Lighting retrofits are among the most promising opportunities for electrical contractors right now, which is great news for your business growth. But with margins tightening and clients expecting more work in less time, you can’t afford to make mistakes that eat into your profits.
Here are the most common mistakes contractors and their team members make while working on LED lighting retrofit projects—and some tips from an experienced electric contractor to help you avoid these mistakes.
“Safety First!” is an old motto, but it still rings true to experienced lighting and electrical auditors: You simply can’t afford to get hurt on the job.
Being safe during an electrical audit helps preserve your client relationships, maximizes your profit and most importantly, keeps you injury-free so you can continue working, growing your business and enjoying life.
Sounds great … but how do you optimize your safety processes when every job is in a different setting?
Electrical contractors know new doesn’t automatically mean better.
If a tool or technique works reasonably well, why risk the potential cost and disruption of switching to an unproven alternative, like energy retrofit software? Paper is cheap, and you already have an Excel license. Plus, any new software typically comes with a learning period (and maybe a little grumbling from employees.)
As it turns out though, energy retrofit software can quickly pay for itself, and then some—and in ways you might not have expected.
There were over 12 billion devices connected to the Internet of Things by 2021. By 2025, the IoT will have over 27 billion endpoints (according to IoT Analytics).
Lighting technology will account for a large percentage of those new IoT devices. Will your retrofit company have a hand in installing them?
In an industry where work is done in the field, for many energy and retrofit contractors, digital marketing isn’t top of mind. While an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach might work for some, retrofit companies that want to remain competitive have begun to embrace digital marketing to drive new sales and growth.
It’s no secret the construction industry has been experiencing a labor shortage for a while.
But now, it’s even worse. In 2020, more baby boomers retired than ever before. This wave of pandemic-motivated early retirements is expected to continue throughout 2022 and beyond.
The loss of the older generation of workers has hit the lighting and energy retrofit industry particularly hard. The wave of new generations of skilled workers is forcing businesses to prioritize sustainability & ESG initiatives as a way to attract top talent to their organiziation.
The LED lighting revolution has been excellent for retrofitters, building owners, and anyone who values energy efficiency — but there have been a few downsides for those tasked with product information management.
The pace of change in the commercial lighting market nearly matches the breakneck speed for which the microchip field is notorious. Lifecycles, efficacy, and performance are improving at such a rapid rate that the industry can barely absorb all the product information coming at it.
Many energy service companies (ESCOs) and contractors aren’t set up for this challenge. Simply maintaining a catalog and parts list almost requires a full-time person.
Lighting retrofit companies have two basic options when it comes to commercial energy audit software. You can either develop your own software or purchase software from a third party.
The do-it-yourself route does have a certain appeal. When you develop software in-house, you can tailor it to your firm’s specific needs and workflow — in theory, anyway.
In a recent report, “Building a Connected Business,” the National Association of Electronic Distributors (NAED) wrote, “Digital transformation goes beyond technology to reflect a mindset of constant innovation, fast decision-making, and the integration of technology into all phases” of an electrical business.
Frank Agraz would agree with that definition. And he knows what it means for the future of the lighting industry.
America may have as many as eight parking spaces for every car, and a large proportion of those spaces are contained in corporate parking structures.
Considering the average parking space consumes 180 square feet of space, plus additional square footage for entrance and egress, parking garages may represent one of the most significant—and overlooked—opportunities for LED lighting retrofitters in the market.
