Zach's Club

Litetronics LEDs Keep the Lighting at Zach’s Club in Top Form

Project Summary

Ever since its launch in 2008 by Texas Tech and NFL legend Zach Thomas, Zach’s Club in Lubbock, TX has been a premier fitness center that prides itself on its diligence, commitment, integrity, and impeccable facilities.  So when outdated lighting threatened to undermine the positive experience Zach’s Club members had come to enjoy and rely on, management looked to leading lighting manufacturer Litetronics for a powerful and energy-efficient new LED system designed to ensure that the fitness club’s lighting remained in top form.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Within its 35,000 square feet of space, the club features over 100 pieces of cutting-edge cardio and other equipment, three racquetball courts, a steam sauna, upscale locker rooms, and a broad range of popular group fitness training and core fitness options, including Group Fit, Spin, Core Training, Battle Ropes, Row Training, Rogue Squat, TRX Suspension, Rogue Squat Machine, Punching Bags, Tire Flip 180, and Personal Training.  Friendly and knowledgeable staff members and the availability of onsite child care further assure members of a fun, productive, and hassle-free workout.

But while the building itself had been built in 2008 and was fairly new, “our lighting had gotten outdated,” shared Zach’s Club General Manager Jason Young of their mix of 400-Watt metal halide and 32-Watt T8 fluorescent technology.  As a result of the lights’ lumen depreciation and color shifting over time, “some areas of the gym were darker than others and we worried about the image that presented to our members,” Young said.  “At the same time, lights were going out one by one, and with our 30-foot-high ceilings in certain areas, we had to hire outside contractors and rent scissor lifts to change out the lights in these hard-to-access areas, which was a costly and disruptive process.”

According to Young, their lighting system introduced other challenges as well.  Among them, “the lights created heat, and here in Lubbock, where temperatures can hit 105° in the summer, we wanted to reduce the amount of heat the lights were producing,” he said.  With its over 5,000 annual operating hours and location in a region where electricity costs are expected to rise significantly in the future, the club sought a new lighting system that would improve lighting quality while significantly reducing energy and maintenance costs.

THE SOLUTION

Young quickly reached out to Glenda Nalle, Principal at lighting rep agency John Nalle Lighting in Meadow, TX, for her expertise.  Nalle conducted a lighting audit of the facility and recommended that the club upgrade with LED solutions from Litetronics, a trusted manufacturer that’s been providing the utmost in high-performing, energy-saving lighting technology for 50 years.  “The club’s lighting wasn’t crisp, clean, or uniform,” Nalle agreed.  “Lamps and ballasts were failing and were difficult and costly to replace, which took a service call to another level.”

Nalle immediately brought over a range of LED samples in various shapes, wattages, and color temperatures so that Young and club owner Tony Malouf could test them in the club’s different settings.  In general workout areas (such as over cardio, free weight, and resistance equipment), the team ultimately opted for Litetronics’ 175-Watt, 24,000-lumen LED high-bay fixtures, a popular and energy-efficient replacement for 400-Watt metal halide technology.

“Litetronics’ high-bays are modern, professional, and versatile fixtures which offer excellent optics, glare-free coverage, and a nice horizontal and upward throw thanks to their prismatic lens,” shared Kyle Drumhiller, Litetronics’ Southwest Regional Sales Manager.  “Their powerful lighting output and durable, corrosion-resistant construction make them an optimal choice for commercial and industrial settings like gyms.”

In the gym’s office areas, waiting room space, locker rooms, hallways leading to the racquetball court and aerobics room, and children’s nursery, the team opted for Litetronics’ 50-Watt 2 X 4 LED Magnetic Troffer Retrofit, a powerful, easy-to-install, and long-lasting solution that can convert existing 2 X 4 fluorescent troffer fixtures to the benefits of energy-saving LED technology in mere minutes.

THE RESULTS

Since the 90 total fixtures were installed between October 2019 and February 2020, the gym couldn’t be happier with the results.

In terms of cost savings, “our monthly energy bill has gone way down thanks to our new lighting,” shared Young of the Litetronics solutions that reduced his club’s lighting wattage consumption by over 50%.  In addition, previously dim footcandle readings of 9-17 throughout the facility have increased some two to four times since the upgrade and now average between 30-35 footcandles (with footcandle levels of 46 in the center of the club).  “Thanks to the brightness of our new Litetronics LEDs, our club looks cleaner, newer, and more vibrant,” Young confirmed.  “We recently flew a drone through the facility to create a promotional video for our website and the new lighting looked great and really enhanced the clarity and visibility of the video footage.”

“The gym definitely looks cleaner and more professional and we’re thrilled that the management team loves their new lighting,” Nalle agreed.  “The lighting upgrade has been a great development for Zach’s Club and they won’t have to worry about these fixtures for 10 years.  From our perspective, Litetronics fixtures are some of the easiest to install in the industry and we’re proud to represent them,” Nalle added.  “Litetronics is a long-standing company that offers high-quality, aesthetically-pleasing products, exceptional customer service, and an industry-leading warranty.”

“Litetronics’ 10-year warranty gave us great comfort and confidence in our investment decision,” Young concurred.  “Overall, we’re always looking to keep our facility in the best shape possible for our members and trainers and are very happy with the results of our lighting upgrade.  We love the look and feel of our new lighting and it’s been amazing to see the difference in the quality and efficiency of our lighting before and after the upgrade.”

“Thanks to their new lighting, Zach’s Club management is saving money, club members are enjoying an enhanced workout experience, and the club is better-positioned than ever to attract even more members,” concluded Litetronics’ Drumhiller.  “It’s a win-win project.”