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Already Using LED? How ESCOs Assess the Next Lighting Upgrade
Should you upgrade existing LED lighting?
To decide whether to upgrade existing LED lighting, assess its current energy use, condition, light quality and controls. Retain fixtures that perform well. Consider controls where lights run unnecessarily, and selective replacement where documented problems justify it. Calculate savings against the LEDs installed today before recommending a project.
Establish the real LED baseline
An existing LED lighting assessment starts with what is operating on site. Record each fixture group by location, quantity, model and system input wattage. Use the installed equipment and its current settings as the basis for comparison.
Verify the equipment and wattage
Collect fixture labels, driver information and manufacturer specifications where available. For selectable-wattage fixtures, record the installed setting rather than copying the highest wattage from the product family’s datasheet.
Keep verified information separate from assumptions. If a label is inaccessible or the model cannot be confirmed, flag it for follow-up before the estimate relies on it.
Record how the installation operates
For each area, document:
Fixture quantities and which units are working.
System input watts at the relevant operating setting.
Lighting schedules, including cleaning and after-hours use.
Existing sensors, timers, dimming and manual overrides.
Differences between normal operation and full output.
An LED to LED retrofit should be assessed against this baseline. Where existing controls already reduce operating time or output, include their effect in the current energy estimate. Otherwise, the proposed upgrade may receive credit for savings the site already achieves.
Check operating hours, light quality, failures and maintenance
Compare lighting hours with occupied hours
Ask when each area needs light, then check when its fixtures actually operate. Review shift patterns, shutdown periods, cleaning schedules and areas that remain lit between visits.
Site opening hours are only a starting point. A distribution centre may operate throughout the day while individual storage areas are accessed intermittently. Record those differences before assigning one annual operating schedule to the entire building.
Identify the lighting problem
Document dark work areas, glare complaints, uneven coverage and changes to racking or room layouts. Note where each issue occurs and what staff are trying to do there.
Treat complaints as a reason to investigate, rather than immediate proof that every fixture needs replacing. Compare the installed equipment and layout with the current task requirements. If light levels need measuring or the design needs review, identify that work separately.
Review failures and maintenance records
Ask for records of fixture and driver replacements, repeat faults and access costs. Separate a recurring problem in one fixture group from isolated failures elsewhere.
Check available warranty information and replacement-part support before pricing a full changeout. A replacement proposal should identify which costs it addresses and show how those costs were estimated.
Retaining the installation is a valid recommendation when the fixtures work well, lighting suits the tasks and the proposed changes offer little additional value.
Controls compatibility and avoidable hours
Before recommending that a customer add controls to existing LED fixtures, answer two questions: can the installed equipment support the proposed control method, and is there meaningful operating time or output to reduce?
Confirm compatibility with the installed equipment
Use the exact fixture and driver documentation to check:
Dimming method: What control interface does the installed driver support?
Sensor connection: Is there a documented provision for the proposed sensor or controller?
Required modifications: Would the work need additional wiring, a controller or a driver change?
Operating behaviour: What happens when lights dim, switch off, lose communication or return to service?
“Dimmable” and “sensor-ready” need supporting details. Ask the supplier to confirm the proposed fixture, driver and control combination before pricing it as compatible.
The DLC’s networked lighting controls requirements distinguish capabilities such as zoning, dimming and occupancy sensing. Use the listed capabilities and manufacturer documentation to assess the proposed system’s suitability.
Identify avoidable operation by area
Look for lights operating in empty rooms, infrequently visited storage areas or spaces with schedules that no longer match building use. Check whether existing controls need adjustment before proposing additional hardware.
Document the intended occupied and unoccupied behaviour for each area. For a dimming strategy, account for energy used at the reduced setting rather than treating that period as completely off.
Keep this assessment focused on compatibility and the opportunity available. Our Ontario lighting controls guide covers the control strategies in more detail.
Three options: retain, add controls, replace selectively
Assess each fixture group or area separately. One building may justify retaining office lighting, adding controls in storage areas and replacing fixtures around a changed production layout.
Retain fixtures that still perform well
Keep existing LEDs where their condition, light quality and operating costs support continued use. Document any maintenance needs or settings to adjust, along with the conditions that would justify reassessing them later.
