Historic Granary Lighting Case Study

Historic Granary In Lemont Pennsylvania Restored using RLLD Exterior Gooseneck Lighting Fixtures
Our client was the Lemont Village Association, a nonprofit 501-C3 organization which owned the Lemont Granary. This historic landmark, built in 1885, had been central to the importance of Lemont, Pennsylvania. This building was a grain elevator and coal shed that had been played a crucial role in the position of Lemont as a regional agricultural hub up until the mid 1950s. After this time, however, the building fell into disuse and disrepair.

Not wanted to see the collapse of a historic building that had once been so important to this community. After the LVA purchased it, along with a surrounding 1 acre parcel, plans were drawn up to renovate the building. The intention was to use the site as a location for numerous local functions. Once the building was restored to its historical condition, the LVA aimed to use it to host a seasonal meetings, special events, feasts, plays, art shows, farmers markets, holiday markets, and weddings.

The most pressing challenge was finding a luminaire that looked historically authentic.
The Lemont Village Association did not want to install any contemporary lighting on the building that would diminish its historical look. At first they thought he would simply find fixtures that had a classic look and offer the high performance output he was seeking. The initial retail channels he investigated, however, provided him with nothing. He also faced the same challenge with interior lighting fixtures, which were equally difficult to find. After searching online, however, they located RLLD Commercial Lighting and liked the look and performance rating of our exterior gooseneck lighting fixtures.

There were no real design concerns other than the need to aesthetically match the historicity of the structure.
Because our exterior gooseneck commercial lighting fixtures looked much like 19th century lights, all the LVA needed to be sure of was that they would produce the desired levels of levels of outdoor lighting. They ordered three fixtures to test lighting output, and, liking what they saw, ordered one more fixture for the building.

In this particular instance, there was no need to use our photometric design software.
There were no municipal lighting codes and no county ordinances to meet, so the LVA literally had free reign to choose their decorative outdoor lights.

The luminaires ultimately purchased by the LVA 150W RLLD exterior goose neck light fixtures.
RLLD exterior gooseneck light fixtures are specification grade quality made specifically for commercial lighting. They feature ¾ inch aluminum brackets and spun, galvanized steel and heavy-duty reflectors. The models chosen by the client featured a high-gloss black, powder coat finish that matched the historical architecture of the building.

Interior light fixtures were also purchased to compliment outdoor architectural lights. These 200W ceiling mounted lights that reflected the same historical look and featured a pendant-style design.

How Do I Contact RLLD?
RLLD Commercial Lighting carries a wide variety of industrial & commercial lighting fixtures. If you can not find what you are looking for contact us toll free at 1-866-654-3961 and we will find it for you. You can also check out our glossary of lighting terms and commercial lighting blog for answers and tips to many lighting issues.

Our commercial lighting design office is located in Houston, Texas with vendors located throughout the United States that enable us to service all 50 states including Sault Ste Marie, MI (CIU), Cleveland, OH, (CLE), College Station, TX (CLL), Port Angeles, WA (CLM), Charlotte, NC (CLT), Columbus, OH (CMH), Champaign, IL (CMI), Hancock, MI (CMX), Cody, WY (COD) and Colorado Springs, CO (COS).

Exterior Parking Lot Lighting Poles

When commercial light poles become weathered and outdated, any number of problems can quickly result when a business, city government, school, or non-profit organization deliberately chooses to delay replacing them. Once commercial lighting poles become weather beaten, they begin to lose their finish and become an eyesore to the public. This diminishes an organization’s public image, and it works against corporate branding. If light poles in commercial parking lots are faulty, and lighting levels are insufficient or inadequate, this also creates safety hazards and possible legal issues. Lighting regulations require 3-4 foot candles to be evenly distributed throughout every parking lot, regardless of the type of organization it services. Many business owners and facilities managers are unaware of this, and allow commercial light poles that begin to intermittently fail to continue deteriorating until they finally burn out.

