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Exterior Lighting Retrofit Payback Calculator
LED exterior retrofit cuts energy 50-70% and maintenance; fast payback on parking lots.
Payback months
16.8
Annual savings
$5,361
Net investment
$7,500
How the math works
Savings = fixtures × watts saved × hrs × 365 / 1000 × rate. Net = fixtures × (cost − rebate).
60 × 170 × 12 × 365 / 1000 × $0.12 = $5,366/yr. Net $7,500. Payback 16.8 mo.
How to Use
- Enter fixture count.
- Enter current fixture wattage.
- Enter LED replacement wattage.
- Enter hours per day burn.
- Enter electricity rate.
- Enter retrofit cost per fixture.
- Read payback.
Frequently Asked Questions
Exterior LED options?
LED retrofit kit (keeps fixture, replaces lamp/ballast): $75-250/fixture. Full LED fixture replacement: $200-800/fixture. Wallpacks: $150-400. Pole lights: $300-900. Wet-location ceiling mount: $200-500. Photocell + motion sensor add-on: $50-150 per fixture. Commercial contractor install: $100-300 labor per fixture. Night-only burn hours: 10-14 per day.
Energy savings?
Metal halide 175W fixture → LED 60W: 66% reduction. HPS 250W → LED 80W: 68% reduction. Annual savings: 250W × 12 hrs × 365 × $0.12 / 1000 = $131/fixture/year baseline. LED: $42/fixture/year. Savings: $89/fixture/year. 50 fixtures: $4,450/year. Payback 1-3 years typical on $75-300 cost per fixture.
Maintenance savings?
Metal halide/HPS bulb replacement: every 2-4 years, $30-120 per bulb + $50-200 labor = $80-320/fixture every 3 yr = $27-107/fixture/year. LED: 10-15 year life, very few replacements. Savings: $25-100/fixture/year on maintenance. Ladder/bucket truck rental: $300-800/day for maintenance rounds. Reduced frequency = major operational savings.
Utility rebates?
Most utilities offer prescriptive LED rebates: $50-300 per exterior fixture. DesignLights Consortium (DLC) qualified fixtures required. Prescriptive rebate: simple, per-fixture payment. Custom rebate: based on calculated energy savings, $0.05-0.15/kWh reduction. Stack with federal 179D deduction (commercial): $0.30-2.00/sqft deduction. Total rebates can cover 30-60% of fixture cost.
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