LumaQuote › Lighting Audit Checklist

Free printable checklist for commercial lighting audits

Lighting Audit Checklist
Nothing Gets Missed.

A complete, printable lighting audit checklist for commercial facilities, in four sections with 38 items. Plus how LumaQuote turns the walk-through into a finished retrofit proposal without retyping a single number.

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What is a lighting audit?

The walk-through that makes the proposal defensible.

A commercial lighting audit is a space-by-space inventory of every lighting fixture in a facility. It records what exists (fixture type, wattage, quantity, operating hours, condition and controls) so that every savings projection rests on real data, not assumptions.

A good audit is the difference between a proposal a client trusts and one they question. When a client asks how you got a number, the audit is the answer. Every kWh, every dollar of savings and every rebate traces back to the count you did on site.

The checklist on this page makes sure you leave every site with everything you need for a complete, credible proposal, the first time.

Set these objectives before you walk

Scope boundaries
Which spaces and fixture types are in scope? What is explicitly out?

Budget signal
Does the client have a payback target or a budget ceiling?

Rebate eligibility
Confirm the utility program name and any application deadline.

Controls intent
Is the client open to controls, or is this LED only?

Proposal deadline
When does the client need the proposal? Work back from there.

The complete checklist

Four sections. Every item you need.

Tap any item to tick it. Print the checklist for the site walk, or capture all of it in the LumaQuote iPad, iPhone and Android app with kWh calculated as you go.

Download PDF 38 items

01

General Site Information

Capture before or right on arrival

Client and facility name and address

Primary contact: name, phone, email

Building type (warehouse, office, retail, industrial, institutional)

Total gross square footage

Floors, wings or buildings, and the spaces in each

Year built and last lighting renovation

Floor plan or a hand-drawn map of the spaces

Areas explicitly out of scope, with the reason

Set up your areas and spaces in the LumaQuote field app before the walk: floors or wings first, then rooms. On site you add fixtures straight into each space instead of writing them down.

02

Financial & Utility Data

Confirm with the facility manager, do not guess

Utility provider name

Current utility rate ($/kWh), from the bill, not an estimate

Demand rate ($/kW per month) if it applies

Average monthly electricity spend

Last 12 months of utility bills (request before the visit)

Rebate program name and per-fixture or per-watt amounts

Rebate application deadline, if any

In LumaQuote, pick the state, province or region and the utility rate, CO2 factor and rebate program name fill in. Always check them against the client's actual bill.

03

Lighting Inventory

One line per fixture type per space, not per unit

Fixture type (T8, metal halide, HPS, CFL and so on)

Lamp designation (F32T8, MH400/U, HPS250)

Ballast type: magnetic or electronic (critical for HID and older T8)

Input wattage from the nameplate or a measurement, not the lamp rating

Quantity per space

Mounting height (especially in warehouses over 16 ft)

Ceiling height and floor area of the space

Operating hours per day

Operating days per year

Color temperature of the existing lamps (so the LED matches)

Condition: good, fair or poor

Scope: in scope, leave as-is, excluded or emergency only

Location note (Bay 3, Row A, west wall)

Photos: fixture, nameplate, and anything unusual or damaged

As you enter each line, kWh/yr and $/yr calculate instantly. Check the space total before moving on, so errors get caught on site, not in the office.

04

Controls & Operational Observations

Shapes the controls opportunity and the proposal

Occupancy pattern per space: always occupied, intermittent or rarely occupied

Daylight per space: high, moderate or none

Existing controls per space (switches, occupancy or vacancy sensors, daylight sensors, timers, dimmers, panels)

Controls to add per space, with a quantity for each type

Areas with complaints (too dark, too bright, flickering)

Shift schedule and any after-hours lighting needs

Emergency and egress lighting: in scope or separate

Access limits (height, permits, operating constraints)

The client's openness to controls (ask directly, it changes the scope)

LumaQuote records existing controls and the controls to add for each space, and suggests a controls fit by space type: High fit, Possible fit, Needs site review or Not likely. Adjust it to what you saw. Working in New York? See the Local Law 88 room checklist.

