Year after year, Atlas Stone Distribution, Inc. included new lighting for its 42,000-square-foot warehouse on its annual to-do list. Year after year – 10 to be exact – it didn’t get done.

Ziggy Torres, Chicago Branch Manager, says he was happy to start 2017 with that item checked off its list – it recently hired Sustainable Lighting Solutions (SLS) to install new energy efficient lighting. The tipping point? When SLS forecasted an annual savings of $19,000 in utility costs.

“Postponing the project became too expensive,” says Torres. “We couldn’t pass it up.” The impetus to change the lights was already there – between sourcing the replacement lights and exorbitant electric bills – but the final push came when he saw the annual savings on paper.

Atlas Stone Distribution, Inc. imports and distributes natural stone and quartz. The company has five galleries and distribution centers throughout the country and sources its stone from an array of countries including Italy, Spain, Turkey, Brazil, and India.

“Lighting can make all the difference when it comes to any high-end purchase like granite, marble and other natural stones,” Torres says. “The stone we sell comes from all over the world. It’s beautiful. It’s one of a kind. And people pay top dollar for it, so we really needed to update our lighting to reveal the stone’s natural attributes.”

Atlas’ Chicago-area distribution center and gallery is in Elk Grove Village. The company operates a 42,000-square-foot warehouse, and an adjacent 12,000 square-foot building. Atlas uses the buildings six days a week; the lights are on an average of 11 hours a day.

Sustainable Lighting Solutions (SLS) proposed a fluorescent solution that:

• Improved and increased lighting coverage,
• Enhanced the stone’s aesthetic, and
• Saved the company money in the short- and long-term.

SLS installed 168 energy efficient High Bay fixtures that, together with occupancy sensors, are projected to decrease Atlas’ annual electricity consumption by more than 180,000 kWh, the equivalent of $19,021.85. The environmental impact was so great that SLS presented Atlas Stone Distribution, Inc. with its Environmental Stewardship Award.

SLS President Mike Sweitzer says that every business is different, but they all need good lighting. When Sweitzer walked through Atlas’ warehouse looking for stone for his home last year, he couldn’t help but talk to Torres about the lighting. SLS energy advisor, Tania Garcia, followed up and closed the project shortly thereafter.

“Sustainable truly helped us show our product in the best light,” Torres says. “It may have taken some time to approve the project, but it took no time for us to appreciate what a difference the new lighting makes.”

Pocketed between condominiums and industry on Chicago’s West Side you’ll find the raw beauty of Italy on display in the form of its most valuable natural assets. Inside the warehouse of Marmo, Inc., row after row, slab after slab, stand the rarest natural stones sourced from the birthplace of Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci ready for installation into homes and businesses.

And just like fine art, proper lighting of the stone makes a world of difference in seeing the nuances and beauty. When it was time to upgrade its lighting, Marmo, Inc. partnered with Sustainable Lighting Solutions (SLS) to convert its dated fluorescent warehouse lighting to LED.

Marmo Inc. is a major importer and wholesale supplier of prestigious natural stones, specializing in rare Italian stones. Marmo is a leading supplier to many national commercial and residential building projects. Marmo’s 10,000-square-foot warehouse and adjacent showroom are centrally located on the West Side, a location that is great for designers, architects, builders, and consumers. But warehouse worker Oscar Hernandez says the lighting was not, and in fact yellowed the appearance of the stone.

The Marmo team says the new lighting made the nauseating yellow light history. “As each fixture went up, you could see the difference,” says Hernandez, who helped oversee the installation. “Our customers immediately noticed – they asked us if we cleaned the windows.”

Hernandez’s colleague agreed. “Before everything was yellow,” Office Manager Lorena Navarez says. “Now we can see the beiges, whites, and the true yellow in the stone. It’s so easy to take pictures of the stone now and capture all of its colors.”

Hernandez says that when SLS presented Marmo with a proposal, the energy savings – estimated at nearly $3,600 annually – was a main driver in the decision-making process. SLS recommended an all-LED conversion, which made the project eligible for generous energy efficiency incentives that covered nearly 75 percent of the cost.

Since the installation has been completed, Hernandez says a major benefit of the project is its impact on customers. Marmo’s commitment to offering its customers the highest quality stones and personalized customer service has only been strengthened by the lighting improvements.

Nevarez adds, “Now the stone is lit in such a way that customers can appreciate every nuance of its unique beauty.”

SLS replaced the dated fluorescent fixtures with modern LEDs. The total project cost came in just over $19,000, of which $14,000 was covered by energy efficiency incentives through ComEd. Replacing the lighting is expected to decrease Marmo’s annual energy consumption by more than 35,000 kWh, which accounts for an annual utility bill savings of more than $3,600. The project payback on the investment is 17 months.

