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A Brighter Green Solution

Successful retail lighting promotes sales by making your merchandise come alive. It also costs you money. According to the United States Department of Energy, lighting accounts for 37% of total energy use in retail operations. The more energy you use, the higher your costs.

By upgrading your lighting system you can save money, add to your store's profitability, and contribute to a greener environment, without compromising your sales. To create the right atmosphere, utilize different light sources that reduce energy usage without decreasing the quantity and quality of light. Read on to learn more specifics.

When light is created, heat is the byproduct. Today's lighting technology has changed the ratio of heat produced to the amount of light generated, making some lighting solutions more energy-efficient than others. The more heat that is produced the more air conditioning is required. Electricity and air conditioning suck up costly power. Energy-efficient solutions like metal halide and LED light sources are more expensive to implement but less expensive to maintain. Legislation in many states now dictates certain efficiencies for manufacturers and retailers to produce greener solutions, despite the costs.

Be savvy.
Low wattage metal halide contributes longer lamp light and has a higher color rendition index (CRI). A high CRI, like the contrast adjustment on your television, makes color appear more natural. To ensure customers aren't choosing a red sleeper which turns out to be purple outside your store, choose a light which provides a high CRI. Initially, metal halide is more expensive ($45 versus $8 for older technology) but you save energy by getting the same punch from a 25-watt metal halide lamp as from a 90-watt halogen lamp.

Both tungsten halogen and incandescent lamps use a tungsten filament to produce light. Incandescent lights are used more residentially and are less energy efficient. Tungsten halogen has been widely used for retail ambient light but, because of the heat it produces to create that wonderful white light, its usage must be carefully considered. The new Osram Sylvania MR16 IR (infra-red) lamps challenge that. These tungsten-halogen lamps have an IR coating which reflects the heat back into the filament, producing more light and making the bulbs more energy efficient. This means that a 37-watt bulb can produce the same light as an older 50-watt bulb, saving approximately $5.70 per fixture per year. (Finances are calculated at 10 cents a kilowatt hour). For example, try fitting these lamps into existing track heads for an added saving (www.sylvania.com).

Fluorescents were for a long time considered the workhorse of the retail design industry. Today compact fluorescents are the buzz. Energy efficiency makes them a greener solution for ambient light but compact fluorescents won't provide any drama or sparkle. Recent medical studies have shown that headaches often result from over-reliance on this light source. For example, if you have the long tube fluorescent lamps, change to a watt saver lamp with a green end, which has less mercury. You will save energy and be environmentally friendly.

If you're choosing a fluorescent, choose a warm color temperature lamp (3500 Kelvin) to make customers and merchandise look their best. A combination of tungsten halogen and low-wattage fluorescent is a good choice for high CRI and to create a bright and welcoming space.

LEDs or (light emitting diodes) create sparkle in a high-quality focal light: a semi-conductor emits visible light when an electrical current is passed through it. Because they have no ultraviolet rays in the beam, they don't cause discoloration or fading, even if placed close to your merchandise. Currently, LED light strips provide bright accents close to merchandise but cannot be used for down lighting. For example, LED light strips under each wood shelf provide wonderful sparkle and color rendering with no fading (Stylmark.com).

Ceramic metal halide (CMH) lamps are energy efficient and have a high CRI rating. Although they are initially more expensive, they last longer than tungsten halogen: 12,000 hours versus 4,000. One 70-watt CMC fixture can replace four 50-watt tungsten halogen MR16 fixtures, enabling a greener solution. For example, try a Phillips (www.phillips.com) self ballasted 25-watt metal halide PAR 38 lamp in your existing track head if it will fit.

Ongoing research and developments in the lighting field make this a dynamic and fast-changing world. You'll need expert help to navigate. Do your own research, then hire an experienced lighting or retail designer to work with you. The decisions you make will depend on the type of merchandise you sell and the store itself: its height of ceilings, paint color, and the availability of natural light via windows, skylights, or solar tubes. Effective retail lighting relies on a combination of sources: LED, ceramic metal halide, tungsten halogen, fluorescent, and incandescent.

A GUIDE TO GREEN LIGHTING CHOICES

1. Make sure your light fixtures are readily accessible for staff to change. A store's good looks are compromised by burned-out lamps and dim light.
   
   
2. Choose semi-gloss VOC (volatile oil compounds) paint walls in metallic or light bright shades to reflect available light back into the space; use one or two darker accent walls which absorb the color for an attractive green color solution.
   
   
3. If you are renovating or building, save money with a lay-in ceiling, rather than a dry-walled one and install new high-energy lighting.
   
   
4. Light your entire store, with special focus on the back to bring customers inside.

Editorial provided by Ruth Mellergaard, BID, FIIDA, CID. Ruth is a partner in GRID/3 International, a retail design firm in Manhattan. GRID/3 International creats profitable selling environments; efficient attractive offices and stunning showrooms. Other commercial design is available on commission. www.grid3.com