SAN REMO APARTMENTS STAIRWELL LIGHTING UPGRADE

The San Remo apartment block is a small, 12-unit residential building located in a sought-after area of the popular Gold Coast suburb, Broadbeach.

Earlier this year, CRM Electrical was engaged by the body corporate to replace the lighting in the common stairwell area of San Remo with the objectives of modernizing the building, lowering ongoing utility costs and improving the safety of residents.

With reducing annual running costs a primary motivator for the body corporate, we made the recommendation to swap out all fluorescent bulbs with LEDs throughout the three-story stairwell.

While replacing fluorescent bulbs with LEDs was an initial cost outlay, LEDs typically last between five and ten times longer than the lighting that was already in place which meant a substantial reduction in ongoing costs.

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The decision to update lighting and replace the fluorescent bulb with LEDs is currently benefitting San Remo unit owners in the following ways:

LONGER LIFESPAN

LED bulbs can last up to eight times longer than the existing fluorescent lights (depending on the brand). Not only does the swap improve energy efficiency and lower ongoing annual costs within the building, it also means that less maintenance is required. 

LED bulbs can last for up to 50,000 hours. For common areas like stairwells where lights can be switched on for up to ten hours a day, these bulbs will provide light for many years before they need replacing.

IMPROVES SAFETY

The long life of LED bulbs largely removes the need for body corporate electricians to repair or replace bulbs in hard-to-reach or awkward stairwell areas which are a potential risk to safety.

For the unit owners of the San Remo building, the ongoing durability of LED bulbs eliminates the likelihood of lights failing in a common area and therefore reduces the risk of residents tripping or falling in the dark which could potentially lead to injury and an insurance claim.

Fluorescent lights are made from glass and may contain a small amount of mercury. If breakages occur, residents can be exposed to hazardous shrapnel, which also opens up the potential for injury.
The LED lights that are now in place are both sturdier and smash resistant which ensures shattered bulb glass in common areas is completely avoidable.

LED lights are also safer than Halogen bulbs. Read more here. 

REDUCE ONGOING COSTS

The cost of swapping fluorescent lights for LED lights will be recuperated within 10-12 months as savings are made in annual electricity bills and ongoing maintenance.

The Broadbeach area is thriving, and the property market is competitive. Property owners can maximise both the sale value and rental potential of their units by modernizing common areas such as stairwells.

To find out more about reducing your outgoings, improving energy efficiency and updating common areas within a building, contact CRM Electrical today.