Hernandez says the project was scheduled to take three days, because it was necessary to use a crane to maneuver around the slabs of stone. “Every fixture that went up you could see the old and new. The white clean light against the yellow nauseating light. It was a dramatic improvement.”

Nearly 10 years ago, Burr Ridge-based Kiser Controls Co. declined a potential overhaul of its fluorescent lighting to LED because it cost too much. That changed this year when a supplier referred Kiser to a state program that rewards companies for reducing energy consumption.

As Michael Daniels, Kiser Controls Co. Purchasing and Inventory Control Manager, says, he didn’t expect a routine replacement of fluorescent lighting to result in a complete overhaul of the interior and exterior lighting for this west suburban industrial supply house. Daniels learned about the small business program with ComEd through his lighting supply company. After researching the program, he was referred to Sustainable Lighting Solutions, a certified trade ally.

Kiser Controls Co. primarily supplies manufacturers in northwest Indiana and northern Illinois with industrial supplies, from air valves to vacuum pumps. Its 10,000-square foot building includes professional offices and a warehouse, and is typically lit five days a week for 12 hours a day. The interior was lit with fluorescent lights and the exterior with metal halide.

Kiser Controls Co. President Kerry Kiser says the interior lighting had become inconsistent because replacement bulbs were commonly replaced with those manufactured by different companies. Some employees had twisted the fluorescent bulbs off because they didn’t like the light, and other areas such as the warehouse would certainly benefit from greater coverage. Kiser was also concerned about the safety outside the building when the metal halide lighting repeatedly burned out.

When Daniels presented the proposal to convert to LED, Kiser said the decision was a “no brainer”. Kiser received more than $14,000 in energy efficiency incentives through ComEd. The Smart Ideas program is funded by Illinois consumers and businesses that pay an energy efficiency fee each month. Daniels and Kiser appreciated the fact that Kiser Controls was able to receive funding from a program that it already paid into.

After the install, “right away I recognized the color balance and the consistency of light throughout the building,” Kiser says. “We are really happy that we finally did it. It certainly didn’t make sense in 2007, but it did today.”

Sustainable Lighting Solutions installed more than 100 fixtures inside and outside the building. The new energy efficient lighting coupled with occupancy sensors will save Kiser Controls more than $5,400 annually in energy and maintenance costs. Sustainable Lighting Solutions presented Kiser Controls Co. with an Environmental Stewardship Award for the project’s impact, which will decrease its annual energy consumption by more than 50,000 kWh.

“When it was complete it was almost like walking into a brand-new office and feeling a jolt of energy and excitement. Everything looked so good,” Daniels says of the LED replacements.

Kiser agrees. Arriving to the office early in the morning and having such bright light throughout the office has certainly improved his outlook, he says. Moreover, the fact that Sustainable managed the incentive process with ComEd as well as disposed of all of the old fluorescent tubes was a bonus.

“Sustainable Lighting Solutions managed the project like we manage our customers,” Kiser says. “We want to do everything that we can to keep our customers focused on running their business, and Sustainable allowed us to do that.”

With a Canadian mandate ending the commercial use of incandescent lighting looming, Lawson Products needed to replace all of the lighting throughout its Mississauga, Ontario distribution center. Sustainable Lighting Solutions provided this distributor of industrial products with the expertise as well as the hard data it needed on costs and projected payback timeline to make the project a go.

CapEx projects are never easy to fund, but this project was the exception, says Russell Mariano, Lawson Products Manager, Facilities and Distribution Logistics. With project numbers that included a $15,600 government rebate and a two-year return on investment from reduced utility and maintenance costs, corporate approval was relatively quick and painless.

“Our confidence in Sustainable Lighting Solutions’ ability, as well as its willingness to forecast payback, and manage the incentive process, all played a large part in why we chose them. And the numbers really helped,” Mariano says.

Traditionally the finance managers are skeptical of CapEx projects because there is so little financial gain, Mariano says. “This is the first time that I can remember a contractor told us how much we would save, and we actually did,” Mariano says. “The forecast helped them win the job. Even the finance people were excited about the project’s payback.”

The Mississauga distribution center includes a 65,000-square-foot warehouse. Originally outfitted with Metal Halide (HID), it required a lot of electricity. Lawson Products wanted better functionality and efficiency in the new lighting solution, but most of all wanted the right configuration for its operations.

“The employees there do a lot of inventory tracking and racking of product,” Mariano says. “We wanted the best light possible for them. We didn’t want them squinting to look at their inventory guns or straining their eyes to see product.”

The 400 watt lights in the warehouse were replaced with T5s, as well as occupancy sensors that increased efficiency. The warehouse operates in cycles with product distribution, receiving, and replenishment.