Recording what you find? Use the free Excel lighting audit template: spaces, fixtures, kWh, LED savings and payback in one workbook.

Proposal readiness

Before you leave the site: proposal readiness check.

Do not leave with just the fixture count. Confirm you have everything to finish the proposal without a second call or a return visit.

Operating hours confirmed for every space

Not estimated. Confirmed with the facility manager or an operations contact. Hours are the single biggest variable in the energy model.

Utility rate from the bill, not a default

You have a copy of the bill, or the client has confirmed the current rate. The regional default is a starting point, not the final value.

Every space total looks plausible

Review the kWh/yr for each space before you leave. A warehouse with 40 high bays at 12 hours a day showing 500 kWh/yr is an entry error, not a real result.

Excluded fixtures are documented

Every fixture you will not replace (emergency, leave as-is, heritage) has a scope status and a reason. They appear in the proposal so the client sees what was counted and what was left out.

Rebate program and amounts confirmed

You know the program name, the per-fixture or per-watt amount, and whether the client qualifies. If you are not sure, note it. Do not guess a number that will appear in the proposal.

Controls are recorded and the scope is decided

Existing controls are noted for each space, and you know whether controls are in scope. If yes, you have noted where the daylight or occupancy opportunities are. If no, the proposal is LED only. Either way, it is written down.

After the audit

What you do with the data next.

Done

Audit Complete

Every fixture recorded. The audit is on your dashboard.

Next

Specify LED Replacements

Pick the LED, watts and unit cost. Savings calculate instantly.

If needed

Add Controls

Optional. LED only and LED plus controls side by side.

Confirm

Rebates & Costs

Rebates per fixture. Labour, disposal and installation.

Export

Generate Proposal

PDF or Word, plus a work order for your crew.

In LumaQuote, the audit feeds steps 2 to 5 automatically. No retyping, no copy and paste. Need the raw data too? The full data export gives you every field in one CSV.

Common questions

Lighting audit checklist FAQ.

What is a lighting audit checklist?

A lighting audit checklist is a structured list of what to document during a facility lighting walk-through: site details, utility data, the fixture inventory, operating hours, controls and daylight conditions. It makes sure you leave the site with everything an accurate retrofit proposal needs, including the scope status of every fixture.

What should be on a lighting audit checklist?

Four sections. General site information: building type, square footage, contact and the spaces to audit. Utility data: provider, rate, demand charge and rebate program. Lighting inventory: fixture type, lamp, ballast, input wattage, quantity, mounting height, hours, color temperature, condition and scope. Controls and operations: occupancy, daylight, existing controls, controls to add, shifts and access limits.

How long does a commercial lighting audit take?

It depends on the size of the building, the number of spaces, ceiling heights and access. Preparation saves the most time on the day: set up the areas and spaces before the walk, confirm operating hours in advance and have a utility bill on hand. With LumaQuote the bigger saving comes after the walk, because the audit feeds the proposal directly instead of being retyped.

Can I use this checklist on a phone or tablet?

Yes. Tick items on this page on any device, or print it with the Print checklist button. For a digital walk-through, LumaQuote Field is an iPad, iPhone and Android app that captures the same items, works with no signal, and sends the audit to LumaQuote on your computer, where it becomes the proposal.

Should I record lighting controls during the audit?

Yes. Note the existing controls in each space and, where the code or the client calls for it, the controls to add with quantities. It costs a minute per room on site and saves a return visit. In places that require it, such as New York, it is part of the documentation for a lighting upgrade.

What objectives should I set before a lighting audit?

Agree on scope (which spaces and fixture types are in and out), the client's budget or payback target, rebate eligibility and any program deadline, whether controls are in scope or the job is LED only, and when the proposal is due. These decisions shape what you document and how you structure the proposal.

⚡ LumaQuote

The checklist is the start.
The proposal is the win.

LumaQuote captures every item on this checklist on the tablet or phone, even offline, and turns it into a finished proposal. No retyping.

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More: Lighting audit software · iPad app guide · Android app guide · Local Law 88 room checklist