In 2006, ProLogis teamed with a leading industrial lighting vendor and a lighting design and project management firm to develop a lighting retrofit and standardization program for its extensive portfolio of industrial properties. Our analysis has shown that lighting is by far the largest electrical load in our facilities, consuming potentially up to 70% of a warehouse's electricity. Therefore one of our greatest opportunities to reduce the environmental impact of our warehouses is by installing high-efficiency lighting.
Under the program, standard metal halide lighting systems are being replaced with new T5 and T8 fluorescent lights, often coupled with photoelectric cells and motion sensors. Such a retrofit can cut lighting electricity use by as much as 75 percent. T5 and T8 lights are also rust free, easy to clean, and dust- and moisture-resistant. In addition, they can enable customers to leverage cash rebates and other incentives offered by local utilities. Suppliers estimate that a customer can fully recoup its investment in a fluorescent lighting system in as little as 15 months, depending on the cost of electricity per kilowatt-hour, the number of units being replaced and the hours of operation.
ProLogis' partnership with the lighting products provider offers discounted lighting services and products to customers. More than a dozen companies have already installed these lighting systems at ProLogis facilities. The brochure and worksheet at the right explain more details of the program and help determine payback estimates to determine the feasibility of installation.
