ARCHITECTS – Photoluminescent exit signs offer an opportunity for an architect to present a cost saving upgrade to their clients – Value Added Engineering. There is money to be saved from the very beginning. Photoluminescent exit signs do not require electrical wiring at electrical contractor wages. All construction projects are limited to a budget. This option may be part of a solution to help keep a project at budget. In addition to the initial savings, there are long-term savings such as; reduced energy consumption, no maintenance and no need for replacement as our exit signs last well over 25 years.
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS – The simplicity of installation of photoluminescent exit signs makes an electrical engineers job of specification a lot easier. It only takes four screws to install photoluminescent exit signs. This type of signage is especially convenient for design build, retrofit and tilt-up construction projects. In the case of design build or retrofit projects, photoluminescent exit signs eliminate having to integrate into, or upgrade existing electrical circuits. The use of photoluminescent products (not requiring electrical hard wiring) simplifies specification of exit signs in difficult locations. While tilt-up buildings are a lot more difficult to run electrical wiring for, photoluminescent exit signs are a simple solution.
ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS – Because photoluminescent exit signs are so much easier and quicker to install, electrical contractors save in labor fees, while increasing their company productivity levels. They also save wiring and conduit, which is not necessary for photoluminescent signs. This can serve to be a tiebreaker when an electrical contractor is up against his competitors bidding for a project. Labor cost to an electrical contractor is approximately $25 per hour. During a new construction project, it takes between 45 minutes to 1 hour for the electrical contractor’s staff to install each electrical exit sign. A retrofit project, takes an average of 2.5 to 3 hours to install each electrical exit sign. It only takes approximately 15 minutes to install each photoluminescent exit sign. Low-level exit marking is another circumstance that photoluminescent exit signage proves to be far more cost effective and convenient.
GOVERNMENT FACILITIES – Government facilities are another great candidate for photoluminescent exit signs and continuous information systems. Executive Order 13123, Sec. 202 relates to energy efficiency improvements goals for government facilities. Through life-cycle cost-effective measures, each governmental agency shall reduce energy consumption per gross square foot of its facilities by 30 percent by 2005 and 35 percent by 2010 relative to 1985. No facilities will be exempt from these goals unless they meet new criteria for exemptions, to be issued by the Department of Energy (DOE). Effective November 2003, it became a GSA requirement that all newly constructed government buildings install continuous information systems/egress markings in all stairwells. Photoluminescent continuous information systems are easy to install and do not require electricity.
UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICTS – School districts are looking for durability in signage, as children tend to be rough, especially in high schools. There are low level exit marking requirements for schools. Electrical exit signage for lower level marking can be especially dangerous for children. Photoluminescent flush mount exit signs and kick plate exit signs are far more durable and do not pose the dangerous risk that electrical exit signs do. School districts will incur the long-term cost of electrical exit signs such as; electricity usage, bulb or tube replacement, battery replacement ($20-$45 each), sign replacement, electrical contractor labor wages to replace these items (approximately $55-$65 per hour) as well as maintenance fees to insure the system is operating properly. There are additional costs involved with the disposal of exit sign rechargeable batteries, as they are classified as a toxic waste product. Electrical exit signs have an average life of 5-7 years based on electrical component condition and maintenance. GBC Photo-luminescent Exit Signs have a life of 25+ years, meet durability requirements, are environmentally friendly and do not require any maintenance. Because photo-luminescent exit signs do not rely on battery back up systems, they create a far more enhanced safety environment for children attending school. DSA is familiar with photo-luminescent technology and the corresponding building codes that allow for photo-luminescent exit signs. While DSA cannot give blanket approval for an exit sign because it must be project by project, they have indicated that there should be no problem with their approval on a project-by-project basis. This is generally true of all AHJ’s (authority having jurisdiction) in the nation.
ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES - Assisted Living facilities and all other Senior Housing facilities can reap great benefits from including photoluminescent exit signs and pathway markings in retrofit and new construction projects. Liability and safety are key issues in this industry. Photoluminescent exit signs and pathway markings assure that, in the event of an emergency, the residents of a senior facility will be able to evacuate safely and quickly. Easy to see and read, durable, long life (25+ years), esthetic appeal, and the confidence that photoluminescent products provide to clients of senior facilities can make the difference in a facility experiencing high vacancy rates. Add the ease of installation, energy and maintenance cost savings to the safety features and the result is a great way to make assisted living facility owners more profitable. Installation can also be a cost reducer. Rather than hiring expensive electrical contractors, our products may be installed by local maintenance staff.
HOSPITALS – Hospitals are another perfect application for photoluminescent exit signs. It is important to note that in a hospital the external light source providing charge to a photoluminescent exit sign must be energized 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days per year in accordance with NFPA 99. NFPA 99 requires that all exit signs required by NFPA 101 Life Safety Code must receive their power from the life safety branch of the emergency system. For UL 924 listed Photoluminescent exit signs, this means that the light fixture providing the minimum 5 foot candles of external illumination to the exit sign must be connected to the life safety branch of the emergency system. In a lot of cases, the lighting is already connected to the life safety branch of the emergency system. For new hospitals still in the planning stages, it is easy for an architect to specify photoluminescent exit signs and have the structure wired accordingly. If a hospital has exit signs with battery back up, JCAHO requires that the hospital test each exit sign monthly and maintain a log. In the case of a large facility, this can be extremely time consuming. Hospitals can avoid this task by replacing their exit signs with photoluminescent exit signs. This also is true with assisted care living facilities.
FACILITY MANAGERS – Part of the responsibility of a facility manager is to maintain and test electrical exit marking systems. With our signage, this responsibility is virtually eliminated. Facility managers are a great target market, as they are able to see great savings in retrofitting from electrical exit signs to photoluminescent exit signs. Even if they are not able to change out all existing exit signs at one time, they may still be interested in changing out individual units as they burn out. Fire Marshals will hand out a fine if they inspect a building that has exit signs that are not functioning in accordance with building code regulations. Rather than paying expensive electrical contractor fees, the installation of photoluminescent exit signs can be done by local maintenance staff.
MODULAR BUILDING MANUFACTURERS – Modular building manufacturers typically run all of the wiring in their modular buildings for lighting and electrical fixtures, including exit signs. They can improve their company productivity level as well as save on wire, conduit and the labor to run the wire and conduit for electrical exit signs. They can also use the signage as a sales tool to help market their modular buildings. They can legibly make the statement that their modular buildings contain exit signs that do not burn electricity, do not require maintenance and have a 25+ year life.
OLD BUILDINGS – Making a cold call on the owner or facility manager of an old building can be a great sales opportunity. In a lot of cases, you will find that these old buildings still have the incandescent exit signs that burn approximately $25-$35 per year in electricity (compact fluorescent $18-$19 per year, LED $5-$6 per year) as quoted by the Environmental Protection Agency. This can add up if the building is large and has a lot of exit signs, especially when you add it on top of all of the other maintenance expenses of electrical signage as discussed above. By getting a count of all exit signs in the building, a cost benefit analysis can be prepared for the owner or facility manager to review. Contained within the cost benefit analysis shall be the annual electricity usage and estimated maintenance costs, which will help to demonstrate the advantages of retrofitting their building to photoluminescent exit signs. Please contact Green Bay Coatings LLC at (920) 336-8225 for assistance in preparing the cost benefit analysis.
STATES WITH LOCAL ENERGY EFFECIENCY REQUIRMENTS – There are currently jurisdictions that require specific levels of upgrade in overall energy efficiency for remodel and retrofit projects. The use of photoluminescent products for exit signs and pathway markings could be the answer without further upgrade requirements. The energy efficiency levels of photoluminescent products are extremely high, and when taken in context with other efficiency levels of a building/facility, may be sufficient to satisfy efficiency requirements.