New Giant Food Store Using LED Lighting to Reduce Energy Costs

Giant Food Stores today announced the opening of a new store In Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania. Dan Colantuono has been appointed store manager of the new 69,200-square-foot Giant, which will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.“While the Giant name is well-known throughout Montgomery County, we are excited to open our first store in the Gilbertsville community,” said Colantuono. “Customers will find the very best combination of quality, selection and savings both inside the store and at our convenient, on-site gas station.”

The new store has been constructed with an eye on energy conservation and use of new technologies including LED Lighting. LED lighting is used throughout the store to reduce energy and the environmental impact. LED lights were chosen because they last longer than conventional lightingand are expected to reduce wattage use by up to50%.

Redbird LED, an Atlanta based designer and manufacturer of LED tube lights has a new line of LED lights which are designed for grocery store applications. LED lights perform much better than conventional lighting in colder environments. This makes then the number one choice for refrigerated cases. For more information please visit their new website for grocery store owners- www.groceryledlighting.com

Retrofit Magazine Talks About Dos and Don't of LED Retrofit

As with any lighting project, some key questions must be considered up front.  These include the following:

Do you want a one-for-one replacement or should you redesign the existing lighting layout? In a one-for-one replacement, you use existing-lighting wiring and circuits, which may be challenging. For example, on an industrial campus with a 277VAC electrical lighting system, certain LED fixtures may not be compatible with this voltage. You may need to adapt and install additional electrical circuits to match these LED fixtures.

Are the current foot-candles or light levels acceptable? The reality is, if you are happy with your current lighting, there is no need to change the light levels.

What is the condition and voltage of the existing wiring and circuitry? Some LED fixtures are more easily installed based on your facility’s voltage. If you have outdated wiring and need to update it, you can likely configure the new system to maximize the energy efficiency of the LED lights.

Do you want dimming and/or motion control? The addition of occupancy sensors can yield incremental energy savings. LEDs are adaptable to this technology. In addition, good quality LED fixtures can be dimmed, giving occupants additional control over their lighting.

Redbird LED is an Atlanta based designer and manufacturer of LED Tube Lights. For more information on how your firm can benefit from replacing your exizsting lighting with more energy efficient and environmentally friendly LED lighting please visit their website- www.commercialledretrofit.com. Their team has the engineering expertise that will help you select the right lighting solution for your needs.


 What are the various manufacturer warranties for LED fixtures, light output and energy savings? As in any industry, warranties vary based on individual manufacturers. For LED lighting, the most widely used standard for warranties is based on the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Star program, which requires a minimum three-year warranty for rated LED products. However, there are LED manufacturers that offer a five-year warranty on products that are not Energy Star rated.

How much energy savings can you expect? Energy savings will vary based on the fixture. Depending on the application, it’s not unusual for LEDs to achieve 30 to 85 percent energy savings compared to traditional lighting.

For complete information please visit http://retrofitmagazine.com/are-you-ready-to-led/


Your best source of LED Lighting for your retrofit project is Redbird LED. Redbird LED has recently announced a new line-up of LED Tube Lights specifically designed for commercial building applications. Property Managers across the country are using LED lights to save between 30 and 50% of their energy costs. And because the LED lights can last more than 50,000 hours you save on maintenance time and costs. For more information please visit their website- www.commercialledretrofits.com

Cushman & Wakefield Reduces Lighting Density in LEED Certified HQ Building

Real Estate firm Cushman & Wakefield announced Tuesday that its world headquarters facility located at 1290 Avenue of the Americas in Manhattan has received a Gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certification issued by the U.S. Green Building Council.

“This achievement demonstrates our commitment to enhance the environmental performance of our own business as we continue to proactively engage and support our clients in the adoption of sustainability practices,” said John C. Santora, president and CEO of Cushman & Wakefield, Americas.

Highlights of Cushman & Wakefield’s sustainability initiatives undertaken at its Midtown Manhattan headquarters include a 30% reduction in water usage and a 25% reduction in lighting power density below the ASHRAE standard, which was achieved partially through the use of daylight sensors and dimmable ballasts as well as a policy to ensure the purchase of low-mercury lamps.

Additionally, more than 75% of the construction waste from the build-out of Cushman & Wakefield’s office space was diverted from landfills while the new materials used in its office furniture are made from more than 20% recycled content. A full 60% of materials used on the project were sourced locally, which significantly reduces the amount of fuel burned in transportation. In addition, all office finishes and furniture utilize low volatile organic compound.

For more information please visit www.chainstoreage.com.

LED Tube Retrofits

Sponsor: Redbird LED is an Atlanta based manufacturer and distributor of LED Tube lights used to retrofit lighting in parking garages, warehouses and commercial office buildings.Their new line of LED Tube lights provide energy savings between 30 and 50%, reduced maintenance costs and contain no harmful mercury. They even have the resources to help you find state, federal rebates and/or interim financing. For more information please visit their website- www.commercialledretrofits.com

Atlanta Building Awarded LEED Certification

The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) has awarded LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver Core and Shell Certification to  Stonebridge III, an office building located in Sanctuary Park in metro Atlanta’s North Fulton submarket.   This is the first office building in this submarket to receive Silver LEED certification.

“Gaining LEED certification for the building’s core and shell enhances its attractiveness to tenants, especially those that may pursue Commercial Interior certification for their own space, as Delta Dental has done,” said Jones Lang LaSalle’s Clint Howell, Senior Vice President and Group Manager for Sanctuary Park. “As tenants increasingly focus on buildings with energy efficiency and sustainability features, this certification is a market differentiator that enhances the building’s long-term value.”

