The folks at CP&R Auto repair recently stopped seeing yellow. Generous energy efficiency project incentives helped the two-year-old business invest in new lighting that is bright, white, and great for the environment.

“It’s really a dramatic change,” says owner Patrick Cadet. CP&R is located in the Belmont Central neighborhood on the Chicago’s Northwest side. Cadet says the competition is fierce in the area, and he believes that improving his business will resonate well with his customers. “The mechanics love it and I think it sends a great message to our customers that we are investing in our business.”

CP&R operates five days a week, between 10 to 12 hours a day. Sustainable Lighting Solutions replaced an array of T12’s in the office, waiting room, and throughout the shop, as well as energy-saving occupancy sensors and exhaust fans. Sustainable Lighting Solutions also replaced exterior halogens with programmable LED flood lights.

The new modern, clean, bright, white, and energy-efficient lighting has CP&R’s mechanics joking that they need to wear their sunglasses because the shop is so well lit. So, what happened when a mechanic, a postcard, and a salesperson arrived at an CP&R Auto Repair? Well, they didn’t change a light bulb, says Cadet.

“My mechanic told me how the previous shop where he worked had replaced the lighting, then I received a postcard this summer about the energy efficiency incentives for small business, and then Kate from Sustainable Lighting Solutions stopped in the shop,” says Cadet. “I honestly wanted to commit to the project and kept putting it off. It took all three instances to get me to move forward and I’m glad I did.”

More than 70% of the project was covered with incentives through ComEd. CP&R will recoup its investment in a matter of months. Beyond the capital expense, Cadet said one of the greatest challenges in moving forward with the project was understanding how much difference the lighting would make. Cadet appreciated that Sustainable Lighting Solutions installed a sample fixture so he could see the difference before he signed on to the project.

“It was a worthwhile investment,” says Cadet. “It was great to work with Sustainable Lighting Solutions to find the right product, and to capture the incentives to help cover the project’s cost.”

“Seeing really is believing,” Cadet said. “When you factor in the incentives, it sounds too good to be true, but it’s truly a great way to get small businesses to adopt energy saving technologies.”

More than 70% of the project was covered with incentives through ComEd. CP&R will recoup its investment in a matter of months. Beyond the capital expense, Cadet said one of the greatest challenges in moving forward with the project was understanding how much of a difference the lighting will make. Cadet appreciated that Sustainable Lighting Solutions installed a sample fixture so he could see the difference before he signed on to the project.