If an accident or criminal mischief occurs in such an environment, the organization could very well face a third party lawsuit for negligence. It could also be fined by the government for failure to comply with lighting regulatory codes. While investing in new commercial light poles may represent a price point that many organizations—especially educational, non-profits, and municipalities---initially fear to make in the midst of a recession, the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages when one considers the many financial pitfalls that procrastination and negligence can ultimately lead to. Upgrading commercial parking lot light poles also helps improve security, as more evenly distributed lighting dispels shadows and leaves less opportunity for criminal invasion, vandalism, or violent attack.

Wind load capacitance is another critical factor to address when assessing the stability and viability of existing commercial lighting poles. Local governing codes mandate pole height and wind resistance minimums specific to certain areas. In many western states, high velocity winds can turn dust and rocks into small projectiles that damage both light pole and light fixtures. Worn or damaged poles will automatically fail to meet with current regulatory codes, and lamps stand a good chance of becoming damaged in high winds. You can easily see how a single storm in one of these areas can end up costing your clients more than the purchase and installation of brand new commercial lighting poles.

Newer lighting steel poles available through standard and specification grade distributors like RLLD Commercial Lighting speak to all of these needs with superior material builds, a variety of designs and pole heights, and special glass fixtures that protect minimum glare halide bulbs from heavy winds and particle impact. The efficiency of commercial light pole design has improved so much over recent years that even models measuring only 25 feet in height can now 2500 square feet of height each when fitted with the proper lamps and reflectors. Other factors such as energy efficiency and lamp life are also affected by the quality of commercial light poles.

When you show your clients these facts and figures, you can help them understand that procurement of standard or specification grade commercial lighting poles carries with it certain intrinsic returns on investment. By minimizing replacement costs, power consumption, and liability resulting from accidents, clients of site planners and general contractors can recover their funding through a number of revenue streams that flow back toward them from a newer, more improved-looking facility.

RLLD Commercial Lighting carries a wide variety of industrial & commercial lighting fixtures. If you can not find what you are looking for contact us toll free at 1-866-654-3961 and we will find it for you.

Our home office is located in Houston, Texas with warehouses located throughout the United States that enable us to service all 50 states including Scottsdale, Arizona, Seattle, Washington (SEA), Los Angeles, CA (LAX) Boston, Massachusetts (BOS), Princeton, NJ (EWR), Philadelphia, PA (PHL), Dallas, Texas (DWF), Chicago, IL (ORD), Baltimore, MD (BWI), and Minneapolis, MN (MSP). We also service clients internationally, with lighting representatives working out of Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America. ALBQ, NYC, LA, MPLS.

Commercial Parking Lot Lighting Deals

RLLD Commercial Lighting carries a wide variety of tennis court, parking lot & commercial lighting fixtures. RLLD Commercial Lighting operates as an online equipment and adjunct lighting services vendor to contractors, developers, and suppliers in the commercial lighting design industry. We sell only lighting fixtures, lamps, and accessories that are made in the United States, and we operate from Coast to Coast working in partnership with builders, architects, and electrical services professionals to assist in creating the very best indoor and outdoor commercial lighting systems in the country.

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Tennis Court Lighting Packages.
Parking Lot Lighting Poles & Fixtures.

Tennis Court Lighting
Tennis court lighting kits are designed by RLLD sports lighting experts to produce optimal footcandle levels and excellent color rendering. A variety of optical systems and sophisticated reflectors keep the light centered in the court and avoid spilling it into surrounding buildings and homes. A wide range of poles allows for precise positioning of tennis lights to allow you to clearly see both the court and the ball in play. Custom systems can also be developed with the help of an RLL Design consultant to ensure full compliance of United States Tennis Court and Track Building Association.

Commercial Light Pole Installation
Commercial light pole installation is a systematic process that flows from the conceptual and the general to the systematic and precise. This process is similar to a flowchart.

Concrete Lighting Poles
Cement or concrete lighting poles have experienced a recent surge in popularity among property developers, civil engineers, architects, and general contractors. People have begun to realize that concrete, in spite of its reputation as a purely industrial substance.

Commercial Parking Lot Lighting
Commercial Parking Lot Lighting has become increasingly regulated over the years and requires expert knowledge beyond electrical expertise to properly configure and install.

