A commercial lighting retrofit swaps your building’s existing fixtures, lamps, and controls for high-efficiency LED equipment, usually reusing the wiring and mounting you already have where it is safe to do so. For most Hollidaysburg businesses, it is the fastest way to cut a monthly power bill, because lighting is one of the largest electrical loads in any commercial building. Lighting accounts for about 17% (208 billion kWh) of all electricity used in U.S. commercial buildings, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Trim that load and the savings show up on every statement.
This guide covers what a retrofit includes, how much a Blair County business can expect to save, what drives the payback, the Pennsylvania Act 129 rebates that offset the cost, and how Adams Electric scopes the work. Adams has wired commercial and industrial buildings across Central Pennsylvania since 1919, so this reflects how the job actually runs on a live site, not a spec sheet.
Key Takeaways
- A commercial lighting retrofit replaces existing fixtures, lamps, and controls with LED equipment, often reusing your current wiring and housings where they are sound.
- Lighting is about 17% of U.S. commercial building electricity use, so it is usually the highest-return efficiency project a business can start with.
- ENERGY STAR certified LEDs use at least 75% less energy and last up to 25 times longer than incandescent lighting.
- Real commercial buildings cut lighting energy use by an average of 54% through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Interior Lighting Campaign.
- Pennsylvania’s Act 129 program has saved the state more than 8.8 million MWh and $6.4 billion since 2009, and utilities such as Penelec and PPL offer rebates that can lower your project cost.
- Older buildings sometimes need a switchboard or panel upgrade before new circuits or added capacity go in, so a licensed commercial electrician should confirm capacity first.
What is a commercial lighting retrofit?
A retrofit targets the biggest lighting load first, and in a commercial building that load is significant. Lighting makes up about 17% of all electricity consumed in U.S. commercial buildings, per the U.S. Energy Information Administration, which is why it is the first thing an electrician looks at when a business wants lower bills.
In practice, a retrofit means removing old fluorescent tubes, metal halide, or high-pressure sodium lamps and installing LED fixtures or LED-ready components in their place. Many jobs reuse the existing housings, conduit, and circuits, which keeps cost and disruption down. A full lighting redesign goes further, changing fixture layout and light levels, but a straight retrofit is often enough to modernize an office, store, warehouse, or shop floor. Adams handles this as a dedicated service, Commercial Lighting Retrofits and Design, covering interior troffers, warehouse high-bay fixtures, parking-lot and exterior signage lighting, and security lighting.
How much can a lighting retrofit save a Hollidaysburg business?
Expect a large cut, not a rounding error. Commercial buildings that upgraded through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Interior Lighting Campaign reduced lighting energy use by an average of 54%, saving $68 million on energy bills across more than 2.8 million upgraded fixtures and controls. That is the kind of result a Hollidaysburg office park or warehouse can plan around.
The savings come from two places. First, the fixtures themselves: ENERGY STAR certified LED products use at least 75% less energy and last up to 25 times longer than traditional incandescent lighting, according to Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Second, controls: adding occupancy sensors and daylight-responsive dimming means lights run only when a space is in use. Adams installs area occupancy sensors and lighting controls alongside the fixtures, so a back office or a rarely used storeroom stops paying for light nobody needs.
What drives the cost and payback of a retrofit?
The math favors LED because the equipment lasts so long. Some LED luminaires run up to 100,000 hours, which the U.S. Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program notes greatly reduces maintenance and related costs, with lifetime savings around $135 for a single high-efficiency 2-by-4-foot luminaire over 15 years. Multiply that across a building and the relamping and labor savings add up fast.
Project cost depends on a handful of factors: how many fixtures you have, how many hours a day they run, what technology you are replacing, whether you add controls, and which rebates you qualify for. A 24-hour warehouse pays back faster than a part-time office because it burns more hours. Because energy use often falls by half or more and maintenance drops sharply, most commercial retrofits pay for themselves within a few years, and the utility rebates below shorten that further. A licensed electrician can walk your building, count fixtures, and give you real numbers instead of a guess.
Cutting the load
How much lighting energy a retrofit removes
Measured campaign results against the ENERGY STAR product standard.
U.S. Department of Energy Interior Lighting Campaign; ENERGY STAR.
