New electric rates will be a big problem for many Chicago businesses, but there's also an opportunity. There was never a better time to look into cutting electricity costs by upgrading your business lighting. Consider this. Electricity for lighting can be a big part of your electric bill; possibly the biggest depending on the type of business you manage. The best way to evaluate the benefits of a lighting upgrade is to take a look at a company that has done it. Click here to have a look.

Also consider the following case of a typical company with 300 older fluorescent fixtures in the ceiling. In this case the project is financed to achieve a positive cash flow in the deal right away.

Let's say these fixtures were installed when the building was new in 1974. Each light fixture holds four standard fluorescent lamps with a parabolic louver to amplify and direct the light down to minimize glare.

Assuming the current standard power company rate of $0.08 per kilowatt and 80 hours per week of use, the monthly savings on this replacement would be $836.16. The 36-month contract cost of the retrofit including the lamps and ballasts in these fixtures would be $462.61 per month producing a modest positive cash flow:

In retail situations, products of all kinds will show their true colors under this type of lighting. High color rendering lighting can be a big factor in product appeal and has been shown to boost sales.

Lamps are rated according to the color-rendering-index (CRI), a method that uses a 100-point scale to express the ability of a light source to render colors as accurately as daylight. Standard cool-white fluorescent lamps have CRI's around 50 to 60, while CRI values above 75 indicate very good color rendering properties. Today, many lamps have CRIs above 90.

People will also discover that more natural looking lighting in their work areas helps them to see better with less eyestrain. High CRI lighting provides better contrast for reading and other detail work.

A quality work environment is the mark of a well-run business. The ability to see well makes it possible to work more efficiently and accurately. This translates into better morale, lower absentee rates, better service to customers, and other factors that go directly to your bottom line.

We encourage you to place these issues on your management agenda and discuss the potential value of a High Benefit Lighting upgrade in your situation.