Illuminating

the Future

Retail

National Presence and Timing
National retailers typically schedule remodels to their sales environment every 3 – 4 years to keep their look fresh and interesting. Retailers should consider lighting remodels as an on-going, multi-pronged project rather than a massive, all at once initiative. Technology changes rapidly in the lighting industry and new solutions may mean a huge difference in energy savings and aesthetics at any given time. For retailers with many stores, in many different energy-using regions served by multiple utilities and widely varying rebate/incentive programs, it becomes cumbersome and unmanageable to try to coordinate efforts of multiple local and regional lighting service providers. Sun Industries has a national presence and a central management system to assist national retailers with the management and tracking of all of their lighting energy efficiency projects.

Impact on Merchandise
Appealing and attractive visual merchandising of products can be just as important as the overall layout and selling environment. Knowing which lamps, fixtures and focus or angles can create the most dramatic effect, while maximizing savings, will bring a smile to both customers and accountants.

Merchandise and Displays
Retail selling space is typically a maze of fixtures, bins, cash wraps and displays, and there is lighting both above and within that selling space. Installing lighting requires work space and can generate debris. The utmost care must be taken in the construction and building phases of any lighting project in the retail environment. Protecting the merchandise and displays insures the investment in inventory and fixtures remains at current values. Implementation teams may have to move fixtures and display units while protecting the selling floor with drop cloths. Altered areas must be restored to their original layout and cleanliness before the next day’s shoppers arrive on the scene.

Project prioritization
When prioritizing energy savings projects, the top consideration is the ROI and pay-back period associated with the initiative. While these variables are also important in the store environment, the unique metrics and information systems of retailers require other considerations to enter into the design and payback analysis. Other variables include market share of the specific store, sales per square foot, geographical variances in energy costs, rebate availability differences and if the space is owned or leased.

Case Study - Retail company

A renowned retailer with a strong west coast presence, known for very high standards and dedication to their customers, employees and share holders was pursuing a lighting upgrade project. Not unlike many Fortune 100 companies, they also have a dedicated department for energy management with strict requirements and parameters. In their search for a design and build energy efficiency lighting partner, they chose Sun Industries because of their ability to provide services on a national level, reducing coordination time and management involvement. Additionally, Sun Industries provided a comprehensive skill set capable of handling both design and implementation requirements in accordance with rigorous financial controls and approval processes.

In the fast paced world of fashion, it is common for stores to update and remodel every 3 – 4 years. And that includes upgrades to lighting. This retailer understands the importance of lighting to create a pleasant store and selling environment and an outstanding customer experience. But just as important, they fully comprehend the impact lighting has on the visual presentation of the merchandise. With Sun Industries as a partner, common challenges faced in the retail environment are approached from an experienced perspective. The need to create brighter lighting, within code compliance, while reducing total energy costs is a unique balancing act that Sun Industries understands and has been able to achieve in many retail projects. The need to work around the store, always at night, without disturbing or destroying the merchandise and visual displays is a Sun Industries guarantee. The trust and extra care associated with sensitive documents and equipment in the office spaces is something Sun Industries has substantial past experience in handling. And for stores that have been remodeled, there is often the challenge of dealing with antiquated lighting from previous years that was not properly disposed. Each of these challenges was addressed in a comprehensive, fully planned and monitored approach to insure the lighting upgrade met objectives and achieved the financial thresholds for payback.

Sun Industries
Illuminating the Future

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