Project: Gardendesign Bart Peters – LED high bays and LED floodlights

For its new 800 m² hall in Dilsen-Stokkem (Belgium), garden design and landscaping company Gardendesign Bart Peters chose LED from day one: 20 LED high bays 150W inside and 4 LED floodlights 50W on the facade. The hall gets 300 lux on the floor with 63% less power than a conventional metal halide installation would need.

Project facts

Client	Gardendesign Bart Peters, garden design and landscaping
Location	Dilsen-Stokkem, Belgium
Building	New warehouse hall, approx. 800 m²
Completed	2020
Indoor lighting	20 × LED high bay 150W
Outdoor lighting	4 × LED floodlight 50W, 3000K
Mounting	7 m, suspended on chains
Control	Dimmable
Illuminance	300 lux
Planning	DIALux light study

The starting point

Gardendesign Bart Peters built a completely new hall of around 800 m² with a clear height of over 7 m. There was no existing lighting to replace, so the question was not what to swap out but how to light the hall right from the start.

Requirements for the hall

The hall needed bright, even light for working and loading inside, with a level of around 300 lux on the floor. Outside, the facade and yard needed lighting for the darker months, when work starts early and ends late.

Why not conventional lighting

A conventional installation for a hall like this would typically use 400W metal halide high bays and 150W metal halide floodlights. That means more power, warm-up time at every switch-on and regular lamp replacement. Choosing LED in a new build avoids all of that from day one, and the installation does not have to be redone a few years later.

The solution

Light study first

Before ordering, we made a DIALux light study based on the floor plan and the 7 m mounting height. It showed that 20 high bays in an even grid would deliver around 300 lux across the whole floor.

Inside the hall: 20 LED high bays 150W

Inside, 20 LED high bays hang on chains at 7 m. The luminaire can be set to 90W, 120W or 150W; here it runs at 150W. At 210 lm/W each fitting produces around 31,500 lumen, and the 90° beam concentrates the light on the floor at this height. The high bays are dimmable, so the light level can be lowered when less light is needed. More on choosing the right wattage and beam in our LED high bay guide.

On the facade: 4 LED floodlights 50W

Along the facade, 4 LED floodlights 50W in warm white 3000K light the yard and entrance. IP66 protects them against rain and dust, and the 120° beam spreads the light wide along the wall. Each 50W floodlight replaces a 150W metal halide floodlight.

LED luminaires used in this project

Energy savings in figures

Because this is a new build, there was no old installation. The figures below compare the LED installation with the conventional metal halide installation the hall would otherwise have needed.

	Conventional	LED	Difference
Inside	20 × 400W metal halide	20 × 150W LED high bay	−5,000W
Facade	4 × 150W metal halide	4 × 50W LED floodlight	−400W
Connected load	8,600W	3,200W	−63%
Load per m²	10.8W/m²	4.0W/m²	−6.8W/m²
Consumption per year	12,900 kWh	4,800 kWh	−8,100 kWh
Electricity cost per year	€4,257	€1,584	−€2,673
CO2 per year	1.9 t	0.7 t	−1.2 t

How we calculated this

• Conventional: 20 × 400W + 4 × 150W = 8,600W × 1,500 h = 12,900 kWh per year.
• LED: 20 × 150W + 4 × 50W = 3,200W × 1,500 h = 4,800 kWh per year.
• Cost: 8,100 kWh × €0.33/kWh = €2,673 per year.
• CO2: 8,100 kWh × 0.15 kg/kWh = 1.2 t per year.

Ballast losses of metal halide lamps are not counted, so the real difference is even larger.

Investment and payback

At current webshop prices, the 24 LED luminaires cost €1,662 (20 high bays and 4 floodlights). Half of the investment was covered by an energy-efficiency subsidy, leaving €831. With €2,673 lower electricity costs per year than a conventional installation, that amount is earned back in under four months. Installation is not included in that figure.

Calculate the savings for your hall

The calculator below is pre-filled with the figures of this project. Change the values to see what LED would save in your own building, whether it is a new build or a relighting.

The result

• 300 lux from day one: bright, even light across the whole 800 m² floor, as planned in the light study.
• 63% less power: 3,200W instead of 8,600W for a comparable conventional installation.
• Instant full light: no warm-up time, inside or outside, and no flickering.
• Lit yard and facade: warm white floodlights for safe work outside in the dark months.
• Lower running costs: €2,673 less on electricity every year and 1.2 tonnes less CO2.

Frequently asked questions

How do you calculate savings for a new building without old lighting?

We compare the LED installation with the conventional installation the hall would otherwise have received: 400W metal halide high bays inside and 150W metal halide floodlights outside. At Gardendesign Bart Peters that difference is 5,400W, or 8,100 kWh and €2,673 per year at 1,500 operating hours and €0.33/kWh.

How many LED high bays does an 800 m² hall need?

That depends on the mounting height, the required lux level and the luminous flux per fitting. Here, 20 high bays of 150W at 210 lm/W, mounted at 7 m, deliver around 300 lux. For your own hall we work out the exact number with a free DIALux light study.

Which wattage high bay suits a mounting height of 7 m?

For 7 m and around 300 lux, 120W to 150W high bays with a 90° beam are a common choice. The high bay used here can be set to 90W, 120W or 150W, so the same fitting fits different heights and light levels.

Why warm white floodlights on the facade?

3000K warm white gives a calmer light outside and is less harsh for neighbours and passers-by than cool white. For a yard and facade where people need to see well, but no sports-level light is required, 50W at 3000K is a good fit.

Can you make a free light plan for my new hall?

Yes. Send us the floor plan with the ceiling height. We make a free DIALux light study, work out how many luminaires you need and send a non-binding quote at direct-import prices.