How to plan a lighting retrofit around an operating business
Better lighting should support the way your business operates. Plan the work, access, and controls before choosing replacement fixtures.
The short answer
Start with the lighting problems, operating schedule, and areas that must stay accessible. Then coordinate fixture selection, controls, installation phases, and any incentive requirements as one project.
1. Define the problem before choosing a fixture.
Describe dark areas, glare, inconsistent color, flicker, frequent failures, or lighting that stays on when spaces are empty. Identify the tasks people perform and any recent changes to racks, workstations, aisles, or tenant use.
Provide photographs and a floor plan or site plan. An interior work area, storefront, loading lane, and parking lot have different needs. More light everywhere is not necessarily the best solution.
2. Map the work around your operating day.
Share opening hours, delivery schedules, peak customer periods, shift changes, and spaces that cannot be interrupted. Identify access restrictions and the person who can coordinate work with employees or tenants.
Plan installation in manageable areas with agreed access and circuit-interruption windows. Some work can be coordinated during operating hours; other areas may need after-hours access. The schedule should reflect the actual work and facility conditions.
3. Plan for lifts, protection, and access.
Lighting crews may need room for ladders or lifts, material staging, and removal of old equipment. Point out sensitive machinery, finished surfaces, food-handling areas, clinical spaces, parked vehicles, and other conditions that affect access.
Confirm who will move inventory, clear parking spaces, or protect work areas. Keeping access organized can matter as much as the fixture count when planning the installation.
4. Select lighting and controls together.
Compare light distribution, glare, color appearance, fixture compatibility, maintenance access, and the needs of each space. Existing housings may suit a retrofit kit in some locations; others need replacement fixtures.
Occupancy sensing, scheduling, daylight response, and networked controls should support how the property operates. Agree on intended settings and include a handoff so the people responsible for the building understand the controls.
5. Check incentives before committing to purchases.
If incentives are part of the plan, confirm the applicable program, eligible equipment, documentation, and any preapproval requirements before ordering or starting work. Requirements vary by offering and can change.
LH Block has coordinated ComEd incentive paperwork on projects including Kendall Marketplace, Village Square, and Animal Medical Center of Itasca. Those completed projects illustrate our experience; they do not guarantee the same funding or eligibility for another site.
6. Review the result in the conditions that matter.
For exterior lighting, plan a nighttime review of the parking areas, walkways, entrances, and property boundaries. At Kendall Marketplace, fixture selection and shields addressed light spill toward neighboring homes.
For interior work, review the lighting where people actually perform tasks and confirm the agreed control settings. Keep product information, warranty details, and operating instructions available for future maintenance.
What to send LH Block
- Photos of existing lighting and the areas you want improved.
- Floor plan or site plan, fixture counts, and available product information.
- Operating hours and spaces that must remain accessible.
- Known access, lift, protection, and tenant-coordination restrictions.
- Goals for lighting quality, controls, and maintenance.
- Utility account information and any incentive discussions already underway.
Send what you have. We can help identify what still needs review.
Real projects. Practical experience.
Animal Medical Center of Itasca
Lighting retrofit kits and exterior improvements completed while the clinic remained operational.
Explore Animal Medical Center of Itasca ↗Kendall Marketplace · Yorkville
Exterior lighting, networked controls, incentive coordination, and light-spill adjustments near neighboring homes.
Explore Kendall Marketplace · Yorkville ↗Village Square · Northbrook
Replacement of aging LED fixtures combined with networked controls and incentive preapproval.
Explore Village Square · Northbrook ↗Ready to improve your facility’s lighting?
Tell us where the lighting falls short, how the property operates, and what you want the upgrade to accomplish.
Program information: ComEd business energy-efficiency resources. Eligibility and requirements should be confirmed for your project.