Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - cover3

Spotlight on LED:
The Future of Retail Lighting
In an industry where profit margins are tight, grocery retailers are always looking for
ways to cut overhead costs and reduce unnecessary spending. Forward-thinking
retailers are taking their supermarket lighting to new levels with LED lighting
technology, resulting in enhanced product appearance, reduced energy consumption
and significant cost savings. What's more, because the LED lights replicate daylight,
they help create a store ambience that makes shopping more enjoyable for
customers.

Why LED?
Turning off lights, adjusting thermostats by a few degrees, and shutting down
equipment at night are all quick fixes that many grocers use to decrease energyrelated costs. But in order to achieve the greatest impact on a business's bottom
line, more comprehensive energy reduction measures are required, and LED lighting
is an increasingly popular solution for retailers. LED lighting consumes up to 70%
less energy, reduces refrigeration load up to 24% by generating less heat and lasts
many times longer than typical florescent lighting, making it an ideal solution to
reduce operating costs.

Full spectrum of benefits
LEDs are especially beneficial for lighting in fresh food aisles thanks to the high
colour rendering index (CRI) they deliver. The consistency and quality of the light
results in improved product appearance, making meats look redder and fresh
produce appear more vibrant. "Some of our customers have commented on the
extended shelf life of their fresh produce," says Raymond Okonowski, President of
Go With LED, an Ontario-based supplier of commercial LED lighting. "High intensity
fluorescent lights, like those used in refrigeration units, have been known to age
fresh produce due to the UV rays they emit, while high spectrum LED lights don't."
Furthermore, LED lighting produces no infrared radiation and contains no harmful
chemicals, unlike traditional lighting sources that contain mercury and lead. "LED
lights are also very low voltage-just 24 volts. This makes them much safer,
especially for use in grocery stores where there's a lot of moisture in places like
refrigeration units," adds Raymond.

Upgrading to LED lighting made good
sense for myself, my business and more
importantly, the environment.
Alexei Tsvetkov, Founder & CEO, Yummy Market

YUMMY MARKET PROJECT DETAILS
ENERGY
SAVINGS:

114,000

ANNUAL ELECTRICITY
COST REDUCTION:
DEMAND SAVINGS:

$11,400
24 kW

efficiency lighting. This allows organizations to better control energy costs and
improve their sustainability. Following a three-day installation process, Yummy
Market received a cheque covering over 85% of the cost from the saveONenergy
incentive. The upgrades will save approximately 24 kilowatts of demand and more
than 114,000 kilowatt hours annually, which translates to almost $11,400 in
electricity cost savings each year.
"Our lighting contractor explained that there was a program to cover a portion of
the costs to upgrade to energy-efficient lighting," Alexei explains. "Once we were
presented with the projected cost savings and benefits, we were sold."

About saveONenergy
Yummy Market's story is just one example of how the saveONenergy RETROFIT
PROGRAM is supporting businesses to improve their energy efficiency. To learn
more about these programs and how they can help your business save energy,
contact your local electric utility or visit saveonenergy.ca/business.

Shining example
Yummy Market, a European grocery store located in Vaughan, Ontario, is a great
example of how LED lighting can transform a store's visual appeal, decrease energy
costs and improve a supermarket's bottom line. "Before the lighting retrofit, our
refrigerators weren't performing as well as they could have with our old conventional
lighting," says Alexei Tsvetkov, the store's founder and CEO. "The maintenance- in
terms of cost and upkeep-was really expensive. We were replacing bulbs almost
every two weeks, which wasn't ideal for a busy grocery store."
Under the saveONenergy RETROFIT PROGRAM, businesses like Yummy Market
can receive substantial financial incentives to upgrade to high

kWh
per year

saveonenergy.ca/business
contact your local electric utility
saveonenergy@powerauthority.on.ca
@saveonenergyOnt
youtube.com/ontpowerauthority
Subject to additional terms and conditions found at
saveonenergy.ca. Subject to change without notice.
OM
Official Mark of the Ontario Power Authority.

http://www.saveonenergy.ca/business http://www.saveonenergy.ca/business http://www.saveonenergy.ca/business http://www.twitter.com/saveoneenergyOnt http://www.youtube.com/ontpowerauthority http://www.saveonenergy.ca

Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014

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