Practical advice on commercial lighting from LED retrofits to lighting design.

8-foot fluorescent tubes are a popular lighting product for many of our customers. They're commonly used in warehouses, industrial and commercial settings, and in some large retail and grocery stores.

Slippery floors. Built-up grease. Dirty appliances. These are all common problems in commercial kitchens that can create dangerous working conditions and environmental concerns.

What's that smell? Restaurants, retail stores, hotels, and commercial offices may look clean, but if there is an odor, there is a problem. 

LED technology has brought about new innovations and more options in the lighting industry. Manufacturers are constantly coming out with new products that give the consumer more options.

One of those recent innovations: Color and wattage selectable LED fixtures. 

Businesses are searching for new ways to protect their building during and after COVID-19. Requiring temperature checks is one of the more popular options and will likely become part of our normal routine.

Can you actually retrofit T12 to LED without changing out the ballast?

Actually, yes. But before you make a decision, there are other LED solutions to consider for a high-efficiency lighting option for existing T12s.

If you’re looking to convert your linear fluorescent lamps to linear LED lamps, there are now more options and additional risks to consider.

LIGHTFAIR 2018 in Chicago was another great opportunity to catch up on the latest advancements in lighting and network with those in the lighting community. As you walk the aisles at the show, it becomes clear that the US lighting market is moving from being a traditional, somewhat boring commodity, to more technologically advanced and design oriented, much like it is in Europe. 

What products should you retrofit to LED first?

Our lighting experts get that question all the time. Fortunately, there’s a pretty simple answer. 

If you have any applications in your building that still have incandescent or halogen lighting, start there first. Why?

The retrofit from incandescent or halogen to LED gives you the biggest energy savings and almost always the fastest return on investment. We all want to make our money back quickly on investments, right? If you’re using linear or compact fluorescent lighting anywhere in your building, your lighting is already fairly efficient, especially when compared with incandescent or halogen lighting.