The Situation
A regional distribution company operating a 750,000 square foot facility in the Southeast was running a mix of 400W metal halide high bays across the warehouse floor, T8 fluorescents in office and break areas, and aging HPS fixtures throughout the parking lot and exterior loading dock areas.
The facility operates 24/7 with three shifts, meaning lighting runs continuously. The maintenance team was spending significant time and money on lamp replacements — especially the high bays, which required a scissor lift for every re-lamp. The parking lot fixtures were failing regularly, creating safety concerns during overnight shifts.
The facility manager had looked into LED retrofits before but was told the upfront cost was prohibitive and the disruption to operations would be significant.
What We Did
We started with a full facility walkthrough, auditing every fixture in the building: type, wattage, operating hours, mounting height, and condition. We documented over 2,800 fixtures across interior and exterior spaces.
From there, we engineered a complete replacement plan:
- Warehouse high bays: 400W metal halide replaced with 150W LED high bays with integrated occupancy sensors. In aisles with intermittent traffic, fixtures dim to 30% when unoccupied and return to full output on motion detection.
- Office and break areas: T8 fluorescents replaced with LED troffers and panels. Added occupancy sensors in conference rooms, restrooms, and storage areas.
- Dock lighting: HID wall packs replaced with LED fixtures with photocell controls for dawn/dusk automation.
- Parking lot and exterior: Aging HPS fixtures replaced with LED area lights on the same poles. Improved light uniformity and coverage while cutting wattage significantly.
- Emergency lighting: All emergency and exit fixtures upgraded to LED with battery backup.
We handled the utility incentive application in parallel with procurement, ensuring the rebate pre-approval was in hand before installation began.
Installation
The facility runs 24/7, so shutting down was not an option. We developed a phased installation plan that worked zone by zone, primarily during the quieter overnight hours. Each zone was completed in 2–3 days, and the full project was done in 6 weeks.
We coordinated directly with the shift supervisors to ensure zero disruption to picking, packing, and shipping operations. The facility manager later told us that most employees didn't even realize the project was happening until they noticed how much better the light quality was.
The Results
Post-installation metering confirmed that lighting energy consumption dropped dramatically across the facility. The occupancy sensors in the warehouse aisles delivered additional savings beyond the LED conversion itself — fixtures in low-traffic aisles spend a significant portion of their operating hours in dimmed mode.
The maintenance team has not replaced a single lamp since the project was completed. The parking lot and dock areas now have better light quality and coverage than before, which was flagged as a safety improvement by the overnight shift team.
After utility incentives of $142,000, the net project cost paid for itself in under 2 years. The savings will continue for the 15+ year expected life of the LED fixtures.