“The sensors have definitely helped,” Mariano says. “We are seeing roughly $700 to $800 a month in savings. We expect to see the project pay itself back in less than two years.”

Mariano describes the difference as “like night and day”.

“Overall it was a great project and investment by Lawson, but more importantly the staff appreciated it, and they are more productive because of the better lighting,” he says.

While the project and the product were well received, Mariano said that SLS really went above and beyond managing the incentives as well as getting product back and forth between the countries.

“SLS was always on top of the project. They are very attentive and responsive,” says Mariano. “Even though they were working across the border, we had no issues. They did a great job.”

When your manufacturing facility is running 24 hours a day, five days a week, lighting is a huge concern. So when it was time for Dixline Corp. to light the $3 million expansion at its Central Illinois manufacturing plant, it chose a reliable partner: Sustainable Lighting Solutions.

“We worked with SLS on our warehouse expansion and the experience was tremendous,” says David Thomson, Dixline President and CEO. The family-owned company expanded its facility’s footprint in Galva, IL by 27,500 square feet. Dixline chose LEDs for the new lighting because of their lifespan, the lower cost to operate and maintain them, and the quality of the light. “The employees loved the new light, the installation was perfect, and the controls were flawless,” Thomson says.

Dixline Corporation is an ISO 9001-certified metal fabrication and decorative finishing company serving the U.S. and international markets. Dixline’s primary business is centered around the production and finishing of decorative and functional hardware for use on burial caskets, windows and doors, and hand tools. Dixline also applies proprietary specialty coatings used in the electronics and aerospace industries.

Shortly after the expansion project, Dixline chose to replace dated and inefficient lighting in a manufacturing area where the lights run 24 hours a day, five days a week. Light loss for an extended period of time was a safety and production concern.

Dixline worked with a different lighting partner for that job, and Thomson says, “We would not do that again.” Among other concerns, the vendor installed a faulty product. “Immediately the new lights that were supposed to last 20 to 30 years started burning out. It was truly disappointing. Incandescent lights don’t even burn out that quickly. We went back to SLS.”

The Dixline manufacturing area is lit 24 hours a day, five days a week. The warehouse area lighting runs 16 to 20 hours a day, five days a week. Over the course of both projects, SLS installed sensors in every area, including corridors and administrative offices, to maximize energy savings.

“I learned a lot about LED modules because of the experience,” Thomson says. “It’s like buying steak or seafood – you spend a little more for the best.” SLS replaced the faulty lights with Orion fixtures, manufactured by the Wisconsin-based company.

SLS researched available incentives, and discovered that this project qualified for energy-efficiency rebates from Ameren. SLS managed the application and rebate paperwork, netting Dixline a nearly $2,000 rebate.

“The light is really bright and clear,” Thomson said. “It’s better and safer, and facility improvements, like these, go a long way to improve morale.

“SLS was always on top of the project. We chose SLS without hesitation the second time.”

When it came time for Midco International to upgrade its lighting, it was hoping to secure some energy efficiency incentives to help fund the project. What looked at first to be a straightforward replacement of an array of newer and old fixtures became a project that not only netted Midco tens of thousands of dollars in incentives and lower utility bills, it delivered a significantly better working environment with modern LED technology.

Midco International Inc. is a world leader in power burners with rich history of innovative designs and a strong commitment to customer service. Midco initially expected to upgrade and replace its Chicago manufacturing facility’s mixed-bag of light fixtures, uniformity was lacking, and the fixtures were tough to clean and maintain.

“Most of our lighting was really outdated – our stockroom was like walking into a dungeon,” says Carly Stanger, Vice President of Human Resources, Midco International.

Sustainable Lighting Solutions (SLS) President Mike Sweitzer notes that the company needed the correct solution. The “mixed bag” of lighting included newer T5 and T8 fluorescent with old metal halide which together resulted in a combination of too much or too little light. In some places, lighting – well purposed for a warehouse setting with 50-foot ceilings – had been installed into Midco’s facility with 16-foot ceilings.

Midco called SLS for a quote on updating to more modern fluorescents, only to learn that SLS had an even better option in mind to help the company:

• Earn incentives to help fund the project,
• Save tens of thousands of dollars annually on ongoing energy and maintenance costs, and
• Deliver superior lighting that was correct for the facility.

Sweitzer notes that today’s commercial LEDs are not like yesterday’s under-the-kitchen-cabinet lighting. The color is correct, and when expertly installed their span and cover is noticeably better than fluorescents. They are easy to install and clean, making them ideal for food grade and manufacturing facilities. But not everyone has experienced modern LED technology.