Stonebridge III is leased and managed by Jones Lang LaSalle, its Silver Certification verifies that it incorporates sustainable development and operational features resulting in efficient energy and water use, reduced construction waste, and high environmental quality of the building’s interior.

Sustainable building features at Stonebridge III include: significant recycling of concrete, wood, paper/drywall, and metals from construction; an irrigation system fed from a storm-water-replenished, on-site lake; an energy-efficient chiller-based HVAC system; installation of innovative, energy efficient Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting; incorporation of water-saving products in restrooms; and implementation of a single-stream recycling program that allows all recyclables to be collected from desk-side containers nightly.

Completed in December 2008, the 162,000-square-foot/six-story Stonebridge III is the latest building in Sanctuary Park, a nine-building/1.5 million-square-foot office park located on 150 acres in Alpharetta. The building, owned by Sanctuary Park Holding Co., is 90 percent leased to Delta Dental Insurance, which also earned LEED Silver certification for the build-out of its interior space.


Sponsor: Redbird LED based in Atlanta has launched a new line of energy efficient LED Tube Lighting that is ideal for commercial building retrofits. For  more information please visit their LED Light website- www.comemrcialledretrofit.com

New Survey Confirms Retailers Embracing Sustainability

Marks & Spencer, Tesco, Walmart, Target, and other big retailers are putting policies, management systems, and programs in place to drive higher environmental and social performance in their own organizations and across their supply chains, according to a new benchmarking study of the sustainability performance of major retailers.

The report -- the second in Five Winds International’s three-part GreenBiz series about retailers’ rising role in sustainability -- graphically ranks retailers’ environmental, social and governance practices and also provides strategic guidance for retailers and consumer-goods suppliers.

“The results show that big players in the sector are serious about improving performance,” explained Kevin Brady, Five Winds’ co-founder and director of strategic sustainability services. “And the level of activity and investments require to reach the level of performance we are seeing is an indication that sustainability will be a strategic priority within the sector for years to come.”

To shed some light on retailers’ performance, Five Winds’ benchmarked over 400 performance business practices, and the results show that the leading companies are “walking the talk” with comprehensive sustainability initiatives. The survey found that such companies as Tesco, Marks & Spencer, and Wal-Mart are differentiating themselves and setting best practices by branding their sustainability efforts, setting clear priorities, and establishing comprehensive implementation programs. Other retailers who want to claim leadership in sustainability will need to look holistically at these leaders’ efforts, according to the survey.

For rest of article please visit-http://www.chainstoreage.com/story.aspx?id=137539&menuid=591







Lighting Retrofit An Easy Sustainability Decision for Retailers


Most experts agree that a lighting retrofit is the easiest and quickest way to reduce energy costs and reduce your environmental footprint. Redbird LED has launched a new line of LED Tube lights that can provide retailers with a 30 to 50% decrease in energy costs. Retailers can save on maintenance costs also because LED Tube lights can last up to 50,000 hours. For more information please visit their website at www.commercialledretrofits.com

Target Using LED Lights in Retrofit of 500 Stores

Target plans to install LED lighting in refrigerated cases in 500 sores. By moving to LEDs in reach-in freezer and cooler door cases, Target expects to cut energy use by 60% relative to the previously used fluorescent systems.

“We continue to find ways we can increase energy efficiency and pilot new technologies. Efforts like these, which help reduce one of our largest operating expenses, also curtail our impact on the environment,” said Tony Heredia, Target Vice President. The LED systems will be used in new and remodeled stores going forward.

The conversion will replace fluorescent lamps in reach-in refrigerated display cases with Immersion RV30 LED Display Lighting from GE Lighting Solutions. According to GE, the LED system dissipates 29W per door, whereas the fluorescent system dissipated 73W per door.

In total, the conversions will cover more than 55,000 display-case doors. Target hopes to reduce display-case energy use from 25.6 million kW/hr to 10.7 million kW/hr.Target has already installed the LED systems in 150 stores, and plans to to convert 350 additional stores by the end of the year.
Toread rest of article please go to http://www.ledsmagazine.com/news/7/4/12



Sponsor: Redbird LED is an Atlanta based manufacturer of LED Tube Lights for Grocery and Retail Stores. LED lights are especially effective in refrigerated cases because they perform better in colder temperatures than conventional lighting. They also allow food displays to sparkle and do not contain any harmful mercury. They also can save a retail store thousands of dollars in energy costs. For more information please visit their Grocery LED Lighting website-www.groceryledlighting.com

line voltage without a ballast!

Are these retrofits easy to do? and do they use "line voltage" without a ballast?

Whole Foods Using LED Lighting to save

Whole Foods Market, the natural and organic food retailer, is increasing efforts to reduce energy consumption at all stores by 25 percent per square foot by 2015. The company has also committed to wind energy, more on-site renewable energy, and aggressive green building, advanced refrigeration and transportation practices, which will result in significant emissions reductions.
"With this combination of strategies, along with the implementation of energy and emissions tracking systems, we intend to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent per square foot by 2015," said Kathy Loftus, Whole Foods Market global leader of sustainable engineering and energy management. "Saving energy costs less than buying it, so we are reducing our appetite for energy from both traditional and renewable sources."

Existing stores are using less energy through Whole Foods Market’s comprehensive retrofit and upgrade projects, which include smarter refrigeration, state-of-the-art lighting and controls systems, and advanced efficiency motors for HVAC and refrigeration.

