There is an interesting change happening in lighting today, whereby projects are being designed around the users of a space, rather than around the space itself. This is not so much a trend as it is a shift in mindset.

When you think of traditional office lighting, you might picture a row of fluorescent tubes, buzzing overhead and flooding the area with cool white light. In the past, such lighting systems were selected for their function and what needed to be lit, without much thought given to the users of the space. That is now changing, for a number of reasons—some of which are backed by science.

To read the full article, click here! The article was also featured in the June 2019 print edition of Electrical Business magazine. 

Thank you for featuring Calgary Lighting’s expertise Electrical Business!

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Lighting the Way with Innovative Solutions

Latif Jamani of Calgary Lighting Products talks about how lights can solve challenges like safety, operational costs and aesthetics

What’s the history of Calgary Lighting Products? When did it start? Who started the company? How many people are employed?

Jamani: Calgary Lighting Products has been around since 1972 and my father purchased it in 2001. I joined the company and took over in 2006. We’ve grown from being a residential-oriented lamp supplier to a commercial lighting distributor with full building LED retrofit capability.

We service businesses in Southern Alberta, including hospitality, commercial property management, residential property management and industrial facilities…

To read the full profile, click here!

Thank you for featuring Calgary Lighting Products’ and Latif!

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In the field of retail, lighting helps to guide consumers to what we want to show them, and, by necessity, what we want them to buy.

To this end, it is in the interest of electrical contractors and electricians to work closely with retailers to provide them with the best possible lighting products and maximize the value of their merchandise. By understanding their customers, they can help them generate more revenue, encouraging them to buy more lighting products and using their service. Everybody wins!

Click here to read the full article!

Thank you for featuring Latif and Karim L’Industrie Électrique!

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Lighting presents a HUGE financial savings opportunity that most building managers don’t fully take advantage of. This is because lighting counts for almost 40% of a building’s energy consumption, and when you combine LED lighting with lighting controls your building can maximize energy savings and significantly enhance its lighting quality.

Lights being left on in washrooms, mechanical rooms, and other rarely used spaces can cost a building thousands of dollars over the years. Control systems are very easy to install and configure, making them one of the highest ROI opportunities your building can take advantage of without sacrificing lighting quality.

Another opportunity often left on the table is HVAC controls. Many buildings have programmable thermostats, but when the promised savings are not seen it is usually a result of configuration issues. However, when the configuration is optimized, savings will soon start to stack up. The building runs smoother and we start to see the expected savings come through.

The final opportunity that often gets overlooked is plug load. This works best when stacking onto a building’s lighting and HVAC. Plug loads account for almost 5% of a buildings primary energy consumption. While optimizing plug load does require some additional initial investment, it can be the cherry on top and amplify all the savings.

A lot of energy efficiency initiatives yield a very positive ROI for all types of buildings, as evidenced by the many who have undertaken these updates. Our advice? Explore smart building technologies, and enjoy the improvement in your buildings and its impact on your bottom line!

Do you have any questions about what energy efficiency initiatives would be good for your building? Reach out to us today at info@calgarylightingproducts.com or 403.258.2988.

Want to know how you can save 20% on your building’s LED Retrofit? CLICK HERE

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In this article, we cover both the benefits of 2 options. The first option is keeping your ballast. The second option is moving to a ballast-free solution as it relates to LED Tubes (T8s being the most common).

Firstly, LED lights are very efficient with regards to energy consumption, light output, and lifespan. However, there are external factors that impact those efficiencies. Understanding these factors is imperative in order to meet and manage expectations.

If increased costs are a concern, but energy savings are desired, then a ballast compatible option could be the answer. This option delays or offsets electrical work to a more convenient time.

If you are able to pay a little more upfront, you can save the hassle of rewiring and other electrical work down the line by choosing a zero-ballast option.

Before making any decisions, ask yourself, “What is the right fit for my building?” In the condominium market, many common space areas run 24 hours/day. Also, they also most likely do not have a full-time electrician on staff.

However, given the sensitivity around cost management and balanced against operational efficiency, internal driven tubes are most efficient. This is because the building can realize all the benefits from their LED conversion.

With a growing set of lighting options, finding a trusted partner to work with is critical to selecting the right technology for your building’s needs.

Do you have any questions about which option might be the better route for you? Contact us today!

The post How to Save Almost 20% on Your Retrofit appeared first on Calgary Lighting Products.

You are probably also currently thinking “Leave me alone – I have a hundred other things that need doing at my properties, this can wait!” While you may have items that “need” doing, I would encourage everyone to take a moment and digest what is really happening here. Much of the activity in property management is reactive and as such the urgent tasks are the ones that get tended to, while the others are shifted to the back burner.

