Commercial Electrical Case Studies
Real projects. Real results. See how Ranch and Coast Electric delivers measurable outcomes for commercial and industrial clients across Tampa Bay. From LED retrofits that cut energy bills in half to generator installations that keep medical practices running, our work speaks for itself.
Warehouse LED Retrofit
Sarasota Distribution Center
The Challenge
A major distribution center in Sarasota was operating with 200 aging metal halide high-bay fixtures throughout their 150,000 square foot warehouse. The existing lighting system consumed an enormous amount of energy, and the metal halide lamps required a 10 to 15 minute restrike period after any power interruption, leaving the warehouse floor in near-darkness during brownouts and momentary outages that are common during Florida's summer storm season. Light levels had degraded to approximately 30 foot-candles on the warehouse floor, well below the 50 foot-candle minimum recommended by OSHA for detailed picking and packing operations. Workers were reporting eye strain, and the facility manager was concerned about safety in the darker aisles of the racking system. The monthly lighting energy bill alone was averaging $6,500, and the maintenance team was spending significant time and money on lift rentals and lamp replacements for fixtures mounted at 30 feet.
Our Solution
Ranch and Coast Electric designed a comprehensive LED retrofit plan that replaced all 200 metal halide fixtures with high-efficiency LED high-bay units rated at 200 watts each, a dramatic reduction from the 400-watt metal halide fixtures they replaced. We selected fixtures with a color temperature of 5000K for optimal visibility in a warehouse environment and a CRI of 80 or above. In addition to the fixture replacement, we installed networked occupancy sensors in every aisle, the receiving dock area, and the break room corridor. These sensors automatically dim fixtures to 20 percent output when no motion is detected for 10 minutes, and bring them back to full output instantly when workers enter the zone. The entire project was completed over two weeks, with work scheduled during the overnight shift from 10 PM to 6 AM so that daily warehouse operations were never interrupted. We coordinated with Duke Energy's Business Energy Advantage program to secure the maximum available rebate before work began.
Results
- Reduced lighting energy consumption by 65 percent, dropping the monthly lighting bill from $6,500 to $2,300, a savings of $4,200 per month
- Improved light levels from 30 foot-candles to 75 foot-candles on the warehouse floor, exceeding OSHA recommendations
- Secured an $18,000 Duke Energy rebate that offset a significant portion of the project cost
- Eliminated all lamp replacement and maintenance costs with fixtures rated for 100,000 hours of operation
- Zero downtime to daily warehouse operations throughout the entire installation
Project Timeline
2 weeks
Special Features
- •Networked occupancy sensors with zone-based dimming control
- •Overnight installation schedule to avoid operational disruption
- •Duke Energy Business Energy Advantage rebate coordination
- •Post-installation light level verification testing
Restaurant Build-Out
Downtown Bradenton Farm-to-Table Restaurant
The Challenge
A chef-owner was opening a new farm-to-table restaurant in a renovated historic building in downtown Bradenton. The existing electrical service was a 100-amp single-phase system that had served the previous tenant, a small retail shop. The new restaurant concept required a full commercial kitchen with convection ovens, a six-burner gas range with electric ignition, a commercial dishwasher, a walk-in cooler, a walk-in freezer, a three-door reach-in refrigerator, and a hood exhaust system with a make-up air unit. The front of house included a full bar with refrigeration, an espresso machine, a POS system, and the owner's vision for an intimate dining experience with layered decorative lighting and outdoor string lights on a newly constructed patio. The building's historic character meant working around original brick walls and limited ceiling cavity space, adding complexity to the electrical routing. The owner had a firm opening date tied to a major local food festival and could not afford inspection delays.