Add controls where operation can be reduced
Focus on areas with documented periods of unnecessary lighting. Confirm compatibility and estimate the operating time or output that can realistically be reduced, accounting for controls already in place and how staff use the space.
Replace fixtures where the case is clear
Define the fixture groups with performance, reliability or efficiency problems that replacement would address. Compare the proposed equipment against those specific needs, and include access and installation costs when assessing the benefit.
The recommendation should identify which areas will change, which fixtures will remain and what each part of the project is expected to achieve.
Test the economics against the LED baseline
Before you upgrade existing LED lighting, compare each option with current operation. Include equipment, installation, access, setup and any ongoing costs. Separate electricity savings from maintenance assumptions.
Example
One area has 100 existing LED fixtures at 120 W each, operating at full output for 4,000 hours annually. Assume replacement fixtures draw 90 W and meet the lighting requirements. Alternatively, assume compatible controls can eliminate 1,000 operating hours through complete shutoff.
The existing baseline is:
100 × 120 W ÷ 1,000 = 12 kW
12 kW × 4,000 hours = 48,000 kWh/year
For fixture replacement:
100 × 90 W ÷ 1,000 = 9 kW
9 kW × 4,000 hours = 36,000 kWh/year
For controls retaining the existing fixtures:
12 kW × 3,000 hours = 36,000 kWh/year
Both options save:
48,000 − 36,000 = 12,000 kWh/year
At an assumed avoided electricity cost of CAD $0.15/kWh, either option saves CAD $1,800 annually. If replacement costs CAD $12,000, simple payback is $12,000 ÷ $1,800 = 6.7 years. If controls cost CAD $6,000, it is $6,000 ÷ $1,800 = 3.3 years.
These are illustrative assumptions, not Ontario electricity prices, product quotes or predicted savings. The comparison excludes incentives, maintenance differences, financing and ongoing fees. Validate the proposed lighting performance and avoidable hours before using either result.
For an LED lighting controls retrofit that dims rather than switches off, calculate energy use at the reduced settings. Do not count dimmed hours as zero consumption.
Incentives for LED-to-LED work: verify, do not assume
Check incentive eligibility separately from the technical case. A worthwhile project should not carry an unconfirmed rebate in its approved budget.
The Instant Discounts FAQ limits lighting discounts to existing-building retrofits where less-efficient lighting previously existed. That condition does not establish eligibility for a particular LED-to-LED replacement. Ask the participating distributor to check the existing equipment, proposed products and site.
Eligible standard controls use Instant Discounts. Networked lighting controls remain under Retrofit, whose application process requires pre-project approval before installation. Confirm the proposed system’s eligibility and approval requirements before committing to the work.
What to investigate next
A decision to upgrade existing LED lighting should leave the customer with a defined scope and a short list of unresolved questions.
Identify the areas to retain, control or replace. Assign follow-up checks for uncertain wattages, operating schedules, compatibility, installation costs and incentive eligibility.
For industrial lighting upgrades, document access constraints and production schedules alongside the fixture information. Those details belong in the installation estimate.
Luma Energy’s lighting audit service supports distributors and ESCOs across Southwestern Ontario with a location-referenced fixture inventory, existing specifications, controls, linked photos and a list of unverified items.
FAQ
Are there rebates for replacing LED fixtures with newer LED fixtures in Ontario?
Do not assume eligibility. The official Instant Discounts FAQ says discounts are “only available for retrofits to existing buildings where less-efficient lighting previously existed.” Have the participating distributor confirm whether the existing installation and proposed products meet current requirements before including a discount in the project budget.
Can you add occupancy sensors to existing LED fixtures?
Yes, where the installed equipment supports the proposed arrangement. Check the exact fixture and driver documentation, switching or dimming method, and required connections. Confirm compatibility with the supplier before ordering. Also assess occupancy patterns and existing controls so the estimate reflects operating time that can actually be avoided.
When is it better not to upgrade existing LED lighting?
Retaining the installation makes sense when fixtures perform well, lighting suits current tasks and the expected benefit does not justify the installed cost. Review existing settings and maintenance needs first. A documented recommendation to retain working equipment can be more useful than a replacement proposal with weak economics.
Before committing to another replacement, get the current installation assessed.
