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I know this might not really be "technology" but I think this is the right place on the site for my question. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Safeway used to use fluorescent "tube" lighting and drop ceilings that looked like this at some of their Maryland stores: Waterville, ME | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
The newer ceilings have metal beams exposed, like the ceilings Home Depot has used for a long time. Wal-Mart/Walmart changed their ceilings in 2000, but their lighting is still tubes.
Energy costs are huge in large commercial settings. It isn't just the cost of running the fixture, it is the cost of replacements, and running an AC longer to cool the place.
I replaced some 24/7 150 watt downlights in a hall once with some expensive 15 watt Philips CFL reflectors. Over the course of a year, that one change in that hall saved over $3,000. When you talk ceiling fixtures like that, ALL the 8' tubes get changed at the same time due to costs of scaffolding and labor. One theatre had a K-mart nearby and I used to get the tossed out eight footers for free for our indoor mall. Since those lamps were easily accessible, I never had to pay for lamps.
The most efficient lights that are somewhat affordable and last a long time are High Pressure Sodium lights. Since the orange hue that they give off isn't exactly desirable the next most efficient choice are Metal Halide lights which put of light in the blue spectrum which appears to be more natural. Then of course you have L.E.D. lighting which currently requires a large amount of investment up front to change over to. Then you have fluorescent lighting.
The maintenance guy where I work has been gradually replacing a thinner 8' tube that is brighter.
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