How LED Lighting Reduces Maintenance Costs for Facility Managers
Facility manager guide to reducing lighting maintenance costs with LED. Covers lifecycle cost analysis, re-lamping elimination, warranty coverage, and maintenance scheduling.
For facility managers, lighting maintenance is one of the largest ongoing operational costs. Traditional HID and fluorescent fixtures require regular re-lamping, ballast replacements, and emergency repairs. LED eliminates most of these costs.
The True Cost of Traditional Lighting Maintenance
Metal Halide (MH) Maintenance Cost Per Fixture Per Year
| Item | Cost | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Replacement lamp | $15-40 | Every 2-3 years |
| Ballast replacement | $50-100 | Every 4-5 years |
| Labor (lift rental + electrician) | $100-200 | Each service visit |
| Emergency replacement (burnout) | $150-300 | Unpredictable |
| Annual average maintenance | $100-200/fixture |
Fluorescent Maintenance Cost Per Fixture Per Year
| Item | Cost | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Replacement tubes (4-tube troffer) | $8-20 | Every 2-3 years |
| Ballast replacement | $30-60 | Every 5-7 years |
| Labor | $50-75 | Each visit |
| Annual average maintenance | $30-60/fixture |
LED Maintenance: Near Zero
LED fixtures have no consumable parts:
- No lamps to replace (LED chip is the fixture)
- No ballasts (LED driver lasts 100,000+ hours)
- No warm-up or restrike time
- No mercury disposal costs
- No scheduled re-lamping labor
LED Maintenance Cost Per Fixture Per Year
| Item | Cost | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning (optional) | $5-10 | Annual |
| Driver replacement (rare) | $20-40 | Every 10-15 years |
| Annual average maintenance | $5-15/fixture |
10-Year Total Cost of Ownership Comparison
Example: 100-Fixture Warehouse
| Cost Category | Metal Halide | LED (Auvolar) |
|---|---|---|
| Fixture cost | $10,000 | $8,900 |
| Installation | $5,000 | $3,750 |
| Energy (10 years) | $105,120 | $39,420 |
| Maintenance (10 years) | $100,000-200,000 | $5,000-15,000 |
| Lamp/ballast replacements | $30,000-50,000 | $0 |
| 10-Year Total | $250,000-370,000 | $57,000-67,000 |
| Savings with LED | $193,000-303,000 |
Facility Manager Checklist for LED Conversion
Recommended Products for Facility Managers
| Priority Area | Old Fixture | Auvolar Replacement | Annual Maintenance Saved |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warehouse | 400W MH High Bay | UFO High Bay 150W ($89) | $100-200/fixture |
| Parking lot | 250W HPS Shoebox | OT Series 150W ($129) | $80-150/fixture |
| Office | 4-tube fluorescent | LED Troffer 50W ($49) | $30-60/fixture |
| Stairwell | CFL can light | LED Downlight ($15) | $20-40/fixture |
| Exterior | HPS Wall Pack | LED Wall Pack 80W ($72) | $50-100/fixture |
Get Started
Auvolar works with facility managers nationwide to plan and execute LED conversions. Contact us for a free energy audit and lighting design: sales@auvolar.com | (626) 342-8856.
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