Ward Watkins Insurance Brokers

New lighting brightens office space while saving energy costs

A recent lighting upgrade at Ward Watkins Insurance Brokers in Surrey and Maple Ridge is not only saving energy, but the offices look much brighter, too.

“The space has a better and brighter lighting quality,” says Ray Butchart, company co-owner. “What’s more, the Power Smart incentive made the project more affordable.”

The challenge: better lighting with lower energy use

Ward Watkins is a relatively small company, with 10 employees and offices totaling 2,000 square feet. Because of the small size, employee satisfaction is a top priority, and good lighting is a big part of that. The old lighting system had been in place for a long time, and lighting quality had declined.

The solution: higher efficiency lighting, plus incentives

Butchart received an ad in the mail from BC Hydro and learned about the Power Smart Product Incentive Program, which provides incentives for the installation of a wide range of energy efficient technologies. He got in touch with BC Hydro, who put him in touch with a lighting contractor. After the contractor examined the old lighting system and explained the options for upgrading to more efficient technologies, Butchart and his partner decided to replace all of the ballasts and fluorescent tubes in the Surrey office.

Ward Watkins Insurance replaced old fluorescent tube fixtures with new T8 fluorescent lamps with electronic ballasts. The company received an incentive of over $570 to offset the cost of the energy-efficient products.

The benefits: better light quality, lower operating costs

As a result of the retrofit, Ward Watkins is saving over $225 on their electricity bill annually. As well, maintenance costs are reduced since the energy-efficient lights last longer and fewer lamp replacements are needed.

“I was skeptical at first, because I thought that the low-energy lights would give out less light and make the office darker,” says Butchart. “But I soon found that it was quite the opposite – the new lights seem to give out more light than the old inefficient ones.”

Ward Watkins was so pleased with the results that they went ahead and upgraded the Maple Ridge office too.

Contact BC Hydro

Find out how Power Smart can energize your bottom line. Call us today at 604 522 4713 in the Lower Mainland or 1 866 522 4713 elsewhere in B.C.