For real estate investment professionals who oversee leased industrial assets — whether warehousing, logistics, or light manufacturing — the pressure to maintain value and attract quality tenants never stops. And while the focus often lands on square footage, ceiling height, or loading dock access, one area that continues to be undervalued in long-term planning is lighting.

At PEC, we work with REITs and property managers like you to align lighting strategy with asset performance. Here’s what we’re seeing from the most forward-thinking industrial portfolios.

Tenants Come and Go. Your Lighting Shouldn’t.

One of the biggest challenges REITs face is managing facilities that change hands often. Each new tenant may have different use cases — pallet storage today, clean room manufacturing tomorrow. If each tenant is left to retrofit lighting themselves, you risk:

• Poor-quality installs with no documentation
• Warranty loss or unclear specs
• Higher long-term maintenance costs
• Lighting that doesn’t meet future tenant standards

As Elias Gaynor, PEC Sales Manager, puts it:

“Tenants might change over time… but [as the owner] you’re the one that’s left holding the bag. You need to make sure everything is operating as optimally as possible.”

Standardization = Simplicity + Scalability

REITs that win over top-tier tenants are setting scalable lighting standards across their portfolios. These standards ensure:

• Lighting quality and output are predictable from site to site
• Compliance with safety and efficiency codes is consistent
• Data is captured and documented, supporting ESG reporting and capital planning
• Leasing speed increases because spaces are move-in ready

Elias explains:

“What’s increasingly important is understanding: how can we create a scalable standard so that no matter who’s moving in or moving out, we know what to expect, and we know what those results are going to look like.”

Lighting That Sells Space

Think of lighting not just as an energy line item, but as a value-enhancing feature. Better lighting helps tenants:

• Improve safety and visibility for their staff
• Maintain spec-level operational standards
• Feel confident in the quality of the space before signing

And for the REIT? That translates into justifiable rent increases and faster lease cycles.

Ready to Future-Proof?

PEC works with real estate groups across North America to design and implement lighting strategies that align with their leasing goals, capital plans, and ESG targets.

From one facility or across your entire portfolio, we help ensure you’re not just keeping the lights on—you’re keeping your properties competitive.

Let’s talk about what future-ready lighting looks like at your site.