Our Solution
Ranch and Coast Electric began with a complete electrical design that started with a load calculation to determine the service size needed for the full restaurant operation. We upgraded the building's electrical service from 100 amps to 400 amps, installing a new 400-amp main distribution panel with a dedicated kitchen sub-panel. The kitchen received 24 dedicated circuits for all cooking equipment, refrigeration, dishwasher, hood exhaust system, and make-up air unit, each sized according to the specific equipment nameplate ratings. All kitchen receptacles were installed with GFCI protection as required by code, and the walk-in cooler and freezer received properly sized disconnect switches accessible from outside the units.
For the dining room and bar, we installed a multi-zone dimmable lighting system with a combination of decorative pendant fixtures, recessed LED downlights, wall sconces that highlighted the original brickwork, and under-bar LED strip lighting. The outdoor patio received weatherproof string light circuits, low-voltage landscape accent lights, and power for two ceiling fans. We ran all POS system data and power cabling, installed the security camera system, and wired the audio system throughout the dining room, bar, and patio. Emergency lighting and illuminated exit signs were installed to meet fire code requirements. The project was completed on schedule, and the restaurant passed its electrical inspection on the first visit with zero deficiencies noted.
Results
- Passed electrical inspection on the first submission with zero deficiencies
- Restaurant opened on schedule in time for the downtown Bradenton food festival
- Multi-zone lighting system allows the owner to create different ambiance for brunch, dinner, and private events
- Outdoor patio lighting and power expanded the restaurant's seating capacity by 30 percent
- All kitchen equipment operates simultaneously at full load without tripping breakers
Project Timeline
4 weeks
Special Features
- •Historic building renovation with concealed wiring in original brick walls
- •Multi-zone dimmable lighting with scene programming
- •Full POS, security, and audio system integration
- •Outdoor patio electrical with weatherproof fixtures and receptacles
Commercial Generator Installation
Tampa Medical Office Complex
The Challenge
A multi-physician medical practice in Tampa experienced repeated power outages during the 2023 hurricane season and summer thunderstorm period that disrupted patient care, forced appointment cancellations, and put temperature-sensitive medications and vaccines at risk. The practice spans 6,000 square feet and includes exam rooms, a minor procedure room, a medical lab with centrifuges and analyzers, an electronic health records server, a vaccine refrigerator that must maintain a strict temperature range per CDC guidelines, and waiting and administrative areas. Beyond the direct impact on patient care, the practice was losing an estimated $8,000 to $12,000 in revenue for each day of unplanned closure. The physicians also needed to maintain HIPAA compliance for their electronic health records system, which required uninterrupted server operation or a controlled shutdown process. The practice manager wanted a solution that would provide seamless backup power for critical systems without requiring staff to manually start a generator or flip transfer switches during an emergency.
Our Solution
Ranch and Coast Electric performed a detailed load analysis of the practice's critical and essential electrical systems to properly size the generator. We recommended and installed a 60-kilowatt natural gas generator by Generac, connected to the building's existing natural gas service, which provides unlimited runtime without the need for diesel fuel delivery during extended outages. The generator is paired with a 400-amp automatic transfer switch that monitors utility power continuously and transfers the building's critical loads to generator power within 10 seconds of detecting an outage, with no manual intervention required.
We divided the building's loads into critical, essential, and non-essential categories. Critical loads including the server room, vaccine refrigerator, medical lab equipment, and emergency lighting transfer immediately. Essential loads including exam room lighting, HVAC for the server room and vaccine storage, and select receptacles transfer on the second time-delay step. This staged transfer approach prevents the generator from being overloaded by inrush currents when all loads start simultaneously. The natural gas generator eliminates fuel storage concerns and starts reliably in any weather condition. We also installed a cellular-based remote monitoring system that sends alerts to the practice manager and our service team if the generator runs, experiences a fault, or requires scheduled maintenance.
