A new year brings fresh perspective. If you’re looking for LED retrofit opportunities in 2026, here’s where I see untapped value.

The Second-Generation Opportunity

Many commercial facilities upgraded to LED between 2015 and 2020. Those early installations are now 6-10 years old.

Why consider replacing them?

• LED technology has improved significantly (130+ lm/W now vs 90-100 then)
• Some early LEDs are showing degradation (reduced output, colour shift)
• Controls that weren’t included then are standard now
• Products have come down in price

The maths can work: If you’re running 100W LEDs from 2016 that could be replaced with 60W equivalents today, the energy savings justify the upgrade—especially in high-usage applications.

This isn’t discussed much because “replacing LEDs with LEDs” sounds wasteful. But if the efficiency gain is real and the old products are aging anyway, it’s legitimate.

External and Site Lighting

I find that external lighting is often the last area addressed. Interior gets done first because it’s visible and staff complain about poor lighting.

But external areas often have:

• Old metal halide or HPS fittings
• Long operating hours (dusk to dawn)
• Significant maintenance challenges (difficult access)
• Security implications

Value drivers:

• Energy savings from long hours
• Maintenance reduction from not needing lamp access
• Improved security from better light quality and coverage
• Rebate potential under ESC/VEEC

Walk around your site after dark. How does the lighting look? Are there dark spots? Failed lamps? Areas that haven’t been touched in years?

Storage and Back-of-House

The glamorous spaces get attention. Retail floors, main offices, reception areas. But what about:

• Goods receiving docks
• Storerooms
• Archive areas
• Plant rooms
• Service corridors

These spaces might run lights less often, but they’re often still using old, inefficient technology. And sometimes they run longer than expected—storerooms accessed throughout the day, plant rooms checked regularly.

The per-fitting savings might be modest, but there are often a lot of fittings across these spaces.

Specialty Applications

As mainstream retrofits get completed, specialty areas present opportunities:

Hazardous area lighting: LED options for Zone 1 and Zone 2 hazardous areas have improved. If you’ve got old flameproof fittings, modern LED equivalents are available.

Clean rooms: LED clean room lighting offers better performance than fluorescent predecessors.

Cold rooms: As discussed in my recent article, cold storage LED has matured and offers substantial value.

High-vibration environments: LED fittings designed for mining, transport, and heavy industrial use.

These specialty applications often have higher per-unit costs but can deliver excellent returns.

The Controls Retrofit

Separate from the fitting retrofit: adding controls to existing LED installations.

Opportunity: You upgraded to LED a few years ago but didn’t include controls. Now you’re leaving energy savings on the table.

Options:

• Standalone occupancy sensors retrofitted into existing circuits
• Daylight sensors near windows
• Wireless control systems overlaid on existing fittings (some systems use Bluetooth sensors that work with any LED)
• DALI module retrofits if fittings are compatible

Controls can deliver 20-40% additional savings on top of LED conversion. If your LED retrofit is already paid off, controls represent the next efficiency layer.

Multi-Site Portfolio Optimisation

For organisations with multiple facilities, there’s value in portfolio-level thinking:

Standardisation: Aligning product specifications across sites reduces procurement complexity and inventory costs.

Benchmarking: Comparing energy performance across sites identifies underperformers.

Bulk purchasing: Volume commitments to suppliers unlock better pricing.

Coordinated rollouts: Staging projects across a portfolio captures efficiencies.

If you manage more than a handful of sites and lighting hasn’t been addressed systematically, a portfolio approach can create value beyond site-by-site upgrades.

The Integration Play

For larger or more sophisticated facilities, lighting can be part of broader building intelligence:

• BMS integration: Lighting tied to HVAC, security, and other systems
• Energy management: Lighting contributing to demand response and load management
• Occupancy data: Lighting sensors providing inputs for space utilisation analysis
• Maintenance systems: Connected lighting reporting faults automatically

This moves beyond “just lighting” into smart building territory. For facilities already investing in building technology, lighting should be part of the conversation.

Rebate Program Changes

The 2026 rebate landscape is largely stable (as of now), but always worth checking:

NSW ESS: Continues operating. Keep an eye on certificate prices and activity definition updates.

Victoria VEET: Continues operating. Same advice.

Other states: SA REES continues. QLD and WA remain without equivalent schemes.

If scheme changes are announced, they might create urgency (do it before terms change) or opportunity (new incentives for specific technologies).

Stay informed through industry associations and your ACP.

Finding Value in 2026

The obvious LED retrofits in Australia are largely done. Finding value now requires:

1. Looking at overlooked areas: External, storage, specialty applications
2. Considering second-generation upgrades: Early LEDs ready for replacement
3. Adding controls to existing LED: The next efficiency layer
4. Taking a portfolio view: Systematic approach across multiple facilities
5. Integrating with broader systems: Lighting as part of smart buildings

The easy wins are behind us. But there’s still significant value available for those willing to look for it.

What’s your 2026 lighting opportunity?