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The Advantages of Parking Lot Lighting

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The Advantages of Parking Lot Lighting

By Charlotte Bonita – Commercial Lighting Blogger 

There are a number of advantages to parking lot lighting than you might have initially thought. These can come in the form of design, professionalism, and security. Just as installing lighting will have advantages in the safety of pedestrians, it can also include advances in design, professional status, and attraction of a business. Have a look at the following pros of parking lot lighting, and why it is something you should consider.

Protecting Your Business

Installing parking lot lighting protects your business in terms of the security and safety of your business’s assets. If your business has an unlit parking lot, then it’s more likely to attract unwanted attention from thieves and burglars who are looking to stay out of sight before potentially performing a break-in.

If a building becomes attractive to the wrong kind of audience, expensive computers and other equipment are at stake, and there is no guarantee, despite security systems, that robbery will not be attempted during the late hours of the night.

While it is advisable to install security systems or cameras alongside parking lot lighting to ensure the highest level of security and prevention of risks, parking lot lighting is a factor that will help towards lowering the risk of criminal activities.

Protecting Pedestrians

Installing lighting into a parking lot also improves the safety of on goers and pedestrians. While a dark parking lot can be a perfect lurking spot for criminals and thieves, a well-lit-up area creates a safer environment for passers-by and local pedestrians.

Parking lot lighting also creates a safer environment for employees who might be working late or leaving their car in the parking lot. It gets dark early in winter and fall, which means staff who might be walking to their car on their way home are far more likely to get robbed than if the area was completely illuminated.

It is also a safety precaution in terms of driving in the pitch-black darkness, as pulling out of a parking space is a lot harder in this case. To prevent any unnecessary accidents, installing parking lot lighting can help.

Design

The installments of lights in a parking lot can not only improve the safety and security of the area and your business’s assets but can also create a better sense of environment and design. Lighting will illuminate the parking lot as well as the building where the business is present, making it stand out and look more presentable.

Professionalism

Installing parking lot lighting gives the building and business a higher professional status, making it appear well kitted out and ready for any clients who might come to visit.

Businesses that don’t have parking lot lighting installed will appear less practical than those who do, and clients visiting for meetings will be safer if the area is lit.

Overall, parking lot lighting might seem like an extra mile to go, but in fact, the extra mile you go will heighten the level of safety, security, design, and professionalism a business already possesses.

If you are interested in upgrading any lighting design for your business you need to first contact the professionals at ESP! We will help you from there!

Business Energy-Saving Tips

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12 Small Business Energy-Saving Tips

By: constellation.com

  1. Get an energy audit. An energy audit can help determine your baseline energy use and offer a clear outline for ways to save energy at work. A professional will then come out to your business and do a full inspection of your location to check for air leaks, insulation issues, or opportunities to install energy-efficient lighting. Contact ESP services to get started!

  2. Purchase energy-efficient office equipment. Before you buy or lease office electronics, check to see if they are ENERGYSTAR-rated. An ENERGYSTAR-rated appliance has been evaluated and deemed energy-efficient, which can save you money and help you manage your small business energy costs, especially in the long run.
  3. Reduce Peak Demand. One of the best ways to save electricity in an office is to reduce your peak demand. The phrase “peak demand” refers to the hours in a day when energy usage is at its highest. Peak demand times are typically normal office hours (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.). You can reduce your demand during this time by staggering work hours/start times, running heavy equipment and factory equipment during the evening and early morning hours, and conserving energy throughout the day.
  4. Program your thermostats. This is one of those office energy-saving tips that is especially relevant for a 9-5 workplace. You don’t need to heat or cool a workplace after everyone has gone home for the night. Even if your team’s hours vary, using programmable or smart thermostats to manage the temperature during “off” hours can make a big difference. 

  5. Turn off lights when not in use. It might seem like a no-brainer, but in a typical office, lights stay on in areas like break rooms, bathrooms, or conference rooms, even when those spaces aren’t being used. Sensor lights can help to keep the lights on when needed, but off when they’re not.
  6. Use energy-efficient light bulbs. It’s one of the easiest and simplest energy-saving ideas in the workplace: switch out your regular incandescent bulbs with energy-efficient bulbs such as CFL or LED. This will help you use a significantly less amount of electricity.
  7. Take advantage of natural sunlight. If you’re fortunate enough to have an office space where there’s abundant natural light, use it! On a sunny day, you might not need to turn on the lights at all in areas where windows can give all the illumination you need. While using passive solar heating might not seem like one of the ways to save energy at work, it really does help. The fewer kilowatt-hours of energy you use, the less you have to pay.
  8. Start running fans. You can reduce your energy usage in the workplace simply and easily by running fans in offices, warehouses, showrooms, and kitchens. Fans keep air flowing so your HVAC unit can run more efficiently.
  9. Power down computers and other office equipment at the end of the day. If computers are not being used through the hours when your staff isn’t working, have your team be in the habit of shutting them down before they leave. Turning off and unplugging as many devices as possible at the end of the day is a simple way to cut back. This includes energy efficient coffee makers, toasters, and similar appliances.
  10. Prevent “Phantom energy”. Phantom energy is the energy that is still being used by equipment that remains plugged in but not in use. A great office energy-saving tip is to have your computer peripherals (printers, monitors, etc.) connected to power strips (aka “surge protectors”) so that the flip of a single switch can shut down several devices at a time.
  11. Think outside your building. Are you in control of the landscaping around your business? If so, you have a great opportunity to create energy savings for your small business with energy-efficient landscaping. Strategically planting trees to block winds or provide shade on hot summer days can help reduce your heating and cooling costs.
  12. Get employees engaged in energy-efficient practices. If you, as the business owner, are looking to reduce electricity costs, that’s great! But that may only get you so far. Inspiring employees to be energy-efficient in their day-to-day work lives may take some time, but check out our page on Improving Employee’s Energy-Saving Practices to see tips and tricks on how to raise morale while lowering small business energy costs.

Have more questions? Contact ESP today!