LED retrofits are one of the few building upgrades where the math is simple and the payback is fast. Across the multi-unit buildings we service in Greater Boston, common area lighting is usually the second largest electric line item after HVAC, and it is the easiest one to cut.
What the numbers look like
A typical mid-size residential building runs hallway, stairwell, garage, and exterior lighting around the clock. Swapping legacy fluorescent and incandescent fixtures for LED typically cuts that lighting load by 60 to 80 percent. Add occupancy sensors in stairwells and garages and the savings climb further.
On top of the utility savings, LED lamps last years longer than what they replace. That means fewer ladder visits, fewer work orders, and fewer dark hallways between maintenance rounds. For a portfolio, the labor savings alone often justify the project.
Utility incentive programs in Massachusetts frequently cover a meaningful share of fixture and installation costs. Between incentives, energy savings, and reduced maintenance, most retrofits we complete pay for themselves in under three years, and everything after that is margin.