Not sure if this fits in PR, but that’s where I’m putting it.
I did some analysis into the lighting fixtures that DMS has and they’re… outdated. Primarily using T12 fluorescent fixtures that are pretty badly outdated. Luckily, there are better options in LED lighting now. Our standard 2x4 “troffers” (basically, the drop-ceiling lights) have LED drop-in replacements available.
Attached is the basic cost analysis. I’m basically assuming we get lower-mid range troffers and use a combination of electrician and volunteer labor to install them for $125/fixture. I’m completely ignoring environmental and ancillary benefits (the wasted flourescent heat in the summer is like running 10 space heaters on full blast - the AC doesn’t like that).
There is basically a $4/month payback on this project with breakeven in under 3 years. I think it makes sense to get as much of the expansion worked through prior to committee occupancy. I’d be willing to take the lead in organizing the electrician(s), providing some labor, and sourcing the lights.
Total cost for the expansion would be 10k, but this is a project that lends itself to getting done in smaller stages.Lighting Upgrade.pdf (108.6 KB)
To echo what Beth has said, we started doing this more than 2 years ago and have likely updated well over 100 fixtures by now if not almost all of Suite 104. I championed initial funding and personally upgraded dozens of them.
Yeah, I’ve had that thought that a wholesale upgrade is not in the budget right now. What’s our bank balance at this point? I know asking how much money we have always invites a range of answers…
I think targeting the areas in the expansion that would be a pain to do once we’re occupying it could still be a good idea. We could probably hit the key areas (places where machines will be) and put the rest on hold.
I saw the warehouse got converted, thats a great idea just from a standpoint of trying to source 8ft T12 lamps in the future.
The path we took on fixture upgrades was initially just BAU logistics work: swap out dead/dying magnetic T12 ballasts for electronic T8 ballasts: 128W per fixture vs 160W for the same output. We typically did 2-6 per weekend.
In mid-2016 I started looking at retrofit tubes. I discovered that while there are many models out there that claim compatibility with ballasts, they have three glaring flaws:
They don’t work with T12 ballasts at all
The T8 ballasts they work with are by no means comprehensive
Using a ballast at all simply introduces another component to fail
We chose to re-wire the fixtures for a mere additional ~$4 per quad fixture and use direct-AC tubes. At the time it cost us something like ~$52 a fixture since the labor was free (volunteer). Throw in an electrician and the costs will go up because of labor - even more if they insist on supplying any of the materials.
Per-fixture hardware cost should be slightly lower now that the tubes can be had for about $10 each.
I had some discussions with the expansion team and recommended converting the 8’ dual T12s to quad T8s (LED) for the sake of component availability/commonality. @John_Marlow may be able to further comment on expansion priorities and budgets.
The trick is not so much how much we’ve got right this minute so much as our basic wariness on spending on extras while the expansion is still going on. Who knows what we might have to spend? Better to play it close to our chest on everything except essentials.