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Proper lighting in the workplace positively impacts workforce performance and productivity. In a warehouse setting, adequate lighting is also necessary to create a safe working environment and prevent accidents!
That being said, over-flooding a warehouse with lights and keeping them turned on all the time certainly isn’t the right way to keep the business running. Because warehouses are typically large buildings requiring a number of lighting fixtures, they can generate a substantial electricity bill each month.
Not being conscious of the lighting not only translates to greater expenditure on electricity but also means wastage of nonrenewable energy resources. If you’re ready to make your warehouse lighting energy-efficient, take a note of these 3 tips.
Daylighting can help save on energy and electricity costs, while also improving productivity. But daylighting isn’t just about adding windows and skylights to let in more light; it’s the controlled admission of natural light incorporating many technologies and design philosophies. Depending on building design, daylighting can vary tremendously in both scope and cost.
Here are some tactics to use daylighting in warehouses:
• Morning, afternoon, and evening ambient light levels keep on changing owing to the sun’s changing positions. Light levels also vary according to the seasons! Note that windows facing north provide consistent light but can lead to heat loss and thermal discomfort in winters. Windows facing south can let in the winter sun, warming up the building. To make the most of natural light, talk to a daylighting expert who can point out seemingly insignificant elements like window angles and skylight positions that contribute to sufficient ambient light.
• Large buildings like warehouses have larger light requirements, so it’s a good idea to space out windows and skylights evenly. To avoid patches of bright, focused light, use filters to provide diffused light.
• It’s important for buildings housing electronic equipment to remain at a consistent temperature all through the day and night. Skylights and windows can help maintain a steady, controlled temperature for efficient operation.
It’s impossible for natural light to cover all indoor areas of large buildings, so fill in the gaps with artificial lighting to keep light levels steady. But don’t overdo it; be sure to balance light levels and energy efficiency or you’ll be wasting energy resources and money!
Consider these points:
A variety of tasks like packaging, shipping, office work, etc. might take place under a single area. All of these tasks require different light levels for worker safety and better productivity. Lighting levels also depend on factors like the age of workers, how active an area is, whether spaces are open or obstructed, and size of items handled in all the areas.
Determine the minimum lumen and footcandle levels needed for all areas in the warehouse. While a lumen measures the total amount of visible light emitted by a source, a footcandle measures the amount of light from that source reaching nearby surfaces.
Remember that warehouse work surfaces include both vertical and horizontal planes. Vertical light levels help workers read labels and cartons, or see what’s ahead of them while driving forklifts. On the other hand, horizontal light levels can aid workers in paperwork. Do stick to the prescribed average to minimum ratios when lighting vertical and horizontal levels!
Light Emitting Diodes or LEDs are changing the way we see lighting in warehouses and similar buildings. They come in a range of fixtures like or low bay lights, industrial strip lights, portable lighting, explosion proof lighting, and vapor proof lighting for wet locations, among others. As such, they can suit varied industrial applications.
LED lights have numerous advantages over Compact Fluorescent Lamps or CFLs and metal halide lamps. Here are some of them:
• LEDs are semiconductor devices that emit light upon activation. These solid state devices can reduce lighting-related electricity costs by 75%! In warehouses, where lights need to remain switched on for longer periods of time, this means greater savings.
• LED lights help reduce electricity bills by consuming less energy to produce light.
• LEDs have directional capability and can produce focused light. This cuts down on wasted light and energy.
• Unlike traditional lighting fixtures that produce more heat, LEDs convert majority of total energy consumed into visible light.
• LED lights manage heat well and can work well in high as well as low temperatures.
• These lights are tough- they are mounted on a circuit board and don’t have filaments or glass enclosures. Being breakage-resistant and immune to vibrations and impacts, they are perfect for warehouses.
• LEDs have and choosing one that’s appropriate for industrial environments can help manage glare. These fixtures also come with specialized optics that help minimize glare and direct brightness.
• These lights produce little IR rays and almost zero UV rays, making them safe for warehouses storing chemicals or using sophisticated machinery. LED lights are also free of mercury!
• LEDs are being increasingly well-designed by manufacturers, making them error-free and reducing maintenance costs.
For a warehouse environment to function at its best, it’s essential to have the right lighting. That being said, unnecessary lighting fixtures can waste energy and build up electricity bills.
The trick to adequate warehouse lighting lies in paying attention to the details! With the tips given here, you now know what you need to do for energy-efficient lighting. So get started and put this information to good use!
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