Commercial lighting retrofits are reliable work and they’re everywhere - practically every strip mall, office building, and warehouse built before 2015 is a candidate. The pitch to the customer is easy: energy savings, rebates from the utility, and often a payback period under 3 years.
Title 24 (California) and ASHRAE 90.1 (the basis for most state energy codes) require not just efficient fixtures but also controls. Mandatory controls in most commercial occupancies: occupancy/vacancy sensors in spaces under a certain size, daylight sensors in spaces with significant glazing, automatic shutoff, and in some cases demand-responsive controls. This is where low-voltage control systems come in - 0-10V dimming, DALI, or networked lighting control.
Rebate programs are worth knowing inside and out - utility rebates can cover 30-50% of material cost in some territories. Check the utility’s prescriptive rebate list before you spec fixtures; rebate-qualifying fixtures have to meet specific efficacy and qualification criteria (usually DLC Premium listed). Build the rebate paperwork into your service and you’ll differentiate yourself from competitors who don’t know to offer it.