Completing a lighting audit is a helpful tool for keeping lighting projects on time and on budget. Are they a must-have?

Well, not on every project, but in some situations, the risks of foregoing an audit may greatly increase the likelihood of completing that project late or over budget.

What are the benefits of a lighting audit? In general, a quality audit will give you a better handle on the expected project cost and return on investment. Additionally, it will give you a clearer picture of installation conditions, minimizing surprises when it’s time to install.
But if you immediately see dollar signs when you read the phrase “lighting audit,” it’s worth remembering that there are a number of ways to capture the necessary information based on the type of project. We’ve found that pairing the right audit approach can have a significant positive effect on our clients’ success in completing their projects and meeting the goals imposed on them.

So, how do you know where to begin and what type of lighting audit you need?
For starters, let’s look at the two very basic categories of projects we encounter:

1. Simple lighting projects
A project qualifies as simple if the facility meets the following criteria:

Building is less than 10,000 square feet
Three or less lighting fixture types involved
Only screw-in retrofits (no retrofit kits or fixture replacements)
No advanced controls or dimming systems required
This type of project can still have a lot of moving parts and often spans a large number of locations, but the scope of the installation is relatively simple.

The most common example of a simple project is a retail store.

2. Complex lighting projects
A project qualifies as complex if the facility meets any of these criteria:

More than 10,000 square feet in size
More than three lighting fixture types
Involves retrofit kits and fixture replacements
Contains advanced controls or dimming systems
Complex projects usually take place in restaurants with a dimming system, shopping malls, university campuses, and commercial office buildings, among many other places.

A guide to Regency’s lighting surveys and audit types
Once you’ve determined if your lighting project classifies as either simple or complex, you need to decide what type of lighting audit is best for your application.

There are four types of lighting surveys or audits we typically consider:

Self Survey
Regency Survey
Lighting Audit
Electrical Audit
*Please note that the types of audits offered by other companies may vary. The below is specific to Regency.

So how do you decide which type of audit/ survey is best for your project? We’ve created the following guide to help explain the difference between lighting surveys and lighting audits and help you decide which is right for your project.

 

 

Understanding the options will help you make great decisions and set you up for success. Whether you’re completing a simple project or a complex project, a lighting audit is an important tool for dialing in the right scope of work and minimizing budgetary and installation risks.

If you’re ready to begin a lighting retrofit project but are still unsure of where to start, please contact us ,we are pleasure guide you in the right direction.

Email: [email protected]

 

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