Looking to save energy costs for your manufacturing plant, warehouse, or other industrial facility? In addition to investing in energy-efficient equipment and evaluating when lights and equipment safely may be shut off, you may also want to consider the finish on your floor.
A high-quality floor coating will not only protect your floor from damage and staining, but it can also help reduce the energy you need to light your facility—that is, if it has a high Light Reflectance Value, or LRV.
The term LRV is commonly used to refer to wall paint, but your facility’s floors can also make an impact on the brightness of your interior space.
Here’s how your floor’s LRV can maximize the effectiveness of your facility’s lighting.
Save on lighting costs
In addition to selecting energy-efficient lighting such as LEDs, choosing a floor coating with a high LRV can help you spend less on energy while still providing a well-lit workplace. That’s because a floor with a high LRV reflects light energy back into the space, instead of letting it get lost through absorption.
Light Reflectance Value is represented by a number between 0 and 100 (zero meaning 0% of the light waves are reflected but are instead absorbed, while 100 meaning all light is completely reflected). Generally, a floor coating with an LRV between 60 and 70 will provide the best visibility for workers without being harsh.
Benefits for employees
The type of lighting you choose for your facility affects your employees’ moods as well as overall productivity. But in addition to the color, or “temperature” of the light, the distribution of light matters as well.
A floor coating with a high LRV helps to evenly distribute the light throughout the facility, reducing the eye strain that can happen when workers constantly move in between light and dark areas.
A reflective surface doesn’t have to be white or grey, either. You can select from a variety of reflective colors and designs, or opt for a floor striping system that can also increase worker efficiency.
Increased safety
In some cases, a floor’s high LRV can improve the safety of a facility, by reducing drowsiness and preventing situations in which potential collisions can happen.
This is particularly true for parking garages. More reflective floors improve visibility for your employees and customers, keeping them safer when walking or driving at night. A well-lit garage also tends to deter would-be criminals, who fear being easily identified. (Learn other ways that a floor coating can make a parking garage safer.)
A quality floor coating can do more than just help you light your building efficiently, of course. To learn how the right floor coating can protect your floor from chemical spills, oil stains, and physical damage, explore our Specialty Coating information hub.
