How much is your lighting installation costing you?

Lighting choices can mean the difference between debt and profit.

We recently met a new client for some work in their jewellery retail store. Upon inspection it was noted that the light fitting choices were costing this business big dollars in running costs.

We discussed some options which should seriously be considered and offered to do some calculations for them. As it turned out, looking at only the main area portion of the shop, their fittings were costing them over $3,600 per year in running costs. The same installation using LED technology fittings would only cost them about $1,100 per year.

That's a saving of about $2,500 in running costs alone. This doesn't take into consideration the costs of maintaining the ageing fittings. Even a conservative cost calculation for half of the existing fittings requiring 1 lamp to be replaced each year, it worked out to approximately another $1000 in maintenance costs.

This is a conservative total saving of about $3,500 every year

Yeah, but LED's are expensive to install right? I hear you say.
Well, let's look at that.

The upgrade works in this situation came to a total of $7,980 to replace the existing fittings with LEDs. Therefore, there is a "payback period" of approximately 2 years and then EVERY YEAR after, they're SAVING a minimum of $3,500 until 2022 (using an LED lamp life 50,000 hrs).

Not to mention, there are also government grants available, where financial assistance is offered to carry out these kind of upgrade works. 50% of the cost up to a payment of $5,000

What does this mean?
(1) The current installation is throwing money down the drain and this transformation can turn it around
(2) There are NO RE-LAMPING COSTS until 2022.

What does this really mean?
That's $28, 000 in their pocket !!

When would you like to start saving money on your outgoing costs ??

Thanks for reading,
Brian
excelcommercialservices.com.au

Safety First (safety switch testing)

Do you work in an office where you have your own electrical switch board?

I recently inspected a company’s premises to price some work and happened to notice a low end brand safety switch in their distribution board for the local area. Whilst on the premises, I offered to test the device as traditionally with low end devices, quality is compromised. I just felt a need to test this device, for the client’s and my peace of mind.

The device failed the test!

“Ok, so what” I hear you ask.

Well, safety switches are there to save people from electrocution. If power is going somewhere it shouldn’t be, the safety switch will detect the missing power and trip the circuit. This “lost power” could be going to you or one of your staff and result in a fatal injury. The reason could be from faulty equipment, an undetected accident or just simple nativity to the consequences of actions. It could also be said that they could potentially reduce the risk of a fire hazard in some cases.

Thankfully, in this case, it was found before anything happened and the company proceeded straight away to go ahead and replace the faulty protective device, together with 5 other locations.

So, how about we make sure everyone makes it home after work each day.

Don’t cut costs in electrical materials. It is always a better policy to allocate sufficient funds to an installation’s materials. Quality materials provide consistency in delivery of their intended purpose and in the long run save you expensive emergency service calls for return visits, faults or breakdowns and possibly even lives.

Safety switches are particularly not an item to cut costs on. In your business or your home.

You can do a basic (manufacturer provided) device test by pressing the test button on your safety switch once every six months at a minimum. Use the services of a qualified electrician to carry out a technical test on your devices for trip time measurements annually. If there is a suspect device, don’t risk the safety of your employees or yourself (or our family) and replace them straight away.

Setting up a proactive annual inspection, testing and maintenance program can usually eliminate those expensive service calls, breakdowns and loss of time (and money). So don’t skimp on electrical protective devices like safety switches. Pay a bit more up front, to save you in the future.

You can talk to us about having all the devices in your premises tested on an annual program today.

Live long, live safe!
Brian

excelcommercialservices.com.au

Bringing the old in line with the new (NSW fire system regulation)

Why, when a new regulation is put in place for a realised need, do we not bring other installations in line to meet that need at the same time?

Commendations to NSW Minister for Planning & Infrastructure, Brad Hazzard, who announced today that all aged care facilities (ACF) across NSW will now be required to be fitted with automatic fire sprinkler systems.

All new ACF buildings have required these measures since 2002 and now all existing facilities begin, in January 2013, to require the same requirement. This means about 600 buildings across NSW which currently do not comply and this represents approximately 55% of the existing NSW ACF operators who will now have up to 3 yrs to install wet fire systems.

The Fire Protection Association Australia also commends the move - “In light of the tragic loss of life that occurred in the Quakers Hill nursing home fire in November 2011, it is fantastic to see the NSW Government delivering this vital reform...” - FPA Australia CEO Scott Williams.

Click here to read more information

It's about time !

Brian

excelcommercialservices.com.au