As a retailer, you’re likely to have lost a significant amount of money from the COVID-19 pandemic. Having to continue paying for rent on a store that you can’t even open during lockdown is incredibly frustrating- but one thing you’ve probably noticed is how much money you’ve saved on electricity bills.
Stores depend on bright lighting to catch the eye of customers, so it’s inevitable that lighting is going to run up some bills. But while you can’t completely reduce the cost of your lighting when you next open, there are things you can do to save energy and money when it comes to lighting:
Use Low-Energy Bulbs
Whether your store uses ambient, accent or decorative lighting- or a combination of all three- you should make sure that your bulbs are the LED, low energy type. Energy saving light bulbs last up to 12 times as long as traditional bulbs, while using less energy than a traditional bulb.
You probably have multiple different types of light bulbs in your store- but if they’re not LED, then stores like Any-Lamp have got you covered. Any-Lamp offer incredibly versatile LED spotlights that can be used for general or accent lighting within your store, and since all their bulbs are energy efficient, you’ll be confident that you’re saving money. To take a look at Any-Lamp’s full collection of spotlights, click here.
Replace Outdated Light Fittings
Most of us are probably already aware of the effect of outdated bulbs on our energy bills, but did you know that the light fittings themselves can also have an effect on energy consumption? If you don’t inspect, maintain and replace your store’s light fittings at frequent intervals, then you might find yourself using more energy than you need.
If your lights are humming and flickering, not only is this off-putting for customers, but it’s also a sign that you need to replace your fittings.
Install Sensors Or Timers
While sensors can’t be implemented on the shop-front, they’re great for use in employee areas like bathrooms and the staff kitchen area. A sensor will detect when there’s a person in the room and turn the lights on and off accordingly.
Timers can be used both on the shop-front and in private employee areas, and are useful for areas where your employees might not always remember to turn off the lights. You can control most timers from your phone, so you can turn on and off the lights no matter where you are.
Perform Routine Light Maintenance
It’s not the most exciting of jobs, but you should make sure you’re cleaning lighting rigs on a regular basis to free them from dust and grime. In fact, lights that aren’t adequately maintained can reduce lighting levels by up to 30% a year, which will consequently have a significant impact on your energy bill.
As well as cleaning, you should also regularly test and replace bulbs to make sure that your shop’s lighting is always performing up to a high standard.