Parking Lot Lighting Fixtures
Parking Lot Lighting Fixtures & 3D Photometric Lighting Designs Services. Take for example the wide variety of parking lot fixtures that are used to light car dealerships, malls or coffee house patios.

Parking Lot Lighting Design
The size and layout of your client’s parking lot will often help our photometric lighting design team quickly pinpoint the degree of cutoff and optics type most effective for your project. If a parking lot is asymmetrical and located in a nefarious part of town.

Outdoor Parking Lot Lighting
Outdoor Parking Lot Lighting. Commercial Lighting can help you achieve superior results with just the right amount of power, elevation, and angle of incidence without overspending or encroaching on light trespass restrictions.

Our home office is located in Houston, Texas with warehouses located throughout the United States that enable us to service all 50 states including New York NY, Los Angeles CA, Miami, FL. Chicago, IL. Denver CO., New Orleans, La., Cleveland, Ohio, Kansas City, Mo., Mesa, Arizona, Virginia Beach, Va., Omaha, Nebraska, Oakland, California, Miami, Florida, Tulsa, Oklahoma, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Arlington, Texas, Beaumont, Texas, Denton, TX, McKinney, Texas, Midland, TX, Killeen, Texas, Dallas TX, San Antonio, TX, Austin, TX, ALBQ, NYC, LA, MPLS.

Call us toll free at 1-866-654-3961 and let us give you a hand on your next tennis court or parking lot lighting project!

Commercial Exterior Architectural Lighting

Working with a design services hardware vendor like RLLD Commercial Lighting will give your business, no matter how large or small, access to resources few of your competitors can obtain, saving you time and money in the process and providing a level of scientific precision few of your competitors can rival. With specialized architectural lighting design software, we will input the data that you gather from any municipal, commercial, academic, government, or sports facility site and scientifically calculate the precise photometric lighting requirements for optimal foot candle density and directional lighting control. These calculations are vital to the development of a competitive and cost effective proposal that your client will feel confident about. Remember, what you propose today should perform for many years with a minimum of future complications, expenditures, or mishaps.

Ideally, exterior architectural lighting should compliment natural and architectural elements with luminaires whose fixture designs reflect the geometric themes and subtle nuances of the environment they light. These luminaires must also function with optimal efficiency and deliver the quality of light that purely functional site lighting fixtures provide. It is necessary for your clients to realize from the beginning of the consultation process that exterior architectural lights absolutely have to anticipate stringent lighting control laws now taking effect across the nation. New lumens per watt efficiency requirements, light pollution restrictions, and limitations on the actual lamps that can be used are becoming increasingly. What you propose to your client today must be able to withstand not only the forces of nature and time, but also the forces of change within human infrastructure and society. Creating an exterior architectural lighting design customized to the exact activities and aesthetic of your client’s site with minimal maintenance, upgrades, and replacements is something we specialize in helping you do.

This often equates to something like a Spartan approach to fixture placement. As increased efficiency and efficacy in HID and LED outdoor lights make it possible to get more lumens per watt from the average lamp, we can illuminate larger areas than ever before with fewer physical fixtures and less obtrusive equipment. This gives a huge competitive advantage to freelance electrical contractors and smaller design firms who normally lack the funding to invest in high-end development software packages and lack the manpower to engage in long-term collaborative design sessions with clients who know intuitively what they want, but lack the technical knowledge to spec out the details in a timely manner. RLLD Commercial Lighting experts can handle this phase of your proposal development for you by taking the raw data you collect from your client a point-by-point schematic of the entire exterior architectural lighting system.

As a general rule, we subdivide exterior architectural lighting systems into components representative of specific operations and aesthetics. This is necessary because different elements of site lighting often fall into overlapping categories of regulation. Parking lot lights and parking lot light poles are good examples of this. Parking lot lights must meet the minimum foot candle requirements of the local community in which they are installed. They must also control their light output in such a fashion as to fully comply with local dark sky laws, and the poles used to support them must meet wind load requirements mandated by higher levels of government. Commercial garage lighting requires equal attention to both vertical and horizontal foot candle density, and calculating this delicate balance requires either access to specialty software or a degree in high-level calculus. Building and landscape lights must keynote geometric forms, and these as well must be both energy efficient and optimized for glare reduction and light pollution control to remain compliant with government mandates.

