Why start with an assessment
Ask three firms to quote a lighting controls upgrade without an assessment and you will get three different fixture counts, three different assumptions about operating hours, and three different savings claims. None of them can be compared, and none of them were checked against your bills.
The Baseline Assessment fixes the facts first. It answers four questions before anyone designs or sells anything:
- What is installed, room by room, down to the driver?
- Do the controls you already own actually work?
- What does lighting cost you today, measured against real bills?
- Which upgrades are worth doing, in what order, and which incentives apply?
The decision it supports is simple: what to do first, and what not to do at all.
What we record, and why it matters later
| Item | What we record | Why it matters later |
|---|---|---|
| Fixtures and drivers | Type, source, driver, dimming method, age | Decides whether controls can be added to existing LEDs or fixtures must be replaced |
| Circuits and panels | Panel, circuit and emergency circuit per zone | Sets zoning cost and whether egress lighting needs UL 924 transfer devices |
| Existing controls | Platform, firmware, gateways, licenses, who has the passwords | Separates re-commissioning from rescue or replacement |
| Operating hours | Shifts, cleaning crews, holidays, seasonal patterns | Drives savings more than wattage does |
| Utility bills | Consumption, demand, rate schedule | Grounds the baseline in money, not nameplate |
| Incentive fit | Programs, eligible measures, pre-approval and listing rules | Prevents disqualifying yourself by starting work too early |
The sample functional test is the step most audits skip
Installed controls fail quietly. A sensor blocked by a new bookcase, a daylight zone that was never calibrated, an override that someone set to “on” two years ago: none of these show up in a fixture count.
So we test. We pick representative spaces, typically an open office, a private office, a restroom, a corridor and a warehouse aisle or classroom, and run each sequence through its states. Each space lands in one of three groups:
- Works as designed. Leave it alone and count it in the baseline.
- Works, but is mis-set. This is the most common result, and the cheapest fix. Full commissioning usually pays for itself here.
- Doesn’t work, or can’t be accessed. The platform may be orphaned or locked. That points to legacy system rescue and migration.
How we build the baseline
We estimate lighting energy from the inventory and real operating hours, then reconcile it against your utility bills. Where the two don’t agree, we say so and explain why rather than forcing a match. Sub-metering or a short logging period on key panels is an option when the gap matters.
Savings are shown as ranges with the assumptions printed next to them. For context, DLC estimates average savings of about 49% for networked lighting controls and 63% for networked controls with luminaire-level control. Your building may land above or below those averages, and the roadmap explains which way and why.
What the roadmap looks like
The roadmap ranks measures into three groups: now, next and later. A representative example for a mid-size manufacturing plant might read:
- Now: re-commission occupancy sensors in the offices and break rooms; correct the exterior schedule that runs lights in daylight.
- Next: add luminaire-level controls to the warehouse high-bays, with utility pre-approval secured first.
- Later: replace the office room controls at the planned renovation, when ceilings are open anyway.
Every item names its dependencies, its rough disruption level, and the incentive program it may qualify for. If you proceed with any of it, you can move straight into controls design or a wireless retrofit, and the assessment fee is credited to that project.
