Facilitiesnet Discusses Maintenance Considerations of a Lighting Retrofit

Lighting retrofits also can underperform because planners did not look far enough ahead. They often fail to consider proper system maintenance, such as relamping, that can extend the project's performance life.

"It's counterintuitive to replace a lamp that is burning, but when about 80 percent — some say 70 percent — of the lamps have burned out, the others are close behind," Lien says. "That's the time to change them all at once. This can be done assembly-line style and completed in a fraction of the time, compared to spot relamping." In other cases, planners forget that facility activities constantly evolve, meaning upgraded lighting systems have to be as flexible as they are functional.

"Many organizations choose a system that does not give them any flexibility for the future," Dollar says. "Office environments may be rearranged, and warehouse racks may be relocated. Installing a system that doesn't provide some flexibility can result in a lighting system that is unusable or counterproductive."

Also, too many organizations fail to monitor savings generated by a retrofit.

"I don't see it being planned for a lot," Davis says. "(Organizations are) not assigning it to a building engineer or facility manager. It just tends to be off their radar." The solution, he says, is conducting an annual review of the new lighting-management system.

Finally, Satterwhite says managers must understand "the warranty programs that come with your typical retrofit and the means by which to take advantage of them. Make sure you have all warranties in writing and that the lighting-management company has the processes in place and the resources to enforce them."
The Future of Retrofits

For managers still on the fence regarding the need to undertake a lighting retrofit, several trends are worth noting. Consider the likely impact of rising electricity rates and demand charges.

This article is four of a four part series written by Dan Hounsell Editor of FacilitiesNet. To read the rest of this article and the series please visit http://www.facilitiesnet.com/lighting/article/Lighting-Retrofits-Consider-Maintenance-During-Installation--11230

LED Lighting Retrofits Can be Financed with ESCO programs

LED lighting is very appropriate and desirable for Lighting Retrofit Projects. In addition to reduced maintenance costs, longer service life, and manageability of illumination levels, LEDs provide savings of up to 75% on electricity, and focus light specifically where needed reducing light pollution. Effective luminous efficiency is therefore better than other, older luminaire technologies.

Many LED suppliers finance retrofit costs out of energy savings through ESCO programs. By adopting LED lighting strategies for streets, walkways, parks and buildings, cities and counties can achieve a double benefit
- 1) reducing the money they waste each year on energy (economic benefit),
2) reducing the amount of carbon pumped into the atmosphere powering inefficient, power-hungry lights (environmental benefit). Stimulus projects are supposed to put people to work while at the same time helping address our various environmental and economic problems, and thus, LED retrofits of outdated lighting systems may thus be the perfect stimulus project.

As well, the effort being made by the city to address these issues would be quite apparent to citizens with LED retrofit projects, due to high visibility of LED products (a shining advertisement for the environmental and economic responsibility demonstrated by the city every night).

Information reprinted from http://www.stimuluswatch.org/project/view/9708

New Website Launched for Parking Garage Lighting Retrofits

Redbird LED, an Atlanta based designer, manufacturer and distributor of LED Tubes launched a website for parking garage owners and managers, www.parkingdeckleds.com. The website provides information on the many benefits of LED Tube lights in a parking deck applications. Parking garage owners can achieve even bigger savings from the reduced energy costs from operating LED Tube lights versus conventional lighting. LED Tube lights last much longer than conventional lighting- between 5 and ten years. This dramatically reduces maintenance costs because the lights do not have to be changed as frequently.

Many retailers, hotels, universities and corporations are saving between 30 and 60 % on their energy bills with the conversion to LED Tube lights.

For more detailed information please visit www.parkingdeckleds.com

or call 678-733-2473

Florida A&M University Planning a Greener Campus

Florida A&M has teamed up with Siemens to achieve cost savings through energy retrofits. The sprawling campus has 156 buildings and almost 4 million square feet of space. Like many Universities, Florida A&M is pursuing a strategy to operate their buildings in a manner that will not negatively impact the environment. At the same time these green strategies can dramatically lower their operating costs. Siemens estimates that energy savings could be more than 4 million dollars over the ten year contract which is enough to cover the project financing and provide an ROI.

Lighting upgrades, pipe insulation and steam trap replacements at the Central Plant is the first stages of the project. The color rendering of the new lighting systems are closer that of natural light , reducing glare and eyestrain for students.The entire project is scheduled to be completed in Spring 2010.

Chain Store Magazine Discusses Energy savings with LED Lighting

One of the editors of Chain Store Age magazine recently interviewed Jay Jensen, National Sales Manager of Everbrite about the savings retailers could expect from LED Lighting. His comments are a strong endorsement for the energy savings that retailers could realize from retrofitting to LED lights.