But with the new rebates, the property management industry is being incentivized to think and act proactively. Similar to how our fire-extinguishers and hot water tanks are checked on an annual basis – energy savings can be scheduled, pre-planned and easy.

As we are lighting experts at Calgary Lighting, I want to go over some of the risks of waiting to do your LED retrofit:

1) The pain is prolonged:

• Dark areas and security issues remain;
• Ad hoc costs from electrician visits;
• Replacement costs of products; and
• Your current light bulbs could be discontinued.

2) 100% of condo buildings will see a 50%+ reduction of electricity consumption related to lighting once a lighting retrofit is done.

Waiting means that you continue to pay your utility provider what you could put towards your LED retrofit – we refer to this ‘Sunk Cost’. With paybacks happening in under 3 years, a year of waiting equals 33% of your project’s cost.

3) Rebates can change or even go away: While a 10%-15% rebate on a project cost is not a deal breaker it sure is very helpful.

Rebates can incentivize a retrofit but taking too long to decide can result in rebates changing and even going away. In July 2018 rebates were so effective that we saw a dramatic change in rebate values leaving many buildings thankful that they acted in time, while a great deal of others were frustrated that they missed out on the opportunity for significant savings.

4) Costs can go up.

While LED pricing has decreased over the past 3 years, we are now starting to see the pricing level off and the efficiency of LEDs increase. This can result in a higher price point for the right product. Remember: You get what you pay for!

5) By doing a lighting retrofit, all of your fixtures will get some love from our lighting technicians.

This will help prolong the life of your fixtures. (Fist Bump) Waiting will cause further wear and tear.

The long and short of it is Do Not Wait. Make the decision that every condo will eventually have to make. The sooner you and your board make the call, the better it is for your property.

Not sure where to start? Sign up for a FREE energy audit from our lighting experts and take the first step to figuring out how you can take advantage of Alberta’s lighting rebates.

The post 5 Risks of Waiting to LED Retrofit Your Condo Building appeared first on Calgary Lighting Products.

Beyond the look that lighting adds to a building, it must also serve the greater purpose of adding security to a property. Lighting is the primary deterrent of crime on any property, so when it comes to building an effective security system, it plays a critical role.

During the design and decision-making process for security lighting, there can be a disconnect between selecting the technology (primarily cameras) and adding light to the space…

To read the full article, check out your local newstands or click here!

UPDATE March 2018: This article was also re-printed in Electrical Business’ sister publication SP&T News. 

Thanks for featuring Latif!

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Lighting the way to happier tenants

Low-cost ways to brighten your building’s curb appeal

First impressions matter, especially when it comes to apartment buildings. For many prospective tenants, the outside appearance of a rental property can make or break whether they would choose to live there. Imagine coming home from a long day at work and entering a building with a beautifully lit exterior? Good lighting with a well-thought out design not only looks more enticing, but it also improves security—and it can be done with a low capital investment.

To read the full article, click here.

Thank you for having Latif participate Canadian Apartment Magazine!

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Lighting design can make a big difference in the safety and security of a condominium. Traditionally, designing lighting specifically for security was more of an afterthought, as it was perceived as an added cost. The minimum Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) standards have always been the benchmark for many condominium developers, and properties located in urban areas tend to rely on city lighting to provide a good amount of the area lighting around buildings.

City lighting tends to focus on illuminating sidewalks and roadways, not on adding safety or security to the properties around it. City lighting requirements are also very low in areas such as alleys behind condo buildings (which may be accessed by residents if they need to get into the parking structure in their building). Because of this, much of the onus on adding lighting for security has been on condominium developers and managers…

The article, written jointly by our President Latif Jamani and Lumenix president Bryant Tse, can be read by clicking here.

Thank you for featuring Latif and Bryant!

The post In the News: CondoBusiness appeared first on Calgary Lighting Products.

In this series, we highlight awesome light installations in and around Calgary. This month we’re featuring Britannia Plaza!

Have you been to Britannia Plaza? It’s a really interesting throwback retail plaza in Calgary.

We recently helped them take their main signage to the next level. In the plaza, a custom LED light system outlines the signs and creates stunning framing as the sun goes down.

To achieve this, we used a neon LED rope. The LED rope is injection molded and is completely suitable for our cold and wet winters, along with our dry summers here in Calgary. Our talented and hardworking installation team utilized and instilled almost 300ft during January’s frigid days.

The end result is a lovely warm colour that fits perfectly with the vibe and feel of this iconic outdoor mall occupied by creative independents.

Do you have questions about how your building’s lights can be improved? Reach out to us today!

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