CFLs also save on cooling loads and replacement costs due to their cool operating temperature and long life. This retrofit has a payback of only 2 to 5 years, depending on your existing system and hours of operation. Tandem wiring of ballasts cuts retrofits costs further. Controls The energy savings from control systems depend greatly on the baseline usage patterns, but savings between 10 and 45 percent are typical. Table 3 shows some costs and potential savings for a few common lighting control systems.
Controls clearly can save a great deal on lighting energy costs.
In addition to saving energy, controls extend the calendar lifetime of lamps, reducing overall replacement frequency. Implementing the following tips will help maintain the energy efficiency and effectiveness of a lighting system. If light levels drop to low, it may be necessary to change out lamps before they burnout. In some cases, it may be most cost-effective to replace all lamps based on a threshold determined by lumen depreciation, instead of replacing lamps as they burn out. Ventilated lighting units tend to collect dirt less rapidly than those with closed tops.