" LEDs provide the industry with dramatic energy and maintenance savings over traditional lighting systems. This can yield dramatic cost savings over the life of the system. High quality red LEDs are rated up to 100,000 hours. White LEDs continue to improve, and many are rated up to 50,000 hours.

Additionally, many systems are backed by manufacturers’ warranties up to three to five years, in some cases including labor. However, understanding the products and how they are implemented into specific applications is the key to long-term success."

Redbird LED has introduced a new line of LED Tube lights that can help reduce both energy and maintenance costs. For information please visit their website- www. parkinggarageleds.com

California Retailer BevMO! Will Save Energy and Maintenance Costs with Lighting Retrofit

California beverage retailer BevMo! has upgrading their lighting systems at locations, which should provide almost $1 million in annual energy savings.The upgrade, the largest electronic HID retrofit project in California in 2009, was subsidized through several state utility rebate programs.

BevMo! Stores average 10,000 sq. ft. The retrofit involved thousands of HID fixtures which allowed BevMO! to continue to provide a customer friendly lighting which is a big part of their customer experience. BevMo! expects to achieve 51% in energy savings, reduce its lighting maintenance costs by almost 50% and realize close to $300,000 in utility rebates.

Sponsor- RedBird LED is a designer, manufacturer and distributor of LED Tube Lights. They can provide retailers with substantial savings on their energy bills with their LED Tube Product line. For more information please visit their parking garage LED Tube Light website.

Redbird LED Launches New Website for Parking Garage Retrofits

Redbird LED, an Atlanta based designer, manufacturer and distributor of LED Tubes launched a website for parking garage owners and managers, www.parkinggarageleds.com. The website provides information on the many benefits of LED Tube lights in a parking garage application. LED Tube lights last much longer than conventional lighting- between 5 and ten years. This dramatically reduces maintenance costs because the lights do not have to be changed as frequently.

Parking garage owners can achieve even bigger savings from the reduced energy costs from operationg LED Tube lights versus conventional lighting. Many retailers, hotels, universities and corporations are saving between 30 and 60 % on their energy bills with the conversion to LED Tube lights.

For more detailed information please visit www.parkinggarageleds.com

New Parking Garage Lighting Solution From Redbird LED

Redbird LED, a leading LED lighting design, manufacturing and sales organization is pleased to announce new LED Lighting Products for parking decks and garages. The Parking Deck lighting solutions are available in 2-tube and 4 tube LED designs. both in exposed (open) and enclosed (vapor tight) configurations. Redbird LED ,whose principal executives are all experienced lighting engineers , has developed a line of products that have been carefully designed and crafted to deliver optimal performance at below market pricing.

LED Lighting offers numerous benefits to parking deck owners and managers including reduced energy consumption , brighter and more uniform lighting and lower maintenance costs. Energy savings vary by application, but typical reduction from conventional parking deck lighting can be 30-50%. Tube LED Lights also create a better customer experience, increase safety, improve the property appearance and contain no mercury or other hazardous material.

Details on the RedBird Led Parking Deck lighting products:
All units are available at color temperatures of 4700 K and 6000 K, have a 50,000 hr rated life (5.7 years at 24-7 operation) , carry a 5 year manufacturer’s warranty, and accept common parking deck voltages of 100~285 VAC.
The RedBird LED 40 Watt luminaire is comprised of two 4’ LED tubes, supplies 2600 lumens, and has a light distribution optimized for parking decks.
The RedBird LED 80 Watt luminaire is comprised of four 4’ LED tubes, supplies 5000 lumens, and offers a one-for-one replacement of 175 Watt metal halide lamps.

- RedBird LED (originally RedBird Industries) started in 2004 with a line of craftsman exterior lighting products that are the creation of the founder, Jonathan Eppstein. They design , manufacture and distribute premier LED light tubes and quality lighting products for municipal, industrial, commercial, and residential use. RedBird offers LED products that are 'best in class', through their commitment to quality and superior technology. Their experienced team consists of electrical, optical, and mechanical engineers, licensed. P.E.s, licensed builders, and LEED APs.

In addition to selling LED lighting , they also provide lighting design services, lighting cost analysis, and produce custom luminaires with in-house machining capabilities. Current project list represents a wide variety of customers: the world headquarters of a major US company, multi-million dollar relations with general contractors, museums, retail shops, office buildings, manufacturing/production facilities, automotive dealerships, and many residential homes across the US. And, of course, their HQ building is 100% LED.