Energy efficiency and savings values will certainly be high on the priority list, but future maintenance of equipment functionality at an optimal level should also be taken into account, which is usually a logistical nightmare. LED sources seem to have solutions for everything, so additional challenges arise when designing lighting in warehouses and halls.

1. Mount the lamps in the exact positions
This may sound like an obvious thing, but new lamps don't always have to stay in their existing positions. On the other hand, lamps that are positioned at the top of the shelf are useless. Therefore, it is necessary to know the precise arrangement of lamps and the possibilities of their installation. The result of lighting fixtures in the wrong places is poorly placed lighting installations, which leads to a poor level of illumination, expensive and long-term maintenance and unnecessary energy consumption. This does not only apply to LED lighting, but it is important to know that LED lighting tolerates only minor errors, or in other words, Led lighting requires better positioning compared to HID (Metal Halide Lamps) that we have used so far.

2. Check the optics of the LED system - choose the optimal one
New generations of high-bay lamps allow the use of several different optical systems depending on the needs. If one decides to use the advantages of optics, it is necessary to choose the right version. In general, it is easier to illuminate floor surfaces, while very good vertical lighting is often required for workers (operators) working in production halls and warehouses. Meeting these requirements is one of the great improvements LED systems have brought to industrial lighting.
Traditional high-bay lamps usually use elliptical HID bulbs in symmetrical aluminum reflectors that provide a wide beam, while the main features of LED high-bay lamps vary from high output power of the central module inside the reflector thus replicating the effects of the older HID version, to supporting linear illumination features with asymmetrical distribution of light, which is suitable for illuminating vertical surfaces.

3. Avoid glare
LED systems do not work like conventional HID sources. The high intensity point of each LED chip can cause glare and thus create a serious problem for all workers and operatives who need to look up, directly at the light source, while performing their work. This is a typical problem for forklift drivers when lifting/lowering products onto high shelves. Therefore, it is necessary to make a compromise, to trade,  between the efficiency of the lamp and the visual comfort. An LED high-bay fixture can make a great lighting effect, but we can also rely on optical controls to achieve those numbers. A good lighting system will meet the needs of those working under these lamps, and this may "sacrifice" the degree of efficiency.

4. Reducing lighting (smoking) when possible
During the day there is a time when 100% illumination of the space is not required. LED lighting is efficient in any case, but this is not a reason not to use all the technical characteristics of LED sources. While dimming (smoking or reducing power) of HID lamps has never been an option, LED can be dimmed (dimmed) in a very simple way, which also achieves additional savings. As one option, localized presence detectors can be used to reduce energy consumption when no activity is performed in certain areas.

5. It is necessary to monitor the system
If you don't have any monitoring or surveillance software, you won't have information about how efficient the installation is. Therefore, it is advisable to link the lighting control strategy with software reports to get notifications about how well the installation is working. Full-time analysis and reports of the operation of the lighting system over a longer period of time can bring great advantages, especially when it comes to planning and preventive maintenance.

6. It is necessary to plan the next step in modernization
Warehouses and production halls can work 24/7, which means that the lifetime of LED lamps is less than 7 years with a declared working life of about 50,000 hours. Therefore, it is important that the used equipment can be re-equipped with new LED modules and new drivers. An estimate of the lifetime costs of the LED system should contain statements or instructions from the manufacturer when the internal parts of the lamp should be replaced with new ones. Although this is a relatively new area, both for manufacturers and users, and although the emphasis is on the long life of LED lighting systems, it will take some time to establish the facts about the longevity of LEDs as a light source. So the LED source and power supply do not last "forever", but the housing (lamp) could.

You can find more about this topic at: http://luxreview.com/article/2016/05/bringing-led-hi-bay-