What Is a Lighting Audit? A Commercial Retrofit Guide
Updated: 5 days ago
A lighting audit records the lighting installed in a building, how it operates and the conditions that affect an upgrade. For a commercial retrofit, the useful output is an area-by-area fixture schedule, supporting photos, verified assumptions and enough detail to estimate replacement options.
A fixture count is the starting point. The audit also needs to explain where the fixtures are, what they draw, when they run and what work the installation will require.
What should a commercial lighting audit include?
Record the information needed to connect the site visit to the estimate:
Project name, site address, survey date and auditor.
Area or room names that match the building's layout.
Fixture type, lamp arrangement, quantity and system input watts.
Operating hours, switching patterns and existing controls.
Mounting height, access restrictions and visible condition.
Photos of representative fixtures, labels, controls and exceptions.
Potential replacement routes, unresolved questions and follow-up checks.
Use a lighting audit checklist to prepare the walkthrough. A lighting audit template provides a structured place to record the findings.
Start with areas, then record fixture groups
Separate the building into recognizable areas such as offices, warehouse aisles, corridors, washrooms and exterior loading zones. Assign fixtures to those areas as you count them.
Split a fixture group when a difference could change the recommendation, savings or installation price. Two identical-looking fixtures may need separate lines if one runs continuously and the other is occupancy-controlled, or if one requires a lift and the other is accessible from a ladder.
Give every exception a location. A note saying "damaged lens" is useful when it identifies the area and fixture group. Without that context, the estimator may have to arrange another visit.
Verify system watts and operating hours
Use complete fixture input watts for energy calculations. Fluorescent and HID lamp ratings alone do not describe the full lamp-and-ballast system. For the proposed LED, use the selected product's input power and output setting.
Treat library values as assumptions until they match the installed equipment. Record the ballast or driver model, supporting manufacturer data or measurement used. The LED equivalent wattage chart can support initial identification, but the project record should retain the source for the final wattage.
Ask the operator about actual schedules, seasonal use, shutdowns and overrides. A room open for ten hours may have lights left on for longer. Existing sensors may already reduce runtime, so the same savings should not be claimed again when evaluating new controls.
For a simple constant-power fixture group:
Annual lighting energy, kWh = quantity × system input watts × annual operating hours ÷ 1,000.
If the proposed fixture count or operating pattern changes, calculate the existing and proposed cases separately. The lighting retrofit ROI guide explains how those results connect to cost savings and payback.
Record light levels and installation conditions
Document complaints about dark aisles, glare, inconsistent light or damaged equipment. Where readings are needed, record the measurement location, work-plane height, operating conditions and meter used. Photos help explain the space, but they do not establish illuminance or uniformity.
Fixture selection should consider output, distribution, application and controls compatibility. DOE's commercial LED purchasing guidance discusses these selection considerations. A preliminary lighting layout calculator can help scope quantities; a project requiring photometric verification needs a suitable design using the selected fixture's data.
Record access and scope details before leaving: ceiling type, mounting, obstructions, occupied working areas, emergency equipment, disposal requirements and permitted work windows. These affect the estimate even when they do not change energy savings.
Compare realistic retrofit routes
An audit should make the feasible options clear. For fluorescent fixtures, those may include compatible Type A tubes, a listed Type B conversion, a retrofit kit or complete fixture replacement. See the fluorescent-to-LED conversion guide for the differences.
Keep controls as an explicit option where they fit the space. Record existing controls, occupancy patterns, daylight availability and any compatibility questions. Include installation and commissioning work in the controls scope rather than assuming a sensor is only a material cost.
For rebate-dependent projects, check the applicable utility program and exact product eligibility before purchasing. The DLC Qualified Products Lists are a useful product-checking resource; the utility's program rules still determine the incentive.
Turn the audit into an estimate and proposal
The completed audit should let another person follow the project without relying on the auditor's memory. Check quantities, separate assumptions from observations and flag unresolved items.
The estimator then adds proposed products, prices, installation allowances, equipment costs, rebate assumptions and exclusions. A sample lighting retrofit proposal shows how that information can be presented to the customer.
In LumaQuote, field auditing is available on iPhone, iPad and Android phones and tablets. The device guides explain iOS setup and Android setup, including the handoff to desktop estimating. Review lighting audit software when your survey needs to feed repeatable quoting work.
A lighting audit and a whole-building energy audit
A lighting survey covers a defined part of a building. A broader energy audit may also examine HVAC, envelope, hot water, process loads and interactions between systems.
ASHRAE Standard 211 establishes practices for commercial building energy audits, including audit levels and reporting requirements. Recording fixtures in an app does not by itself establish that those broader requirements have been met.
Frequently asked questions
Can I conduct a lighting audit with a spreadsheet?
Yes. A well-structured spreadsheet can work for a straightforward survey. Include area names, fixture quantities, watts, schedules, notes and references to photos. Software becomes useful when the same information needs to support repeated estimates and proposals.
How long does a lighting audit take?
Duration depends on the building, access, fixture variety, required measurements and documentation. Define the survey scope before estimating time, including whether representative fixtures must be inspected and whether a return visit is likely.
Does a lighting audit guarantee savings or rebate approval?
No. Savings depend on the recorded baseline, selected equipment and operating assumptions. Rebate approval depends on the utility program and its review. Keep estimates and confirmed approvals clearly identified.
