Commercial LED Savings Calculator

Input the wattage of the LED fixture you plan to install. This information is available on the fixture specification sheet or product label. Avoid assuming based on legacy wattage equivalency since LED fixtures consume significantly fewer watts than traditional lighting. Our Product Specialists can recommend the appropriate LED wattage based on your current fixtures and application requirements.

Input the wattage of your existing light fixtures. This data is found on the fixture label, lamp specification, or facility lighting audit documentation. Only input the base wattage, if applicable, the additional draw from a ballast is accounted for in Step 6.

Enter the number of light fixtures you are replacing. Our calculator can handle any volume and provides instant results based on the exact fixture quantity. For comprehensive facility upgrades, conduct a fixture count by area or zone. 

Need help determining how many lights need to be replaced? Request a free lighting plan and initial consultation. Our Product Specialists will design a custom-tailored lighting layout plan ahead of purchase with accurate fixture counts.

Input your average daily usage in hours. This varies significantly by project type. To get the most accurate savings and return on investment from our Commercial LED Savings Calculator, we recommend estimating your daily lighting hours as precisely as possible.

Here are three ways to calculate or estimate this input based on how your facility operates:

Option 1: Using Automation or Controls, if Available

If your building uses lighting controls like motion sensors, timers, or a building automation system, you may already have access to real usage data. This is often the most accurate method if controls are in place.

• Locate System Logs or Control Panel Data: Look for system logs that track run-time or occupancy hours in areas where you are replacing fixtures.

• Export Usage Reports: Download the report for the last 30 days (or your preferred period).

• Calculate Your Average Daily Usage: Use the formula below to calculate average daily usage. Total the daily usage hours and divide by the number of days tracked to get your average.

Average Daily Electricity Consumption Formula Using Automation or Controls

• Average Daily Hours = Total Hours Lights Were ON ÷ Number of Days Tracked

Option 2: Determining Average Daily Lighting Hours Based on Manual Tracking Method

This method is commonly used by facilities without automated lighting systems.

• Identify Zones: List out each distinct area where you are planning to replace light fixtures, such as warehouse, production floor, and office.
• Observe or Record Usage: Track when the lights are turned ON and OFF in each zone for at least one full week. This provides a baseline for usage patterns.
• Calculate Daily Usage: Use the formula below to calculate daily usage:
• Daily Usage Hours = Time OFF – Time ON
• Average Your Data: Use the formula below to calculate average daily usage.
• Average Daily Hours = Total Hours Lights Were ON ÷ Number of Days Tracked

Option 3: Estimating Average Daily Lighting Hours Based on Facility

If you can’t measure lighting hours directly, make an estimate for each section of your facility you plan on replacing fixtures based on your facility’s work schedule:

• Estimate Hours Based on Work Schedule

• Office Building Example: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM = 10 hours/day

This estimate assumes the lights are on throughout the full workday.

• Warehouse or Industrial Facility Example: 3 shifts at 8 hours each = up to 24 hours/day

Adjust this estimate if lighting is only used in active zones or specific shifts. Be sure to account for weekends, holidays, and reduced operating hours if applicable.

Estimate the number of days per year your facility uses the lights. Most commercial facilities operate 250-365 days annually, depending on business type, while manufacturing facilities often operate year-round. Enter a realistic number based on your business calendar to maximize calculator accuracy.

Here are three ways to calculate or estimate this input based on how your facility operates:

Option 1: Use Fixed Schedules or Facility Calendars

For facilities that follow consistent weekly schedules or calendar-based operations, use work calendars to determine how many days per year your lights operate.

Office Building Example:

• If your business runs Monday through Friday:
  • 5 days/week × 52 weeks = 260 days
• Subtract downtime or holidays (e.g., 10 days)
  • Estimated Usage = 250 days/year

Warehouses or 24/7 Facility Example: Many industrial operations run daily. Estimated Usage = 365 days/year

Seasonal or Academic Facilities Example: Adjust for your specific calendar (e.g., schools may operate only 180 days/year)

Option 2: Manual Tracking Light Usage Per Year

Ideal for businesses with varying operations, flexible schedules, or seasonality.

• Create a list of spaces where you anticipate replacing fixtures, such as warehouses, production areas, offices, and outdoor lots.

• Observe or log lighting activity in each zone over a sample period (e.g., 30 days). Each day, record whether lights were ON at any point. Repeat this process across all applicable zones.

• Estimate Annual Usage: Use the formula below to calculate how often your lights are used over a full year.

• Average Annual Usage = (Days Used) ÷ (Sample Period) × 365

Considerations: Estimating Without Logs or Calendars

If tracking isn’t practical, use your best estimate based on:

• Known business hours
• Production shift schedules
• Staffing or occupancy patterns
• Industry benchmarks

Our Experts have provided a few general guidelines for average light usage per year based on facility type: 

• Standard business office: approximately 250 days per year, or 2,500 hours per year
• School: ~180 days per year, or 1,800 hours per year
• 24/7 operation: 365 days per year, or 8,760 hours per year

This approach is helpful when planning or budgeting a retrofit before operations are fully underway.

Traditional light fixtures, such as metal halide (MH), high-pressure sodium (HPS), and fluorescent lamps (including both linear fluorescent tubes and compact fluorescent lamp bulbs), all require a ballast to operate. 

What is a ballast? Ballasts regulate electrical current. A major setback of these legacy lighting fixtures is that they consume 15% more wattage than the lamp’s rated wattage.

Identifying whether your current fixtures use one of these technologies helps ensure the most accurate savings estimate in our instant, done-for-you LED light savings calculator. Forgetting this step can significantly understate your actual energy usage and underestimate your potential savings.

Not sure what kind of lighting you’re currently using? Here are a few ways how to check:

• Look at the Fixture
  Metal halide and HPS bulbs are typically long, tube-shaped, or elliptical with a screw base and a ceramic arc tube inside. Fluorescents are often long tubes (T8, T12) or compact spirals (CFLs). If you see these, your fixture likely uses a ballast.
• Listen for Noise or Check for Warm-Up Time
  Ballast-driven fixtures often make a humming sound or take time to reach full brightness. LEDs, in contrast, turn on instantly and operate silently. If your lights flicker or delay on startup, they’re likely metal halide (MH), high-pressure sodium (HPS), or fluorescent fixtures.
• Check the Label or Sticker Inside the Fixture
  Open the fixture housing (after safely turning off power) and look for a label or data plate. It often lists the lamp type (e.g., "MH 400W", "HPS 250W", "F32T8", etc.). If the label includes any of these terms, your fixture uses ballast-driven lamps.
• Locate the Ballast Box
  In many fixtures, the ballast is a separate metal box mounted inside or on top of the fixture housing. It will have its own label and input wattage. If you see one, your system is ballast-based.
• Ask one of our Lighting Experts
  Our Product Specialists at LED Lighting Supply can help you identify your existing fixtures and recommend energy-efficient LED replacements to maximize energy efficiency.