"After initial metering results led us to estimate that energy reductions may be close to 20 million kWh over the past two years, we were motivated to earmark $10 million over the next 18 months for additional retrofit and upgrade projects," said Loftus.

In new stores, energy efficient design, alternative refrigerants, and advanced systems dramatically reduce the amount of energy and traditional refrigerant gas being employed. Several stores have been awarded the Environmental Protection Agency’s GreenChill certification, which recognizes eco-friendly commercial refrigeration systems. Early examples of reduced energy are apparent in several new stores: Colorado’s SouthGlenn store which, after only a few months, is using roughly 35 percent less energy than two older stores nearby; yet, this location is only about 15 percent smaller than the other stores and California’s Santa Barbara store uses 45 percent less energy than a nearby store of comparable size.

Office Depot Makes Sustainablity Pay off

Office Depot is convinced that investing in sustainability pays off, and it now has hard data to support its claim. The chain spent a year—from November 2008 to November 2009—tracking the environmental and monetary benefits of its LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) GOLD-certified store in Austin, Texas. The results, led by a 16% decrease in annual electricity costs, surpassed the retailer’s initial expectations.

“The energy savings realized at our first Austin store location has been even greater than what we had originally expected,” said Edward Costa, VP construction, Office Depot, Boca Raton, Fla. “We intend to continue to make our stores as energy-efficient, water-efficient and cost-efficient as possible.”

The store, which opened in July 2008, was built green from the ground up, and featured such eco-friendly attributes as T5 energy-efficient lighting, polished concrete flooring, light sensors in all offices, high-efficiency HVAC units, solar-tracking skylights, an enhanced energy management system and a reflective white roofing system. Solar panels on the roof generate more than 10% of the store’s energy needs and power the exterior signage. Water conservation features include dual flush toilets, low-flow urinals and automatic shutoff sensors in restrooms.

In addition to lowering electricity costs, the location has lowered its carbon emissions by 23% and reduced its carbon footprint by 23%. Overall, the store is 15% more energy efficient (per square foot) than other Office Depot locations in Austin.

“The results prove how beneficial a green building can be from both an environmental and economic perspective,” said Yalmaz Siddiqui, director of environmental strategy for Office Depot.

Going forward, Office Depot plans to pursue LEED Commercial Interiors (CI) certification for all new stores beginning in June 2010, starting with its newest location in Austin, Texas, scheduled to open that same month. (LEED CI is the recognized system for certifying high-performance green interiors.)

“With LEED CI we are now able to ‘green’ all of our store locations—regardless of whether we build it ourselves or take over an existing building,” said VP construction Costa.

The green highlights of all new Office Depot LEED CI certified stores will include:

    * Skylights (where applicable) to harvest daylight for 90% of the store;
    * Reflective roof;
    * Energy Star-rated HVAC equipment that exceeds ASHRAE standards:
    * T5 lighting (more than 30% more efficient than typical retail lighting and will contribute to more than 20% reduction in energy use);
    * Daylight and occupancy sensors;
    * Tankless instant hot water heaters, low flush toilets, low flow urinals and automatic shutoff sensors in restrooms;
    * Interior finishes made up of low-VOC emitting materials and finishes;
    * Energy management system allows tracking of energy usage and trends from one central location; and
    * 100% Energy Star-rated building equipment and appliances.

Publix Uses LED Lights in First LEED Store

Publix announced that its store in Sarasota, Fla., has become its first Gold Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified store.The 28,000-sq.-ft. store, which opened in April 2009, utilizes construction waste recycling, reclaimed water systems, LED light fixtures and skylights, low-flow plumbing fixtures and low-emitting vehicle parking, among other sustainable features.
“We learned a lot about sustainable building through this store,” said Publix director of media relations Maria Brous. “We continue to look for ways to conserve resources and be responsible citizens in our communities while finding the best value for ourselves and our customers.”


Publix has a strong commitmment to Operating Their Stores to lesson their impact on the environment and save energy."We’ve incorporated the latest fluorescent technologies in our new store designs with up to a 50 percent lighting energy savings over stores with older designs. We are currently retrofitting existing stores with state-of-the-art metal halide* fixture components to improve lighting quality and generate up to 50 percent lighting energy reduction. Our Energy Management System (EMS) controls the store lighting and turns off non-essential lighting during unoccupied hours adding to the energy savings.


LED Lighting In Freezer and Cooler Applications

We are implementing Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology for freezer and cooler applications that can reduce energy usage by 50 to 80 percent. For the sales floor cases, we have paired Occupancy Sensors with the LED fixtures to turn the lights off when the aisle is unoccupied. Behind the scenes, we use LED technology to illuminate our walk-in cooler and freezers.

Our track lighting is being redesigned to use new high-efficiency lamps and gain up to a 70 percent energy savings.

Redbird LED, an Atlanta based designer and manufacturer of LED tube lights has a new line of LED lights which are designed for grocery store applications. LED lights perform much better than conventional lighting in colder environments. This makes then the number one choice for refrigerated cases. For more information please visit their new website for grocery store owners- www.groceryledlighting.com

DOE invites Building Owners to Join Commercial Building Partnerships

As part of an ongoing effort to reduce energy use in new and existing commercial buildings, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) invites commercial building owners, operators, and technical experts to join its Commercial Building Partnerships (CBP) initiative.

