Benefits
Typically a quick-serve restaurant LED installation like this one will realize a payback in five years or less from energy and maintenance savings. A quicker payback can be realized if rebates are available through a local utility company. According to Chris McGuire, president at McCon Building Corporation, the Cree LED luminaire photometrics work very well for the surrounding community: “We haven’t heard any complaints from residents that the light is too bright so we feel good about the fact that it isn’t obtrusive.
“Since it's dark in the surrounding area, it’s nice to have our lot well lit to serve our guests and know we’re saving energy at the same time. We’re so pleased with the lights that we’re installing them at our second newly-constructed Culver’s on Camelback Road in Phoenix.”
Tom Williams, director of design services at Culver Franchising System, Inc., looked for ways to cut energy consumption at franchise locations. He saw a Cree LED luminaire demonstration six months before it was available at a lighting show and watched LED solutions develop for a number of years before thoroughly vetting the opportunity. “We looked at the total cost of ownership, not just the initial cost,” said Williams. “After we conducted energy and maintenance savings calculations, we began encouraging our franchise owners to install Cree lights. It’s an option now but I hope that it becomes a standard.”