Buzz Oates Group Mounts Big LED Retrofit Project in Sacramento

The Buzz Oates Group of Companies in Sacramento, CA, has retrofitted almost all of the 25 million square feet of commercial property it has under management to LED lighting, according to the Sacramento  Business Journal.

The factors all lined up in favor of the switch: LEDs outlive incandescent lamps by a wide margin – 100,000 hours versus 5,000 hours. The LEDs are cheaper to operate and save energy.

There is a cost, however. The company had to install new fixtures, which are expensive. This made the ROI five years or more. So far, the company has reduced its half its previous costs on lighting and 20 percent of its overall energy bill.

LED announcements are occurring with rapidity. For instance, within the last week several announcements — such as the retrofit of the Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution in Pendleton, OR and a project in Rockleigh Borough, NJ — were made.