Average foot candles
69Uniformity (Min/Max)
1.5The Backstory:
Liberty Energy approached LED Lighting Supply to support a lighting upgrade for their warehouse facility in Williston, North Dakota. The facility was operating with outdated fluorescent fixtures that delivered subpar brightness levels. Over its operational lifetime, the lumen output declined. Inconsistent illumination across the warehouse floor created blind spots and dark zones, posing safety risks to workers and reducing their performance.
The Customer’s Challenge:
The facility needed to improve the overall lighting performance while keeping installation simple and cost-effective. The traditional lights were consuming excessive energy to barely produce 25-30 foot-candles (fc) on the warehouse floor, whereas the recommended average for warehouses is 30-70 fc, depending on the area within the facility. Traditional metal halide lights consume 70% more electricity than modern LED lighting.
The legacy fixtures posed several risks and operational challenges to the facility:
- High heat output radiating into the environment, straining the existing HVAC system
- High operating temperatures cause premature fixture and component failures
- Uneven lighting levels throughout working areas minimized visibility for workers
- Frequent repairs and bulb replacement, which increased maintenance costs
The Strategy & Solution:
LED Lighting Supply’s Chief Product Specialist, Neil Peterson, worked closely with Liberty Energy’s warehouse Facility Manager, Mike Carter, to collect critical information required for providing an expert product recommendation. The information gathered included facility dimensions (150 x 75 feet), desired light levels (60+ foot candles), current fixture specifications (metal halides), and space requirements (mounted at 27 feet). The team considered each of these components to provide a solution that would reduce overall maintenance costs.
With the project requirements clearly defined, our lighting designers created a plan that accounted for all the unique considerations of the space. The plan included a lighting-level rendering to demonstrate uniform light distribution across the space and hand-selected product recommendations from Neil.
The solution included a direct one-for-one replacement of the existing 6 lamp T5 fluorescent fixtures. In total, 42 fixtures were replaced with 200 Watt LED High Bay Lights. This approach allowed the facility to upgrade to LED lighting while incorporating the existing wiring to ensure a seamless installation process for our customer.
The Results:
After the lights were installed using the layout and product recommendation from our Product Specialist, the facility achieved an average of 69 foot-candles on the floor with a very good uniformity ratio of 1.5. For a warehouse of this size, the recommended average light level typically ranges from 50 to 60 foot-candles, with an estimated uniformity ratio of 1.1 to 3.1. These numbers support consistent light distribution across the space, a key requirement for the customer. These values demonstrate that the space is evenly and effectively lit, rather than overlit in some areas and underlit in others.
The outcome more than doubled the previous light level performance, creating a brighter, more uniform environment that improves visibility across aisles and work zones. This is critical in warehouse settings, where better lighting enhances worker safety by reducing trip hazards, improving forklift navigation, and minimizing picking errors. The increased light levels also support higher productivity, better inventory accuracy, and reduced eye strain for workers.
Before Upgrade |
Post Upgrade |
 |
 |
The improved illumination and uniformity did not just elevate visibility. The lighting upgrades also provided measurable energy savings for the facility. By delivering more usable light with greater efficiency, the upgraded LED solution reduced overall power consumption while maintaining consistent performance across the space. Upgrading to LED high-bay fixtures reduced energy consumption by 70%. Unlike the 15,000-hour lifespan of the previous fixtures, this LED light has an estimated lifespan of 134,000 (L70) hours, helping increase profitability for the facility. It’s calculated that the warehouse will save approximately $119,600 over five years with the upgraded lighting.
Savings and payback the facility will benefit from:
|
In 1 Year |
In 5 Years |
|
Return On Investment: 500% Annual Savings (42 fixtures): $24,800 |
Return On Investment: 2700% 5 Year Savings: $119,600 |
By upgrading to LED high bay fixtures, the facility achieved:
- Over $119,600 in savings within 5 years from the initial investment
- Enhanced light levels across the workspace
- Uniform, brighter illumination
- Reduced energy consumption by 70%
- Reduce energy costs by 46%
- Increased lighting lifespan
- Long-term operational savings
This case study highlights how strategic planning and the benefits of LED technology can transform an outdated lighting system into a more efficient, cost-effective solution. Through its consultative approach and custom lighting plan development, LED Lighting Supply delivered a solution designed specifically to meet the warehouse’s functional needs.
Customer Feedback:
After the upgrade, District Manager of Liberty Energy, Mike, told Neil, “The new lights are awesome. What a difference in the attitude of the workers!”
Across numerous projects, Liberty Energy has continued to see positive results from its work with LED Lighting Supply, particularly in overall operational performance. For organizations focused on worker safety, energy efficiency, and project cost management, this case highlights the value of a well-planned lighting solution.
