LIGHTING RETROFIT – CASE STUDY

66,500 Sq Ft –
Pet Supply Warehouse
& Distribution Centre

Overview

LOCATION: SURREY, B.C.

PROJECT DATE: 2022

TOTAL COSTS: $175k ($135K w/ incentive)

BCHYDRO INCENTIVE: $40,000

This pet supply distribution centre consists of 66,500 sq.ft. of active warehouse space, open docking areas, and office space. Founded in 1977, this company is currently the largest distributor of pet supplies in Western Canada. The facility typically operates Monday – Friday, 15 hours per day.

Problem

The facility was utilizing a combination of fluorescent and metal halide lights. Over time, the facility’s operations had evolved, making the original lighting design insufficient. Facility owners had delayed a lighting retrofit due to budget constraints. Aisle lighting was installed incorrectly and burned out leading to dark areas between high racking. Energy bills were $28K/year due to inefficient lighting and there was a lack of automatic motion or shutoff controls to turn off lights when not in use. Additionally, maintenance costs were $8000/year as ballasts and lamps had to constantly be replaced due to ageing lights. The price of ballasts were increasing and getting harder to find as manufactures were phasing out production. Lastly, the facility owners wanted to install EV chargers but the electrical load was at capacity so it was not an option for them.

Before

• Outdated & inefficient lighting design

• Lack of lighting controls

• High energy bills

• Ballasts hard to purchase due to lack of supply

• High maintenance costs

Before

• Safety concerns

• Frequent burnouts

• Dark aisles making it hard to sort and locate product

• Lights installed incorrectly, not parallel to aisle direction

Before

• Poor lighting in office areas

• Colour shifting

• Poor lighting in office areas

• Colour shifting

• Low light levels in specialized task areas

Solution

This was a full-scale lighting retrofit where the entire lighting system was updated. We approached the space with a fresh perspective and redesigned the lighting with energy-efficient LED fixtures and smart wireless controls. Thrive reduced product costs and ensured the highest energy savings by replacing 410 non-LED fixtures with 310 LED luminaires (not a one for one swap). Even after reducing 100 light fixtures, Thrive was still able to increase existing light levels by 144%, creating a brighter, safer, and more productive work environment.

A lighting control system, Signify Interact Pro, was also installed. The system is equipped with advanced features, such as data analysis tools and real-time monitoring capabilities, which make it a powerful solution for various. commercial & industrial applications. This is the largest installation of Interact in Canada to date. The entire warehouse lighting can now be managed wirelessly any where in the world. Not only that but lighting maintenance costs were reduced to $0; the luminaires, controls, and installation come with a 5 year warranty.

With the BCHydro incentive and our unique financing program, this facility was able to install this amazing new LED lighting system with ZERO upfront costs. This client will enjoy immediate savings on monthly energy bills, while paying off the retrofit through these savings. The return on investment will be achieved in 4 years for this project, but the savings will continue for the life time of the new lighting system.

The LED retrofit also reduced the buildings electrical load due to reduced energy use. Thrive installed 2 Siemens electric vehicle chargers, which wouldn’t have been possible with the previous lighting system.