Results
- Seamless power transfer within 10 seconds of any utility outage, with zero manual intervention
- HIPAA-compliant continuous server operation during two extended outages in the first six months
- Vaccine and medication storage maintained within required temperature ranges during all outages
- Zero lost revenue days due to power outages since installation
- Remote monitoring system provides real-time status alerts and maintenance notifications
Project Timeline
1 week
Special Features
- •Natural gas fuel for unlimited runtime without fuel delivery logistics
- •Staged automatic transfer to prevent generator overload from inrush currents
- •Cellular remote monitoring with alerts for the practice manager and service team
- •Annual maintenance contract including load bank testing and oil analysis
Office Tenant Improvement
Lakewood Ranch Business Center
The Challenge
A growing regional insurance company signed a lease for 8,000 square feet of raw shell space in a Class A office building in Lakewood Ranch. The space needed to be built out into a fully functional corporate office with 15 private offices for agents and managers, two large conference rooms with full audiovisual capabilities, an open bullpen area with 20 workstations for support staff, a dedicated server room to house their on-premise insurance quoting and policy management systems, a break room, a reception area, and a file storage room. The company's IT infrastructure was complex, with each workstation requiring multiple data drops for VoIP phones, computers, and printers, and the server room needed redundant power feeds and a dedicated cooling circuit. The build-out had to be coordinated with HVAC, drywall, flooring, and furniture installation contractors, all working toward a firm move-in deadline that was tied to the expiration of their existing office lease. Any delay would mean costly double-rent payments.
Our Solution
Ranch and Coast Electric served as the electrical and low-voltage contractor for the entire tenant improvement, working closely with the general contractor, HVAC contractor, and the company's IT vendor to coordinate a complex multi-trade build-out. We began with a detailed electrical plan that accounted for every receptacle, light fixture, data drop, and dedicated circuit in the space.
Each of the 15 private offices received four duplex receptacles, two data drops for computer and phone, and overhead LED troffer lighting on a dimmer switch. The open bullpen area was designed with under-carpet power and data distribution to serve the modular furniture system, providing each of the 20 workstations with two power outlets and two data connections without visible conduit runs. The two conference rooms were wired for ceiling-mounted projectors, wall-mounted displays, motorized projection screens, in-table power and HDMI connections, and video conferencing cameras with speaker systems.
The server room was the most critical space in the build-out. We installed two dedicated 30-amp circuits from separate panels for redundancy, a dedicated 30-amp circuit for the in-room cooling unit, properly grounded equipment racks, and a comprehensive cable management system. All server room circuits were protected by surge protection devices, and we installed an environmental monitoring panel that tracks temperature and humidity. We coordinated directly with the company's IT vendor to ensure all data drops were tested, labeled, and patched to the correct switch ports before the move-in date. The project was completed on schedule, with the company moving in the weekend before their previous lease expired.
Results
- Completed the full 8,000 square foot build-out in three weeks, meeting the firm move-in deadline
- Installed over 120 data drops, all tested and certified to Cat6 standards before move-in
- Server room achieved redundant power with separate circuit feeds and dedicated cooling
- Multi-trade coordination prevented scheduling conflicts and kept all contractors on track
- Company transitioned from old office to new space over a single weekend with no business interruption
Project Timeline
3 weeks
Special Features
- •Under-carpet power and data distribution for the open office area
- •Conference room AV pre-wire with in-table power and HDMI connections
- •Redundant server room power feeds from separate distribution panels
- •Direct coordination with the client's IT vendor for data infrastructure
Our Track Record Speaks for Itself
Explore Our Commercial Services
LED Lighting & Retrofit
Energy-efficient LED upgrades for warehouses, offices, retail spaces, and parking lots with utility rebate assistance.
Commercial Generators
Automatic standby generators with transfer switches for businesses that cannot afford power interruptions.
Tenant Improvements
Complete electrical build-outs for new office, retail, and restaurant tenants in commercial properties.
Industries We Serve
Specialized electrical expertise for restaurants, healthcare, manufacturing, warehouses, and more.
Ready to Start Your Project?
Whether you need an LED retrofit, generator installation, or complete build-out, Ranch and Coast Electric delivers commercial electrical results across Tampa Bay.