Pennsylvania Act 129 rebates for commercial LED upgrades
Pennsylvania utilities are required to help pay for efficiency upgrades, which is money many businesses leave on the table. Under Act 129, the commonwealth has saved more than 8.8 million megawatt-hours of electricity and $6.4 billion since 2009, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. The program is not slowing down either. In June 2025 the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission approved Phase V for 2026 through 2031, projected to deliver more than 3 million megawatt-hours of first-year savings and $1.4 billion in net lifetime benefits.
For a business, the practical takeaway is simple. Act 129 requires the electric distribution companies that serve Central Pennsylvania, including Penelec and PPL, to run rebate programs, and commercial LED lighting and controls are common qualifying measures. Rebate amounts and rules change each program year, so the smart move is to have your contractor confirm current incentives and design the retrofit around measures that qualify. Adams can scope the work to match, so you capture the rebate rather than miss it.
Fixtures, controls, and when the panel needs attention
LED is where the entire lighting market is headed, so a retrofit also protects you against obsolete parts. The U.S. Department of Energy projects that annual energy savings from LED lighting will top 569 terawatt-hours by 2035, driven mostly by commercial, industrial, and outdoor use, per its Solid-State Lighting program. Planning your building around LED now keeps you ahead of that shift.
A typical commercial job mixes several fixture types: recessed troffers in offices, high-bay fixtures over warehouse and production floors, and LED wall packs, pole lights, and signage lighting outside. Controls tie it together, from occupancy sensors to scheduled dimming. Most retrofits do not increase electrical demand, since LED draws less power than what it replaces. But if you are adding circuits, expanding the building, or your service is already near capacity, a switchboard or electrical panel upgrade may need to come first. That is a judgment call for a commercial electrician, not a lighting salesperson. Adams has handled both ends of that spectrum, from interior and exterior lighting with full power distribution at the Wynwood House Personal Care Home build to a 5000-amp underground service for a growing industrial facility in Duncansville.
Why hire a local Hollidaysburg commercial electrician
A retrofit is an electrical project, not just a shopping list, and lighting is roughly 17% of commercial electricity use, so getting the fixtures, circuits, and controls right is what turns a spec into real savings. Do it wrong and you get flicker, tripped breakers, failed inspections, or fixtures that die early.
Adams Electric has served Blair County businesses since 1919, and as a family-owned company now in its fourth generation, the crews have seen how commercial buildings age. The work is done by licensed and insured electricians to the National Electrical Code, the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, and OSHA safety standards. Just as important for a business, the team plans around your operating hours, because downtime costs money. Adams runs its commercial service out of Altoona and dispatches daily to Hollidaysburg, Duncansville, and the surrounding Blair County communities, and you can see the range of work on the commercial electrician page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an LED retrofit worth it for a small commercial building in Hollidaysburg?
Usually yes. Because lighting is about 17% of a commercial building’s electricity use, even a small office, shop, or clinic sees a real cut on the power bill. Smaller buildings also tend to have simpler layouts, which keeps the project fast and the payback short.
How much energy will a lighting retrofit actually save?
A lot. Commercial buildings in the DOE Interior Lighting Campaign cut lighting energy an average of 54%, and ENERGY STAR LEDs use at least 75% less energy than incandescent lighting. Adding occupancy sensors and dimming controls pushes savings higher, since lights run only when they are needed.
Do I need a new electrical panel or switchboard for a lighting retrofit?
Often no. A like-for-like LED swap usually draws less power, not more, so your existing service handles it. If you are adding fixtures, circuits, or capacity, or the panel is already dated, a panel or switchboard upgrade may be needed. A licensed electrician confirms this before any work begins.
Are there rebates for commercial LED lighting in Pennsylvania?
Frequently, yes. Under Act 129, utilities such as Penelec and PPL run efficiency rebate programs where commercial LED lighting and controls commonly qualify, and statewide the program has saved $6.4 billion since 2009. Amounts change each year, so ask your electrician to design the retrofit around measures that currently qualify.
How long do commercial LED fixtures last?
A long time. Some LED luminaires last up to 100,000 hours, up to 25 times longer than incandescent lighting, which is what slashes relamping labor and maintenance calls. That longevity is a big part of the return, not just the lower energy use.
Will the retrofit disrupt my business?
It does not have to. A retrofit can be scheduled around your hours and completed zone by zone, so most of the building stays lit while crews work. Adams also offers emergency commercial service if a problem needs immediate attention.
Ready to plan your retrofit?
Adams Electric has kept the lights on for Blair County businesses for more than a century. If you want a straight answer on what a commercial lighting retrofit would cost and save for your building, call 814-944-4621 or reach the commercial team for an on-site assessment.