7 Step Do-It-Yourself Lighting Audit

March 9, 2018

Step 7 DIY Lighting Audit

Use these 7 steps to get started on your Lighting Audit

A lighting audit is an important step in determining which lighting fixtures need replacing or updating. Conducting a lighting audit can help you implement cost-effective changes to benefit your business or facility, and give you a better handle on an expected project cost and return on investment. Plus, it will provide you a baseline of what is already in your facility, identifying potential installation conditions if any issues were to arise.

Download the lighting audit checklist tool to fill out when doing a walk-through of your facility.

7 Step Do-It-Yourself Lighting Audit

Step 1: Identify the location or area type, such as an office space or warehouse.

Step 2: Determine the fixture type.

Step 3: Record lighting fixture attributes and make notes of any special conditions.

Lighting Audit Checklist: Fill out the fixture information using the “Fixture Sheet”; afterwards you can use that info in the “7 Step Lighting Audit” tab to do your calculations (ie. quantity, Input watts, burn hours).

  • Quantity
  • Watts
  • Hours per week each fixture is being used
  • Additional notes such as controls, wiring, window skylights, condition of poles, mounting height, special hours, etc.

Step 4: Calculate your approximate Annual Burn Hours.

Lighting Audit Checklist: Use the “7 Step Lighting Audit” tab to fill out the hours, days, and week information; it will automatically calculate Annual Burn Hours.

Step 4 DIY Lighting Audit

Step 5: Determine each fixture’s Kilowatt (kW) rate.

Lighting Audit Checklist: In the “7 Step Lighting Audit” tab this will automatically calculate the kW rate.

Step 5 DIY Lighting Audit

Step 6: Calculate your Kilowatt per Hour (kWh) rate based on your recent utility bills.

Lighting Audit Checklist: In the “7 Step Lighting Audit” tab, enter your utility info and it will automatically calculate you kWh rate.

Step 6 DIY Lighting Audit

Step 7: Calculate your existing annual energy expense for your fixture(s).

Lighting Audit Checklist: In the “7 Step Lighting Audit” tab this will automatically calculate.

Step 7 DIY Lighting Audit

Once you have all this information you have established your baseline for the cost of running your facility on its current lighting set-up. This information can now be used internally or with a Lighting Consultant to calculate the potential savings of a new system, or highlight older fixtures that should be replaced or upgraded.

Buckles-Smith Electric, partnering with 16500, offers free lighting audits to help you collect and analyze information on your existing lighting system, and then provide you with a proposal for a new system and potential savings.

Download Checklist Tool