Churches looking to reduce energy use do not always need to replace an entire lighting system. Converting older halogen fixtures to LED recessed lighting can lower power consumption while allowing facilities to keep much of their existing lighting infrastructure in place.
McLean Bible Church, a large Northern Virginia congregation with five locations, faced aging lighting, high energy costs, and a limited capital-improvement budget at its Vienna campus. Its theatrical lighting supplier, Artistic Concepts Group (ACG), brought Canto USA in to help develop an LED retrofit solution that could work with the church’s existing recessed house lights.
The original system used 208 500-watt T4 E11 mini candelabra lamps. We replaced them one-for-one with 208 RETRO-Classic® 500 units at 2700K. We selected different optics based on throw distance and used E11 stems of varying lengths to match the depth of the existing recessed cans.
Because the RETRO units fit the existing lighting positions, McLean Bible Church did not need to install additional fixtures to achieve the desired light levels. The retrofit was also straightforward enough that the church’s building engineers completed the installation themselves.
What Changed After the McLean Bible Church Retrofit
- The retrofit cut power use by about 91%.
- Room brightness increased by roughly 20% after the new lighting was installed.
- CO2 emissions were also reduced by about 91%.
- The church is saving approximately 337,709 kWh each year.
- Estimated ROI of about 1.7 years based on the original project cost, before utility rebates
- About $10,000 in additional power-company rebates
- Serviceable and upgradeable RETRO fixtures helped reduce future maintenance needs.
Expanding the Halogen-to-LED Conversion
The results at the Vienna campus led McLean Bible Church to use RETRO products in several other areas of the building.
The secondary auditorium received 143 RETRO-Passive® 150 units and 24 RETRO 500s. In the lobby, 22 RETRO 300s were installed in the lower ceiling, and 65 RETRO-Classic® 500s were used in the higher section. The team also installed 35 RETRO 150s in a youth room.
These additional installations allowed the church to extend the benefits of LED recessed lighting into more areas of the facility while continuing to use compatible existing fixtures and infrastructure.
Click here to view a before-and-after gallery slider of this LED recessed lighting project.
The RETRO-Classic 500 stands as a testament to our enduring legacy in the lighting industry and remains a proud pioneer from our RETRO product line. It is renowned for its versatile application, seamlessly blending into the ambiance of various spaces such as auditoriums, arenas, and large halls of worship. Its purposeful design ensures it complements the grandeur of convention centers, adds dignity to the welcoming spaces of building lobbies, and preserves the integrity of exhibits in museums.
Beyond its adaptability, the RETRO-Classic 500 brings together the elegance of classic aesthetics with the prowess of modern technology. For lighting professionals seeking technical specifications, we have meticulously prepared comprehensive cutsheets detailing the RETRO series capabilities. Furthermore, we understand the importance of accessibility to information; hence, our FAQ page is carefully curated to address common inquiries and provide insightful guidance on installation and operation.