“We weren’t convinced that the quality and the color of light were right for us,” says Stanger. “SLS offered to run a test for us.” SLS installed four fixtures so Midco could see how the light worked in its space. “We were all pretty astonished at how good they looked,” adds Stanger.

Midco machine operators immediately commented on the quality of the light, noting that it was brighter and they could see better. “Once the test lights were installed we had buy-in from our employees,” says Stanger. “We were excited to learn about the lower energy and operating costs. We don’t have to re-bulb all the time and it is so easy to clean the fixtures. That was a bonus that saved a lot of maintenance time and money.”

SLS also installed sensor technology to reduce energy even further by dimming lights in unused areas. The LED upgrade enabled Midco to qualify for substantial energy efficient rebates from ComEd as well as City of Chicago grants, which together totaled more than $60,000. SLS estimates that its lighting and energy solution will save Midco more than $20K annually, slashing its lighting costs by two-thirds.

While SLS understands that the easiest path is to bid exactly what a customer requests, Sweitzer says it is important to use lighting and energy expertise to offer customers the ‘best’ solution.

“With every project we want our customers to save money, but more than anything we want to deliver better light,” Sweitzer says. “When you recommend the best product for each project it requires taking the right steps to help the customer understand why it’s the right solution.”

Stanger said the approach worked. SLS’s willingness to install test lights showed Midco the benefits of an alternative solution and helped it win the job.

“SLS did its homework,” Stanger says. “Choosing SLS was the right thing to do. They were really responsive and everyone was very professional and a pleasure to work with.”

The lighting at Concentric AB’s manufacturing facility in Rockford, IL was similar to many other large spaces – either too bright or too dark, and certainly too expensive to power and maintain. Switching to a LED solution from SLS not only improved employees’ work environment, it saved the company close to $9k per month in energy and maintenance costs.

Concentric AB is one of the world’s leading pump manufacturers. Its Rockford, IL facility manufactures an array of hydraulic pumps and motors. The 20-acre campus, including the 125,000 square foot hydraulic plant, was built in 1964 and was undergoing a facelift. Manufacturing Engineer and Facility Manager Martin Moesgaard explained that most of the lighting was fluorescent and dated. Employees disliked it so much they often unscrewed the bulbs near their work spaces due to the glare on their computer screens.

“I called Sustainable Lighting Solutions to look into switching our fluorescent lighting over to LED,” Moesgaard says. SLS developed a plan that included sensors to save additional energy costs, and offered to install pilot light fixtures for the company to review before signing off on the full project. Once the new lighting was in place, employees responded immediately.

“Over the years, people just unscrewed the fluorescents. They didn’t like the glare on their computers. When the new lights were piloted, the engineers responded positively to the new fixtures and the even distribution of the light. They were asking to have the project done quickly” Moesgaard said.

Concentric employs 177 people at its Rockford campus, where the manufacturing plant runs in three shifts. Moesgaard was concerned about finding an optimal time for the installation, without causing disruption to operations, as well as how the new fixtures would fit into the building’s 1964 drop-down ceiling architecture.

“Overall the installation went smooth. They were always on top of the communication, and they were very flexible in working around our schedule,” Moesgaard says. “SLS came in on the second shift. They also installed some new parts within drop ceilings to make the retrofit easier and aesthetically appear more pleasing.”

One of the most pleasant surprises of the project, Moesgaard says, was learning about the significant rebates that SLS could secure to fund part of the project. All businesses and consumers pay into the state’s energy efficiency program fund every month, which funds ComEd’s Smart Ideas program. Moesgaard had previously completed the Smart Ideas application for an air compressor rebate, and found the process time consuming. He was pleased that SLS handled all of the paperwork for the rebate, which came to $73,000.

“SLS managing that process was a big plus,” Moesgaard said. “And I really liked knowing that I was getting my money back from that fund, for the benefit of my company.”

Currently, Concentric is on track to save on average 750 kilowatt hours annually, which accounts for 1/8 of its energy consumption.

“Overall, we have been very pleased,” says Moesgaard. “People say their eyes aren’t as tired or strained as before, and I’m happy that we’re getting some of our money back!”

Sustainable Lighting Solutions worked with an Alsip, IL warehouse facility to upgrade its lighting, saving more than $26,000 each year in energy and maintenance costs. SLS assessed the facility and recommended replacing existing HID fixtures with Orion T8 Compact Modular High Bay and Low Bay fixtures in the warehouse. SLS also upgraded the company’s freezer and cooler areas, replacing existing HID fixtures with energy efficient LED fixtures. SLS increased energy efficiency even further by installing occupancy sensors in the warehouse areas as well as in the freezer and cooler areas.

The lighting upgrade made a huge difference in visibility, doubling light levels in certain areas of the facility. The improvements came with a big decrease in energy consumption, saving an estimated $26,000 per year.