(www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/commercial_initiative/building_partnerships.html) Three DOE national laboratories—Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)—will manage this new effort, which is funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Featured Advertiser- Redbird LED

Redbird LED designs and manufacturers high quality LED Tube Lighting that is designed to provide high quality lighting for commercial applications that also saves energy and maintenance costs. For more information on their products please visit their new website- www.commercialledretrofits.com



In support of this new CBP initiative, the national laboratories will issue two new opportunities for commercial businesses in mid-April 2010. Specifically, they are seeking:

•    Commercial building owners and operators constructing new buildings or retrofitting existing buildings that are significantly more energy-efficient than the current building stock

•    Technical Expert Teams and Measurement and Verification Technical Contractors to assist with CBP. At a minimum, Technical Expert Teams will include architectural, HVAC and controls, daylighting, lighting, energy modeling, building auditing and data collection, cost estimation, and commissioning expertise.

CBP accelerates the deployment of energy efficiency measures by teaming commercial building owners and operators (Participants) with laboratory researchers and private-sector technical experts to provide technical expertise to Participants in the design, construction, and validation of low-energy building designs. Participants benefit by learning about cost-effective energy saving measures that they can apply across their extensive building portfolios. Bringing private-sector consultants into the process to assist Participants further increases the likelihood that the energy efficiency measures and strategies used in CBP projects will move into the marketplace quickly and cost effectively.

In addition, each CBP building project will be documented in publicly available case studies. This detailed documentation will make it straightforward for building owners and operators outside of the CBP initiative to benefit from the work.

Here are the details for building owners, building operators, and technical experts interested in getting involved with CBP.

Call for Energy-Efficient Commercial Building Projects

Commercial building owners and operators can submit planned new or retrofit commercial building projects that will achieve significant energy savings by responding to the Call for Projects. Successful respondents will work with researchers at the national laboratories and with private-sector technical experts under contract to the national laboratories to achieve energy goals. Participants will receive no direct funding, but will have access to the technical expertise of both national laboratory personnel and private-sector consultants.

An online application is expected to be available at www.nrel.gov/cbp on April 19, 2010, and completed applications will be due by May 10, 2010. Those interested in applying are urged to begin considering planned building projects to submit. Note that this is a competitive process and not all projects will be selected.

Learn more about Commercial Building Partnerships and this new opportunity.www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/commercial_initiative/building_partnerships.html

Green Fannie Mae Data Center Has Saved Millions of Dollars in Energy Costs

Greener Buildings provided interesting coverage of the energy savings realized by a Fannie Mae Data Center.It is important to continue to look at just not the potential of new building projects but also actual performance numbers of existing buildings.

"With Earth Day around the corner, companies and organizations of all kinds are highlighting green achievements large and small. And mortgage company Fannie Mae is taking the opportunity to provide a look at the impacts of its green data center.Fannie Mae's 247,000 square foot data center was the first such facility certified by the U.S. Green Building Council to earn the LEED rating, back in 2005. In the ensuing years, the data center has saved the agency $1.7 million in energy use.

According to an article in TechTarget published at the time of the data center's launch:

    All of the mechanical, electrical and computer systems were selected for maximum energy efficiency, as well as lighting systems. The data center is expected to operate at a maximum of 125 watts per square foot.

    Other green strategies included putting catalytic converters on the backup power diesel generators, as well as minimizing the footprint of the data center.

    And while certifying a green facility can be an expensive process, Fannie Mae expects to save on operations and maintenance costs.

    "The Urbana Technology Center's LEED certification will translate into significant lifecycle savings, while providing our employees with a healthier, more comfortable work environment. It also allows us to be a good neighbor within the local community," Brian Cobb, Fannie Mae's senior vice president for enterprise systems management, said in a statement.

    The LEED standards cover more than just electrical efficiency, though. The UTC features recycled materials, low emission paints and carpeting, as well as sustainable landscaping features.Read more: http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2010/04/20/five-years-first-leed-data-center-has-saved-millions?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+GreenerBuildings+%28GreenBiz.com+%7C+Buildings%29#ixzz0lk2QODTh

Sponsor: Redbird LED is an designer and distributor of energy efficient LED Tube lighting that can provide commercial building owners with energy savings of between 30 and 60%. For more information please visit their website www.commercialledretrofits.com

Lighting Retrofit Saves Energy Costs for Commercial Building Owners

Save energy and money by retrofitting your lighting

A hot topic among facility and energy managers today is lighting retrofitting.

Most commercial and industrial buildings have lighting selected for its relatively low capital cost – high intensity discharge (HID) fixtures that use metal halide (white light) or high-pressure sodium (yellow light) lamps. And while these lamps may meet your lighting needs, they're driving up your energy consumption and your electric bill.

Jackson EMC's Commercial & Industrial Marketing team has worked with a number of customers to analyze their lighting needs and make recommendations to save them money and energy. Retrofits using fluorescent technologies reduce lighting energy consumption (kWh) and lighting demand (kW) as much as 50 percent.

"Each type of space has different requirements for lighting, and one technology will not be suitable for every application; however Jackson EMC members have had great success replacing their HID fixtures for fluorescent fixtures using 4 or 6 lamp T8 or T5 lamps and electronic ballasts," says Commercial/Industrial Engineer Mark Zoller.

Zoller recently worked with Turnils North America in Suwanee, a manufacturer of high-end, custom order window covering and treatment systems, on a lighting retrofit project.

"The 40-45 percent monthly kWh savings has been excellent," says Operations Manager David Mitchell. "The light levels have been dramatically improved, making a safer working environment, and the warehouse is much quieter now without the constant hum of HID ballasts. Turnils North America is planning on making our Suwanee headquarters the model for energy savings for other locations across the country."

