980s.
Poor lighting can make a nice space look dated and cheap
Upon arrival, I could immediately see the problem. The entire office had been freshly painted with appealing colors and decorated with interesting art. However, the sub-par light fixtures ruined the overall appearance of the office rental units.
Problems with fluorescent light fixtures
Many of the rooms had extremely dated fluorescent light fixtures attached to the ceiling. Decades ago, these large rectangular units were considered an excellent choice for office fixtures.
Fluorescent light fixtures cause several challenges:
- Poor supply & quality: Increasing government regulations are making these bulbs (and their related fixture parts) relatively obsolete. It is no longer financially feasible for manufacturers to invest in product improvements, inventory production, or quality control. They are becoming harder to find and maintain, and the products available seem lower quality.
- Environmental concerns: Fluorescent lamps contain mercury and pose an environmental hazard when it comes to disposal. They are also less efficient than newer LED technology (hence the regulations).
- Esthetics: Fluorescent light fixtures are just considered ugly these days. They are boxy and bulky. As they age, the plastic covers tend to get brittle and discolored. Then, if you break a cover and replace it (if you can find one), they won’t match.
Poor LED bulb retrofits create troubling “frog lights”
Other areas in the building had recessed lights (“can” lights) instead of the big fluorescent boxes, which was an improvement. But, those recessed lights were originally designed to use incandescent bulbs, which are also declining in popularity and availability.
While incandescent bulbs in recessed fixtures can be replaced with light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs, these “retrofit” solutions tend to be marginally successful at achieving consistent color and light output – and they have a very short lifespan.
I can spot them from a mile away. The round LED bulbs typically hang down from the recessed fixture ring, creating a “frog eye” shape.
LED bulb retrofits can fail due to the following reasons:
- Poor lifespan: LED bulbs are advertised to last many years, but you may not see that long of a lifespan. LED lights are adversely affected by heat. It’s not the actual “diode” that fails, but another piece inside of the bulb called a “driver” that converts the power to illuminate the diode. When the driver overheats, the whole bulb fails prematurely. In other words, the heat from the diode kills its own driver.
- Poor quality: The LED bulbs sold at the consumer level are very cheaply manufactured with “bottom of the barrel” quality. By contrast, the LED technology used at Ron’s Electrical is professional grade, so it lasts much longer and provides higher-quality light.
Experienced electricians design a plan to solve lighting issues
After carefully inspecting the property, we showed the office owners a detailed plan to perform a major facelift to the building’s interior lighting. They were happy to approve of the plan, which included high-quality, modern light fixtures designed to stand the test of time.
We suggested the following electrical upgrades:
- Remove all the recessed fixtures (along with their retrofit LED bulbs) and install permanent LED recessed lights. These “bulb-free” recessed lights have the LED technology built right into the “can.” They last a really long time, so get virtually maintenance-free lighting.
- Remove the boxy fluorescent fixtures and replace them with more of those premium LED recessed lights.
- Clean up the mess: Replacing those large rectangular light fixtures with compact LED fixtures would leave holes in the ceiling, so we also arranged to have a drywall expert repair the ceiling the same day as the electrical upgrades. We want everything to look clean and professional!
What can updated lighting do for you?
This investment in a high-quality electrical upgrade dramatically affected the commercial space. We can get the same results at your property.
- Aesthetically pleasing: The look and feel of this work environment was greatly improved. Each office now has consistency in the quality and color of the lighting. And the entire space has a modern vibe.
- Warmer feeling: With high-quality LED lights, we can select the color and brightness to fit the space. The light qualities we selected gave the space a much warmer, inviting atmosphere. Even the decorations and accent walls seem more appealing.
- Energy efficiency: These new lights consume about half the kilowatt hours of electricity, reducing the electric bill. They also put off very little heat, so the owners may save on air conditioning costs.
- Better rental rates: These offices are available for rent. Would you want to rent a space with outdated fixtures? Having upgraded, modern, appealing lighting could make the space desirable to more prospective renters, thereby raising the income potential.
Are you considering lighting upgrades to your home, office, commercial property, or farm building? Call Ron’s Electrical LLC. We’re happy to provide an in-person evaluation and offer suggestions for electrical upgrades.
