A Guide for Hotels: Boosting Profits with Energy Efficiency & Conservation

Lighting: Signage

Commercial signage often operates 12 to 24 hours per day, consuming about 2% of the total electricity in the United States. A large hotel may have dozens or even hundreds of lit signs that are in use 24/7.

There are more than 100 million exit signs in use throughout the U.S. Typically lit by incandescent bulbs, these signs consume 30-35 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) hours of energy each year. Exit signs that have earned the ENERGY STAR operate on five watts or less per sign, compared to standard signs, which use as much as 40 watts per sign. When installed throughout a building, qualified exit signs can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars in energy and maintenance costs.

The lifetime savings of replacing 100 exit signs with LED models is approximately $31,644 after repayment of initial costs. These savings can be even higher if the upgrade qualifies for rebates or incentives. High efficiency lighting in highway and other exterior signs will also cut power use in these constantly illuminated fixtures.