How much energy can you save? "The simple payback of a lighting retrofit depends on the price of new equipment, hours of operation, lighting controls and cost of electric service per kilowatt-hour. All of these parameters are unique to each facility, but common payback periods for HID to fluorescent lighting retrofits are 1-3 years with incentives," Zoller says.

While Jackson EMC doesn't offer retrofit incentives, the cost of the lighting retrofit is now more affordable with state tax credits and federal tax deductions. The state corporate tax credit (available until 12/31/2012) is $0.60 per square foot of building space capped at $100,000. Refer to O.C.G. § 48-7-29.14  and the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority (GEFA) for more details. The federal tax deduction is $0.60 per square foot of warehouse/manufacturing floor space for lighting reduced by 50 percent over AHSRAE 90.1 standard. Visit www.lightingtaxdeduction.org for more details.

But will you be sacrificing lighting quality for these savings? "Actually, though the amount of light you get per Watt of power will generally be about the same for both modern fluorescent lamps and modern HID lamps, fluorescent lamps have a higher Color Rendering Index (CRI) which improves the quality of light and is perceived to be brighter," Zoller notes.

And while both technologies are rated for about 20,000 hours of operation, you'll get higher quality lighting for a longer period because HID lamps have significantly higher light depreciation versus fluorescent lamps.

For more information, go to www.jacksonemc.com/lighting.

Sponsor: Redbird LED an Atlanta based designer and manufacturer of LED Tube lights can save companies even more on their energy bills if they retrofit their buildings with the newer lighting technology- LED lighting. Thousands of companies have used LED Lights in their retrofit projects with great success. Savings average between 30-50 percent. For more information please visit www.ledretrofit.org.

Darden Restaurants Reducing Energy and Water Usage

Chain Store Age reports:

Darden Restaurants announced it has committed to reducing energy and water usage by 15% by the year 2015 in each of its 1,800 restaurants across North America.

The company also announced that it has joined the Sustainability Consortium, an independent organization of diverse global participants working collaboratively to build a scientific foundation that drives innovation to improve consumer product sustainability.

"Darden is committed to sustainability," said Ian Olson, director of sustainability for Darden. "Our business relies on a number of natural resources, and these goals are designed to help us be the best stewards of those resources that we can be. At the same time, our membership in the Sustainability Consortium will allow us to build on our efforts by combining our knowledge and insights with organizations in other fields, effectively multiplying our impact."

Darden has set goals to reduce per-restaurant energy and water use by 15% by 2015 and, long term, to send zero waste to landfills. To date, the company has implemented water-saving measures estimated to cut usage by 700,000 gallons per year in each of its restaurants; installed energy-efficient lighting in all kitchens; and implemented fixed "Power Up" schedules to help reduce energy consumption.

LED Lighting A Strong Investment for PowerSecure

PowerSecure International’s LED lighting business saw 700 percent revenue growth last year, despite the global downturn. Now the Wake Forest company that also makes smart-grid products for utilities wants more. It announced Tuesday a move to double down on solid-state lighting, acquiring two-thirds interest in commercial and industrial lighting designer Innovative Electronic Solutions Lighting. It also decided to buy the remaining one-third of EfficientLights that it doesn’t own.

LED Lights For Grocery Stores

PowerSecure's present LED lighting division, EfficientLights, sells to grocery stores. Revenue rose 700 percent last year.The transactions – valued together at $14.4 million – significantly expand the company’s bet on a market that CEO Sidney Hinton says will grow 50 percent in each of the next two years.

“Our first hand experience has confirmed to us that the demand for LED lighting is robust,” Hinton said on a conference call. “The opportunity for LED lighting is staggering.”

The company’s EfficientLights division currently serves the grocery-store market with LEDs for refrigerator cases. Hinton says expansion is underway. Customers have come seeking lights for drug and convenience store chains, he says.

Sponsor: Redbird LED is an Atlanta based designer and manufacturer of high quality LED tube lights for Grocery stores. LED Tube lights are especially suitable for refrigerated cases due to their superior performance in colder temperatures. For more information about the benefits of LED Lights in Grocery stores please visit their website www.groceryledlighting.com

Green Building Symposium In Atlanta to Feature LED Lighting Discussion

Georgia Interfaith Power & Light and Southeast Green are sponsoring a Green Building Symposium on May 8th at Trinity Presbyterian Church.

Fired up after Earth Day, but want to do more? This event will include over 15 speakers and a featured keynote address at lunch. Plus, find out how your church might qualify for some of the $400,000 GIPL received for energy efficiency programs in churches.

This forum, sponsored by GIPL and Southeast Green, will include two tracks of panel discussions with a focus on sustainable building practices, building maintenance, new buildings and energy conservation and efficiency .

Dr. David Gushee will be our keynote speaker discussing Faith, Ethics and the Environment. Dr. Gushee is a professor at Mercer Seminary and a nationally recognized figure for his role in environmental ethics.

