Ranch and Coast Electric

Commercial Lighting & LED Retrofit Services

Upgrade your business lighting to energy-efficient LED technology and cut energy costs by up to 70 percent. Ranch and Coast Electric designs and installs commercial lighting systems for offices, warehouses, retail spaces, and outdoor areas throughout Tampa Bay, with access to Duke Energy and TECO utility rebates.

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Why Tampa Bay Businesses Are Switching to LED

The transition from legacy lighting technologies to LED is one of the most impactful energy efficiency upgrades a commercial property owner can make. In the Tampa Bay area, where commercial buildings run air conditioning eight to ten months of the year, the benefits of LED extend beyond simple lighting energy savings. LED fixtures produce 60 to 80 percent less heat than fluorescent and HID lamps, which directly reduces the cooling load on your HVAC system, compounding your energy savings.

Modern commercial LED fixtures deliver superior light quality compared to the fluorescent tubes and metal halide lamps they replace. LEDs provide instant-on performance with no warm-up period, consistent color temperature throughout their lifespan, and significantly better color rendering that makes products look better in retail environments and reduces eye strain in office settings. The rated lifespan of commercial LED fixtures ranges from 50,000 to 100,000 hours, compared to 20,000 hours for fluorescent and 10,000 to 15,000 hours for metal halide, dramatically reducing maintenance costs associated with lamp replacement in hard-to-reach locations like warehouse ceilings and parking structure fixtures.

For businesses in Florida, LED lighting also supports compliance with the Florida Energy Conservation Code, which sets maximum lighting power density limits for commercial spaces. Many older buildings with fluorescent or HID lighting exceed these limits, and an LED retrofit brings the facility into compliance while providing a better-lit environment. This can be particularly important when undergoing renovations that trigger code compliance reviews.

Warehouse & High-Bay LED Lighting

Warehouses and distribution centers represent some of the highest-impact LED retrofit opportunities in the Tampa Bay area. Many facilities are still running 400-watt or 1,000-watt metal halide high-bay fixtures that consume enormous amounts of energy, require 10 to 15 minutes to restrike after a power interruption, and produce diminishing light output as lamps age. Modern LED high-bay fixtures deliver equivalent or better light levels at 40 to 60 percent of the wattage, with instant-on capability and consistent performance over their entire lifespan.

A typical warehouse LED retrofit in the Tampa Bay area replaces 400-watt metal halide fixtures with 150 to 200-watt LED high-bays, saving 200 to 250 watts per fixture. For a facility with 200 high-bay fixtures operating 16 hours per day, this translates to annual energy savings of approximately $25,000 to $35,000 at current TECO and Duke Energy commercial rates. The return on investment for warehouse LED retrofits is typically 18 to 30 months, making it one of the fastest-payback capital improvements available.

We install LED high-bay fixtures in a variety of configurations including UFO-style round high-bays for general warehouse areas, linear high-bays for aisle lighting in racked storage facilities, and vapor-tight LED fixtures for cold storage and wash-down environments. All installations include proper mounting hardware rated for the ceiling type and seismic requirements of the building.

Office & Retail Lighting Solutions

Office environments in Tampa Bay benefit significantly from LED lighting upgrades, both in energy savings and in workplace quality. Research consistently shows that proper lighting improves productivity, reduces headaches and eye strain, and enhances employee satisfaction. Our office LED solutions include recessed troffer fixtures in 2x2 and 2x4 configurations that drop directly into existing ceiling grids, as well as architectural pendant fixtures, linear suspended fixtures, and under-cabinet task lighting for workstations.

For retail environments, lighting is not just functional but a critical merchandising tool. We design retail lighting layouts that combine ambient general lighting with accent and display lighting to highlight products and create the right atmosphere for your brand. LED track lighting, adjustable downlights, and color-tunable fixtures give retailers precise control over how merchandise is presented. Tampa Bay retail spaces benefit particularly from LED fixtures with high color rendering index (CRI) values of 90 or above, which make colors appear vibrant and true, encouraging purchases.

Lighting Controls & Smart Systems

Combining LED fixtures with intelligent lighting controls maximizes your energy savings and meets the requirements of the Florida Energy Conservation Code, which mandates automatic lighting controls in most commercial spaces. Ranch and Coast Electric designs and installs a full range of commercial lighting control systems, from simple occupancy sensors to networked building-wide control platforms.