The key to developing a truly superior architectural exterior lighting system is to use only enough visible commercial lighting supplies to compliment the scenery without dominating its elements. Decorative fixtures should be visible, yet “low profile” in their positioning, and they must always bring more attention to the objects they light than they do their own appearance. By paying attention to this simple, but much understated fact in the world of lighting design, you will give yourself an enormous competitive advantage over rival bids that over emphasize equipment and miss the essence of precision design and true site enhancement.

RLLD Commercial Lighting carries a wide variety of industrial lighting, commercial lighting and athletic sports field lighting fixtures. If you can not find what you are looking for call us toll free at 1-866-654-3961 and we will find it for you. Our home office is located in Houston, Texas with warehouses located throughout the United States that enable us to service all 50 states including San Juan, PR (SJU), Isla De Vieques, PR (VQS), Fajardo, PR (X95), Erie, PA (ERI), Killeen, TX (ILE), Sheridan, WY (SHR), Casper, WY (CPR), Parkersburg, WV (PKB), and Escanaba, MI (ESC). We also service clients internationally, with lighting manufacturer representatives working out of Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America. ALBQ, NYC, LA, MPLS.

Photometric Lighting Analysis & Design

Obtaining a 3-D photometric report on your client’s property is perhaps the best thing you can do to ensure maximum efficiency of the commercial lighting system you install and maximum long-term client satisfaction with the operability and overall aesthetic impact of that system. Photometric analysis software, however, is often far outside the price range of small lighting design firms and independent electrical contractors. Typically, only the larger firms have the budget to purchase photometric analysis software and the manpower to use it. Smaller companies and individuals are therefore at a clear disadvantage when it comes to proposing new equipment. That is, unless they can find a partner company who has photometric analysis software that can generate reports for them.

This is precisely why RLLD Commercial Lighting invested in photometric analysis software—to give the independent contractor and the small lighting design firm a competitive advantage that was previously unavailable to them. Using this software, we can create one or more reports on your client’s location that will enable us to select the very best luminaires for the new system. The square footage, vertical cube space, and general layout of your client’s facility is input into our photometric analysis software first. This data can then be used to generate foot candle charts and photometric reports that pinpoint the very best locations to install lighting fixtures. These reports can be printed both as technical spec sheets and as user friendly documents complete with pictures and general descriptions for end user review. Having a document like this to place alongside of your proposal gives you additional negotiating power with your client and proves to the decision maker you have thoroughly understood their needs and done your homework in response.

For indoor lighting case studies, photometric analysis software allows us to work on a room by room basis. We can run different scenarios through the system according based on either hypothetical luminance levels or fixtures in the room. This allows us to identify potential problem areas where objects in the room may cast dark shadows and disrupt the aesthetic and obscure visibility. Knowing where these problems areas are most likely to pop up helps us recommend both the best luminaire models and pinpoint the optimal angles at which to mount them and quote lighting packages.

Because we supply commercial warehouse lighting fixtures from a number of different manufacturers (all based in the United States), it is important to consider all options before making a final choice. Each manufacturer offers unique fixture designs and energy efficiency safeguards, and lamp life varies as well between the various proprietary designs. What may be the best fixture to use in a small, single building office may not be the best choice for a multi-building site or office park.

The software actually contains manufacturer’s spec sheets and engineering documents on specific fixtures in different categories. These reports can be pulled and a luminaire comparison report instantly generated that details fixture optics, lumens per watt efficiency, and expected lamp life. Cross referencing light levels and fixture placement reports with specific data on each fixture made by a leading US lighting manufacturer hones the effectiveness of the photometric analysis to a razor-edge precision.

While we do charge a fee for photometric analysis, we refund the amount in full should you move forward in a business relationship with RLLD Commercial Lighting and purchase your commercial landscape lighting equipment from us. Casual inquirers and companies seeking adjunct support are nonetheless welcome to call us and purchase a report to use in any project and are under no obligation to buy commercial lighting products in conjunction with the report.