Panelists Include:

Alexis Chase/Georgia Interfaith Power & Light
Jeff Dinkle/Sustainable Atlanta
Corey Arnold/Peachtree Pest Control
Tracy Yount/AECOM
John Noel/Energy and Environment LLC
Jeff Christiani/Red Bird LED Lighting
Aldan Hathaway/Sterling Planet
Carla Hathaway/Lights For Africa

To register fro the event-http://www.gipl.org/events.html

About Georgia Interfaith Power & Light- The Georgia chapter of Interfaith Power & Light was founded in 2003 by Rev. Woody Bartlett and Carol Bartlett.Georgia Interfaith Power & Light is hard at work developing ways for congregations to put their faith into action in caring for God's Creation. They work with faith communities to become active and responsible stewards of creation, with a focus on energy conservation. They offer an Energy Audit Pilot Program that provides concrete steps for congregations to take to increase their energy efficiency and use resources more responsibly. For more information please visit their website at www.gipl.org

About Southeast Green- A informative news source for green living and green Business in the Southeast. The mission of SoutheastGreen.com is to connect the business professional and consumer to the resources and services available in the Southeast. please visit their website at www.southeastgreen.com

Jeff Christiani of Redbird LED will be speaking on the many benefits of LED Lighting. Redbird LED is an Atlanta based designer, manufacturer and distributor of high quality LED Tube Lights that are offered at value pricing. Redbird LED is making LED lighting retrofits more affordable. Redbird LED has provided the host of the meeting location, Trinity Presbyterian Church with their new LED Tube lights. For more information on LED Tube lighting- www.ledtuberetrofits.com

Johnson Controls Offers Energy Retrofit Services and Tools

Johnson Controls offers a number of services that would be valuable for Facility Managers

"Energy efficiency retrofits optimize and modernize your facilities by introducing proven improvements that lower energy, operating and capital costs while simultaneously improving your indoor environments and reducing your impact on the outdoor environment. We align your facilities with your core business objectives.

We evaluate a wide array of systems, equipment and processes in order to identify energy and operational efficiency opportunities that will improve overall facility performance. We begin by addressing the two most common root causes of excessive costs: 1) aging, inefficient or misapplied building technologies; and, 2) undefined or poorly aligned service levels.

Typical improvements include enhancements to heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems, lighting and electrical systems, controlsystems, motors and pumps, and eliminating leaks and waste. For example, most fan systems are oversize by 60% while chillers are
often 50-200% over sized."

For more information on their services please visit their website-http://www.johnsoncontrols.com/publish/us/en/products/building_efficiency/energy_efficiency/efficiency_strategies.html

Sponsor-LED Lighting Retrofit

For specific information on lighting retrofits and energy savings available from LED lighting please visit the website-www.commercialledretrofits.com. The website is sponsored by Redbird LED- a designer and manufacturer of value priced high quality LED Tube lights.

Trinity Presbyterian Church Completes LED Light Retrofit

Atlanta, Georgia –Redbird LED , an Atlanta, GA. firm that specializes in the design, manufacturing and distribution of energy efficient LED Tube Lighting for commercial buildings recently completed a LED Tube Lighting Retrofit for Trinity Presbyterian Church. The Church founded in 1949, has grown from less than 150 members to a congregation of more than 2000 members. In addition to providing the Christian Gospel to its growing base of constituents, Trinity Presbyterian Church is committed to being a steward of the economy and respectful of earth’s resources.


The Trinity Presbyterian Facility Department and Sustainability Committee has actively implemented a number of environmentally responsible programs including recycling programs, reduced use of cleaning chemicals and updating outdated HVAC equipment. The Church contacted Redbird LED to conduct an energy audit and thorough analysis of their lighting systems. Redbird Led recommended that Trinity Presbyterian Church retrofit their existing fluorescent lighting ( 150 watt) with more energy efficient LED Tube Lighting( 12 watt).

Trinity Presbyterian Church will receive many benefits from using LED Tube lights in their facilities. LED Tube Lights are more environmentally responsible because they contain no mercury, use less energy than conventional lighting and have a life span of more than 50,000 hours. The results are lower energy bills, reduced maintenance costs and no recycling concerns. Facility Manager Greg Hoopes was thrilled with ease of installation of the LED Lights, the energy savings and also the reduced cost and time needed to maintain lights.

IFMA Report Covers Energy Savings From Lighting Retrofits

Recently the International Facility Managers Association, IFMA published a very informative publication, Sustainability " How To Guide" Series- Lighting Solutions. The publication was written by Bill Conley, Managing Director of Pacific Building Care. The author discusses Retrofits in the chapter on Making the Business Case.The United States DOE has confirmed that lighting does provide the quickest ROI of any energy investment. In some cases this is less than a year.

Estimated Savings From A Lighting Retrofit www.commercialledretrofits.com

" A commercial building of one million square feet that uses T12 Fluorescent fixtures would require about 18.000 lamps or 4,500 fixtures. based on a cost of $ .10/kwh, the cost of the electricity would be approximately $348,300 annually. Retrofitting to T8 lamps with electronic ballasts could reduce these costs by 50 percent."

The author provides a chart with a comparison of retrofitting  with T8 lamps with different wattage and types of ballast. The largest savings is with 25W T8 with high efficiency electronic ballasts. The energy consumption per fixture is only 68W. This compares to consumption of 172w per fixture with the T12 fluorescent lamps.

To download your complimentary copy of the publication please visit www.ifma.org

More savings could be realized through a LED Light Retrofit. Redbird LED , an Atlanta based designer and manufacturer of LED Tube lights has recently released a new line of LED Tube lights that provide a high quality lighting source with a lower price point than other LED lights available. For more information on Redbird LED and the benefits of retrofitting your lighting please visit their website- www.commercialledretrofits.com.

Canadian Retailers Go Green By Retrofitting Lighting

Canadian retailers have gone to great lengths recently to tout their environmental and social policies, motivated by the economic benefits as much as by altruism.