Occupancy and vacancy sensors are the most common and cost-effective commercial lighting control, automatically turning lights off in unoccupied spaces like restrooms, conference rooms, storage areas, and break rooms. Daylight harvesting sensors adjust artificial light levels based on available natural light, particularly effective in Tampa Bay offices and retail spaces with large windows or skylights. Programmable timers and astronomical time clocks control exterior lighting, parking lot lights, and signage based on actual sunrise and sunset times for your location.

Advanced networked control systems like Lutron Vive, nLight, and Enlighted provide zone-by-zone control, energy monitoring, and scheduling through a centralized software interface. These systems qualify for enhanced utility rebates from both Duke Energy and TECO because of the additional energy savings they deliver beyond LED fixtures alone. For businesses seeking LEED or ENERGY STAR certification, lighting controls are essential for earning energy efficiency credits.

Duke Energy & TECO Utility Rebates

Tampa Bay businesses can significantly reduce the upfront cost of LED lighting upgrades through utility rebate programs offered by Duke Energy and Tampa Electric Company (TECO). These programs are designed to incentivize energy efficiency improvements and can offset 20 to 40 percent of total project costs. Ranch and Coast Electric is experienced in navigating both utility rebate programs and ensures our clients receive every dollar they are entitled to.

Duke Energy's Business Energy Advantage program offers prescriptive rebates for common fixture-for-fixture replacements as well as custom rebates for unique projects calculated based on actual energy savings. Qualifying measures include interior LED retrofits, exterior LED area and wall pack replacements, LED parking garage fixtures, and lighting controls including occupancy sensors and daylight harvesting systems. Pre-approval is required before work begins, and Ranch and Coast Electric handles the application process on your behalf.

TECO offers similar commercial lighting rebate programs for customers in their service territory, covering interior and exterior LED upgrades. Both utilities periodically update their rebate offerings and qualifying product lists, and we stay current on available incentives to maximize the financial benefits for every project. We provide a detailed rebate analysis as part of our free lighting audit so you can see the net cost of your LED upgrade after all incentives are applied.

Frequently Asked Questions

LED lighting typically reduces lighting energy consumption by 50 to 70 percent compared to fluorescent fixtures and up to 85 percent compared to metal halide or high-pressure sodium lamps. For a typical 10,000 square foot commercial space in Tampa Bay paying an average of $0.12 per kilowatt-hour, switching from fluorescent to LED can save $2,000 to $5,000 per year in electricity costs alone. The savings are even greater for warehouses and retail spaces that operate lights for extended hours. Additionally, LEDs produce significantly less heat, which reduces your air conditioning load in Florida, creating secondary energy savings.
Yes. Both Duke Energy and Tampa Electric (TECO) offer rebate programs for qualifying commercial LED retrofit projects. Duke Energy Business Energy Advantage program provides rebates for a wide range of LED fixtures including linear LED tubes, high-bay fixtures, exterior area lights, and lighting controls. TECO offers similar rebate programs for commercial customers in their service territory. Rebate amounts vary by fixture type and wattage reduction, but can offset 20 to 40 percent of the total project cost. Ranch and Coast Electric helps you identify qualifying equipment, complete rebate paperwork, and maximize your available incentives.
The timeline depends on the size and scope of the project. A small office or retail space with 50 to 100 fixtures can typically be completed in one to two days. Mid-size facilities with 100 to 500 fixtures usually take three to five days. Large warehouses or multi-building campuses may require one to three weeks. We can schedule work during evenings, weekends, or off-hours to minimize disruption to your business operations. For phased retrofits, we can complete sections of your facility at a time so you never lose full use of any area.
The best approach depends on the age and condition of your existing fixtures. If your fluorescent fixtures are less than 10 years old and in good condition, retrofit kits that replace the tubes and bypass the ballast can be a cost-effective option. However, if fixtures are older, showing signs of corrosion, or you want to take advantage of improved optical design, full fixture replacement with integrated LED fixtures is the better long-term investment. Integrated LED fixtures provide better light distribution, longer warranties (typically five to ten years), and eliminate future ballast replacement costs. We evaluate your existing fixtures and provide recommendations for both options with clear cost comparisons.
Warranty coverage depends on the specific products installed. The LED fixtures we use from major commercial manufacturers typically carry a five to ten year product warranty covering defects and premature failure. Driver components, which are the most common failure point in LED fixtures, are covered under the fixture warranty. Our labor warranty covers the installation workmanship for two years. For lighting control systems and sensors, manufacturer warranties range from three to five years. We only install commercial-grade LED products from reputable manufacturers so you get consistent performance and reliable warranty support.

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Ranch and Coast Electric provides expert LED lighting retrofits and installations across Tampa Bay. Get a free lighting audit with energy savings analysis.

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