Saving time and money on a jobsite are important considerations for project owners, and it is prudent for contractors to show how they can cut expenses and increase site efficiency. Today’s LED jobsite lighting options are making it easier to reduce waste, save energy and increase worker productivity—as well as reuse lighting on the next job. Although the advantages are often dovetailed, below is a breakdown of how value is added to projects when electrical contractors utilize purpose-built LED lighting.
A purpose-built asset for the construction site. In the past, traditional, bulb-based jobsite lighting was considered temporary and disposable—a cheaply made consumable that was charged fully to the client for a single job and then thrown away once the job was complete. Today, however, high-quality LED jobsite lighting products are built to withstand the abuse of the elements and the jobsite. Their long life and durable, weatherproof construction make them depreciable assets rather than throw-away consumables. Not to mention that even the initial costs of purpose-built LED lighting can actually be less than traditional jobsite lighting.
Reusable products. Quality construction is a key reason why purpose-built LED lighting has transformed jobsite lighting solutions from disposable products to reusable assets. Plus, some advanced purpose-built lighting products are designed with the option to be daisy-chained together to allow for easy setup and then effortless redesign as a job progresses. No lights are caught between walls and ductwork.
Compare these advantages to string lighting, which has long been the norm on construction sites. Anybody who has worked with string lighting knows that it is cumbersome to install and difficult to salvage. Cords get caught behind walls and ductwork, resulting in cords cut and the lighting thrown away.
When the same lighting can be moved to different areas throughout a project and reused on new projects, the labor and materials savings are immense.
Reduced labor/increased productivity. A typical jobsite uses a variety of bulb-based temporary lighting products, many of which (like string lighting) are labor-intensive to install and maintain. Often, the lighting may need to be repositioned as the project progresses, which is difficult to do with string lights or tower lights. Bulbs may need to be replaced often—so often, in fact, that it is necessary to maintain a stock of replacement bulbs and assign someone to replace broken or burned-out bulbs throughout the day. This translates to excessive labor as well as materials costs.
Purpose-built LED lighting reduces installation points on a 25:1 ratio, illuminating 2500 sq. ft. up to 5 fc. Fewer circuits are required, the need for hard wiring/junction boxes is eliminated and the lighting is easy to move as the job evolves. Also, there are no bulbs to change. As a result, labor is reduced by up to 90 percent—not just during installation but also during the job and at take-down.
LED lighting also is typically more compact and lightweight than traditional lighting. Some LED lighting tower models, for instance, can be lifted onto the back of a pickup truck for easy transportation and then moved around the site by hand. It’s no longer necessary to have employees manage the time-consuming task of towing a traditional light tower to the jobsite behind a truck and bringing it off site for refueling and repairs. With LED portable lighting, less time is wasted.
Additionally, purpose-built LED lighting has other, less obvious advantages that directly affect worker productivity. For instance, metal halide bulbs can be slow to start and slow to reach full brightness, particularly in cold weather. LED lighting doesn’t have this limitation and immediately turns on to full brightness, even in cold weather. Plus, the directional character of LED lighting means lighting can be focused where it is needed most. These factors create a better-lit environment that improves overall workmanship and productivity.
Reduced energy costs. Traditional bulb-based lighting systems come with excessive external costs. They waste significant amounts of energy through heat and the emitting of non-directional light. The energy savings that result from LED lighting can potentially add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars on long-running projects. In fact, the energy savings alone will pay for the whole costs of the lights within a short time frame—usually within nine months.
As an example, metal halide bulbs use a massive amount of energy, and the bulbs often break or burn out on the jobsite. Light towers, such as those containing two or four 1000-watt metal halide lamps, are powered by large generators. The cost of purchasing or renting a generator is significant, plus it must be kept fueled and running. Manpower is necessary to operate and maintain generator lights.
Today’s purpose-built LED light towers, on the other hand, are much more energy-efficient. They can produce the same amount of usable light while consuming 80 percent less energy than traditional options. They also provide better light dispersion, so fewer towers are needed on a jobsite.
Safer jobsites. Another factor to consider is when a hot bulb makes contact with skin, it can result in a significant burn. If any flammable material is near a bulb, there’s potential for a fire. Quality LEDs do not bring these dangers to the jobsite because they generate very little heat. Also, compact fluorescent and metal-halide bulbs contain mercury and toxic heavy metals and emit UV radiation. Workers can be exposed to these toxins when bulbs break.
How projects benefit
Lighting is a necessary but often overlooked component of an overall project. Even though bulb-based lighting is cheaper upfront, it will end up costing the project much more in the end with increased labor, materials and energy costs. LED lighting will help a jobsite run more efficiently.
A real-life example of the savings that can occur with using purpose-built LED jobsite lighting is the Keeyask Project, a 695-megawatt (MW) hydroelectric generating station located about 450 miles north of Winnipeg on the lower Nelson River in Canada. Reducing energy usage during construction is a great concern on this site, as it is in a remote location and power costs are at a high premium. This project is using LED jobsite lighting and has so far realized more than $300,000 in electricity savings. Live tracking of the environmental savings can be found at http://www.ledjobsite.com/keeyask-dam-led-jobsite.
How contractors benefit
Collaborating with the project developer on lighting creates a competitive advantage for the electrical contractor and assures the client that value is being considered wherever possible.
Some portable LED lighting manufacturers provide free lighting layout services. Take advantage of this offering to have an accurate bill of materials for the lights your project needs, along with a layout plan that factors in items, such as locations of power sources, best installation points and the number of lights per circuit. This preplanning saves significant time during installation and reduces the chance of not having the right lighting equipment on site.
Also, when bidding new jobs, this information can provide a competitive advantage. Contractors who have an accurate bill of materials for lighting can easily calculate the estimated energy savings to include in project bids.
Electrical contractors who choose quality LED products for jobsite lighting can create a win-win for everyone on the project—the project owner saves money, laborers save time and contractors gain a value-added service. When selecting jobsite lighting, be sure to ensure products meet all regulatory OSHA requirements, carry the proper electrical certifications and are approved for outdoor use.
About the Author
Brian Astl is president of Lind Equipment, home of The LED Jobsite, Williamsville, N.Y., and Markham, Ontario, Canada. He can be reached at BAstl@lindequipment.net or 877.475.5463 x 224. Astl holds an MBA from Harvard and is a recipient of the Clean50 award, which offers recognition to Canada’s leaders in sustainability.
About Lind and The LED Jobsite
For almost 70 years, Lind Equipment has manufactured portable lighting and electrical equipment for the toughest jobsites. Established as leaders in LED construction lighting, Lind Equipment uses groundbreaking engineering to keep prices affordable for the contractor while increasing quality in durability and functionality. For more information, contact 877-475-LIND, info@lindequipment.net, or go to www.ledjobsite.com. View our live counter of reduced energy usage and reduced carbon emissions or our video.