Walmart Canada, Loblaw and Canadian Tire are among the big retailers trumpeting aggressive policies to save energy and minimize packaging. Some are even publicizing efforts to protect depleted fish species and ensure decent working conditions at their suppliers.

The companies may have the best intentions but there's also no denying that green practices are simply good business. Saving energy cuts costs, while touting policies to protect the environment strikes a positive chord with consumers and investors alike.

"The primary reason is that they have come to recognize that there are significant business benefits in doing so. It is not altruistic," said Mel Wilson, who heads the sustainable business team at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Calgary.

"It's not like people just woke up one day and their personalities had changed. They have recognized that this is good for business."

Walmart Canada, a subsidiary of U.S. retail giant Wal-Mart Stores, said last month that it stands to save about $140 million over the next five years through strategies aimed at energy reduction, waste diversion and its supply network.

Canadian Tire, the country's large automotive and household goods retailer, said last week that it would be among the first companies in the country to highlight its progress in its quarterly and annual reports.

"What we felt is that, if we ingrained it into the processes and how we do business, then sustainability in itself becomes sustainable," said Stephen Wetmore, the company's chief executive. "That's the way we've approached it, otherwise we didn't think we would have a long-term, viable approach to the environment."

Loblaw, the country's biggest grocery store chain, is working with environmental groups to ensure it only buys seafood that is sustainable and not at risk of depletion.

For most retailers, the simple cost of doing business is what has driven them to adopt the initiatives. With energy costs trending higher again, companies have looked to green forms of energy such as solar power to shave costs.

"What is driving it is the mechanism that gets their cost structure and their energy costs down," said Bill Chisholm, a retail analyst at Toronto investment adviser MacDougall, MacDougall and MacTier.

"It's a bit of PR in terms of being green, but at the same time they are hoping to get their energy costs down."

Walmart Canada estimates it will save about $70 million in costs over the next five years just with its energy-savings plan including low-wattage light bulbs, energy-efficient cooling systems and solar panels.

Reporting by  The Vancouver Sun

Sponsor: Redbird LED has designed and developed new low cost LED Tube lights that offer retailers reduced energy  and maintenance costs. LED Tube lights also are environmentally friendlily because they contain no harmful mercury. For more information please visit their website, www.commercialledretrofits.com

Redbird LED Tube Lights Available through Atlantic Lighting

Redbird LED Signs Distribution Agreement with Atlanta- based Atlantic Lighting & Supply to Sell LED Tube Lights

Atlanta, Georgia (April 5, 2010, 2010) – Redbird LED, an Atlanta, GA. firm that specializes in the design, manufacturing and distribution of energy efficient LED Tube Lighting for commercial buildings announced today that it had signed a distribution agreement with Atlantic Lighting & Supply to represent Redbird LED in Atlanta.  Atlantic Lighting & Supply has provided lighting solutions for the Commercial, Industrial, Multifamily and Institutional markets since 1982. Their customers include Fortune 50 companies, commercial facilities, retailers, schools and churches.

Atlantic Lighting & Supply are certified distributors for some of the biggest names in the lighting industry and offer customers the most up to date lighting products and services. “Customers continue to face higher energy costs,” said Rob Edwards President of Atlantic Lighting & Supply. It’s no secret through the implementation of lighting upgrades; our customers can both reduce their energy cost and lower their maintenance costs. We are now providing a solution from Redbird LED that allows our customers to achieve both types of savings”

Redbird LED has recently launched a new parking deck lighting solution featuring their LED Tube lighting. The Parking Deck/ Low-Bay Lighting Solutions are available in 2-LED tube and 4 tube LED designs, in enclosed (vapor tight) configurations.  LED Tube Lighting offers numerous benefits to parking deck, warehouse and cold storage facility owners and managers including reduced energy consumption, brighter and more uniform lighting and lower maintenance costs.  Tube LED Lights also create a better customer experience, increase safety, improve the property appearance and contain no mercury or other hazardous material. Energy savings from LED Tube Lights vary by application, but typical reduction from conventional low bay lighting is 30-50%.

 Redbird LED has also recently launched a new educational website Parking Garage LEDS to inform parking garage owners on LED light applications and possible energy savings. The website, www.parkinggarageleds.com, features information on the benefits of using LED Tube Lights in parking garages and parking decks, Frequently Asked Questions, Expected Energy and Maintenance savings from replacing conventional lighting with LED Tube Lights, Company profile of Redbird LED, Case Studies, Technical Details and Purchasing Information.

About Redbird LED- Redbird LED Inc. is led by an experienced team of electrical, optical and mechanical engineers and project managers.   The Redbird LED team includes Licensed Professional Engineers (PEs), LEED AP accredited personnel, and staff has decades of experience in the design and operation of high volume, automated, electronic device manufacturing facilities. Redbird LED is committed to providing its customers quality LED lighting products and systems for both new construction and retrofits of fluorescents, metal halide and incandescent systems.

In addition to manufacturing and selling LED lights and luminaires, Redbird LED provides lighting design services, lighting cost analysis, and has the ability to produce custom luminaires in their in-house fabrication facilities. For more information please contact Jonathan Eppstein, President, at 678-733-2473 or visit the website www.parkinggarageleds.com Redbird LED is located at 1202 Gail Drive NE, Atlanta, GA 30319, in Fulton County, metropolitan Atlanta.