In either case, we are here to help the independent contractor gain a competitive advantage on a more athletic level playing field.

RLLD Commercial Lighting carries a wide variety of industrial & commercial lighting fixtures. If you can not find what you are looking for call us toll free at 1-866-654-3961 and we will find it for you.

RLLD's home office is located in Houston, Texas with warehouses located throughout the United States that enable us to service all 50 states including like Ft. Lauderdale, FL (FLL), Orlando, Florida (MCO), Santa Monica, CA, (LAX) Columbus, Ohio (CMH) (LGA) New York, NY, (JKF), St. Louis, MO, Detroit, Michigan (DTW), Madison, WI (MSN), San Francisco, California (SFO), and Omaha, Nebraska (OMA)

Commercial Outdoor Parking Lot Lighting

How important is it to use high wattage fixtures in large outdoor parking lots?
There are times when high wattage parking lot lighting fixtures are necessary, but not every large facility requires the most powerful lights to produce optimal results. Other factors such as optics, luminaire housing and its relationship to directional control of lighting, and systematic planning of the overall outdoor lighting to find the best angles of incidence produce much better results—with less power expended and an overall lower operating budget for your client.

How significant is the role optics and reflectors in outdoor parking lot lighting?
The significance of optical engineering is probably greater now than ever before. Light trespass laws have become increasingly strict in most parts of the country. You want your client to enjoy a safe and comfortable environment, but you do not want your neighbors to feel annoyed by outdoor light that encroaches beyond the perimeter of your parking lot. By selecting parking lot lighting fixtures that have the very best reflectors and shields, it is possible to achieve a delicate balance between intensity and containment which otherwise would require lowering the levels of light and compromising foot candle levels.

Can luminaire housing design play a significant role in further minimizing glare and outdoor light trespass in and around a parking lot?
Absolutely. Housing design is a critical factor in distributing luminance, as a matter of fact. Some designs, like full cutoffs, aim the light directly downward onto the pavement below. Others like semi direct it downward at an angle, spreading it gently over the parking lot. Sometimes it may not be immediately obvious to determine just what housings will produce the best results just by walking around a client’s parking lot or examining a CAD drawing. Lighting an establishment that has uniquely configured parking lot islands or a storefront that requires a view free from the obstructions of commercial light poles often requires very advanced calculations, and a custom solution beyond strictly standard designs.

Lighting a uniquely designed or asymmetrical parking lot is best done by having RLLD Commercial lighting design and render a full, detailed photometric analysis of the facility first.
Our design team can actually create a three-dimensional model of your client’s parking lot rendered that will show how one or more proposed outdoor lot lighting layouts will look. Multiple variables such as foot candle density, angle of incidence, and recommended pole heights can all be simultaneously calculated and adjusted either collectively or individually. This allows us to help you forecast outcomes prior to purchasing and to determine in advance exactly what equipment will need to be installed. This can then be validated by one of our commercial lighting case studies.

Are all of your outdoor lights and poles made in the USA?
Yes. We strongly believe that American made luminaires are the best in the world. We also feel that working with US manufacturers helps our own economy and passes additional benefits on to contractors and end users in the form of shorter lead time and more dependable written warranties that back up the quality and the performance of the equipment we sell.

RLLD Commercial Lighting carries a wide variety of industrial & commercial lighting fixtures. If you can not find what you are looking for call us toll free at 1-866-654-3961 and we will find it for you.

Where are you located?
Our home office is located in Houston, Texas with warehouses located throughout the United States that enable us to service all 50 states including New York NY, Los Angeles CA, Miami, FL. Chicago, IL. Denver CO., New Orleans, La., Cleveland, Ohio, Kansas City, Mo., Mesa, Arizona, Virginia Beach, Va., Omaha, Nebraska, Oakland, California, Miami, Florida, Tulsa, Oklahoma, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Arlington, Texas, Beaumont, Texas, Denton, TX, McKinney, Texas, Midland, TX, Killeen, Texas, Dallas TX, San Antonio, TX, Austin, TX, ALBQ, NYC, LA, MPLS.