City of Powell, Ohio Undergoing LED Lighting Retrofit

On March 23,  Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland and the Ohio Department of Development named 28 projects to receive $15 million in grants as part of an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act program to promote energy efficiency.The City of Powell received $821,861 for a solar electric system and an LED lighting retrofit at the Municipal Building and improvements to its parks and recreation facility to save energy.
It is expected that the energy-efficient improvements will save at least $18,500 and up to $30,000 per year, he said.


The Municipal Building also will receive a major retrofit of its lights to support LED technology.

That includes the replacement of 315 fluorescent fixtures and 30 incandescent fixtures inside the building, as well as 33 high-pressure sodium fixtures around the outside of the building.

That part of the project will cost $160,369 and save on light-bulb replacement and maintenance, Fischer said.

"Lights go out (at the Municipal Building) every day. We have a service employee that goes around and replaces those lights, but once we buy the LED lights, we'll save on the cost of replacing lights, because those last years and years. We'll also be able to reassign that employee to something more productive, so it's a benefit to the city as a whole," he said.

The city's parks and recreation offices, 260 Village Park Drive, will receive upgrades such as better insulation, window and thermostat replacements and light sensors for outside lights, which together will cost about $38,000.

"It's an older structure and it needs a lot of upgrades," Fischer said of the parks and recreation facility.

The city was granted funding for most of its wish list. It would have liked to install a geothermal heating and cooling system in the Municipal Building, Fischer said, but that technology was not covered in the parameters of the grant.

"We'd like to get a completely energy-efficient building by using the technology available," he said, adding there may be another grant in the future that the city could pursue to continue those efforts.

Industrial LED Lighting Retrofit Website Launched

Redbird LED announces the release of new marketing campaign and website industrialledretrofits.com.

Atlanta, Georgia (April 2, 2010) –Redbird LED today announces the launch of the marketing campaign Industrial LED Retrofits. Redbird LED is an Atlanta, GA firm that specializes in the design, manufacturing and distribution of energy efficient LED Tube Lighting for industrial buildings and warehouses. Lighting is one of the largest expenses that industrial building owners and facility engineers face. Industrial buildings are usually lighted 24 hours a day, seven days a week or 8,760 hours per year. Retrofitting the fluorescent lighting in an industrial building with a newer technology- LED Tube Lighting will provide dramatic savings.

Redbird LED has recently launched a new industrial building LED retrofit lighting solution featuring their LED Tube lighting. These Lighting Solutions are available in 2-LED tube and 4 tube LED designs, both in exposed (open) and enclosed (vapor tight) configurations.  LED Tube Lighting offers numerous benefits to industrial building owners and managers including reduced energy consumption, brighter and more uniform lighting and lower maintenance costs. Energy savings from LED Tube Lights vary by application, but typical reduction from conventional industrial building lighting can be 30-50%.  Retrofitting older lighting with newer LED Tube Lighting is considered to be the easiest step towards saving energy costs.


Redbird LED is located at 1202 Gail Drive NE, Atlanta, GA 30319, in Fulton County, metropolitan Atlanta.  For more information and to review their line of Industrial Lighting Solutions please visit  www.industrialledretrofits.com or call 678.733.2473

Holiday Inn Project Includes LED Lighting Retrofit

Green Overhaul by Michael Maher Located in the D.C.-metro area of Gaithersburg, Md., the B. F. Saul Company Hotel Division’s two-year, $9 million Holiday Inn renovation project began in 2007 as part of the hotel chain’s worldwide campaign to re-launch its brand with a more contemporary image, showcase improved quality and drive consistency. The project included a complete upgrade of the hotel’s exterior and substantial improvements to the interior, all guided by the Holiday Inn “Our Big Green” mission of conserving resources, reducing and recycling waste, and examining the latest in sustainable building methods and products. Numerous ecologically oriented construction strategies were implemented in the overhaul of the 300-room, 35-year-old hotel. “We conducted this renovation with a clear-cut focus on our very real commitment to protecting the environment for future generations, as well as the long-term good of the community,” said Melvin Nichols, the hotel’s general manager.  As part of a complete exterior upgrade and substantial interior improvements, the project incorporated a variety of environmentally responsible and recycled materials, as well as water- and energy-conserving products. “The intent was a soup-to-nuts employment of the latest in sustainable construction,” said Jim Walent, AVP/capital asset manager at B.F. Saul Company Hotel Division. “From low-VOC paints and coatings, to recycled material-based carpet and wall coverings, to low-flow bathroom fixtures and LED lighting, we looked at all the ways to advance the hotel’s structure well into a sustainable future.” One of the largest and most notable project components in the area of energy efficiency was a complete window replacement initiative. Seeking a window solution that provided a combination of high energy ratings, modern aesthetics and improved sound abatement, B.F. Saul Company approached REHAU for advisement on the latest in commercial curtain wall window systems. “The Holiday Inn Gaithersburg project included aggressive goals we felt were ideally achieved by employing our latest REHAU-Polytec 50 hybrid curtain wall system, which we’ve recently introduced into the North America commercial construction market from Europe,” said Mike Maher, Eastern region commercial sales manager, windows and doors, a For Fullarticle please visit-http://www.sustainablefacility.com/copyright/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_10000000000000792459?view=print t REHAU .     Michael Maher is Commercial Sales Manager - East Region at REHAU. He has been with REHAU in Leesburg, Va., for 30 years and has more than 25 years of experience in the vinyl window and door industry, currently leading REHAU’s efforts in North America with green building technologies to assist owners, architects, engineers and general contractors in combining an energy-efficient envelope featuring high-performance openings with radiant heating / snow & ice-melt solutions that are sourced with geothermal technology.