LED Lighting Retrofits Eligible for Energy Retrofits from Utility Companies

This week, the Department of Energy regulations that eliminate the manufacture of most T12 fluorescent lamps will be lamps take effect. The DOE wants to remove the energy inefficient T12 lamps from the commercial lighting market. Many companies, concerned about future supply and pricing of T12 lamps have pursued lighting retrofit projects to replace their existing lighting with more energy efficient T5 or T8 lamps.

Utility companies have encouraged these efforts by offering energy efficient lighting upgrade and replacement rebates. In many cases these rebates cover 50% of the installation costs for the lighting retrofit. These energy rebates allowed companies to replace their T12 lamps with their quality LED replacement lamps.Utility companies have recently announced that they will be extending these rebates to allow more companies to retrofit their T12 lighting.

One utility company that extended their rebate time period is DTE Energy in Michigan. DTE is offering special cash incentives to business owners who invest in new energy efficient lighting technologies through July 31, 2012, as part of the company's Energy Efficiency Program for Business. The financial incentives are available to businesses that convert older model, T12 fluorescent lights to high performance or low wattage-high performance T8 lamps and electronic ballasts. In California, Northern California utility companies will continue to offer energy saving rebates/incentives for these T12 to T8, T5 or LED upgrades through December 2012.

"We realize this legislation could significantly affect many of our business customers," said Bill Clemens, manager of energy efficiency program for DTE Energy. "We want to help our customers cover a portion of the investment needed to upgrade to the latest energy efficient technology. By retrofitting their outdated lights now, businesses can not only take advantage of the incentives that will likely be discontinued, but they will also avoid increased costs of replacing those lights in the future."

The Energy Efficiency Program for Business (dteenergy.com/saveenergy) was launched in 2009 to help DTE Energy customers save money by using less energy. The program offers customers a wide array of energy efficiency ideas and incentives. Customers can earn incentives if they make improvements from a list of qualified efficiency upgrades for both gas and electric technologies, including energy-efficient lighting, drives, controls, heating ventilation and air conditioning and more. For more information, please visit the program website at www.dteenergy.com/saveenergy , or call 866-796-0512, Option 3.

RedBird LED is an Atlanta-based manufacturer and designer of high quality LED linear replacement lamps. Their products have been used in national grocery, convenience stores, major hotel chains and corporate facilities throughout the country. To learn more about retrofitting your facility lighting and available energy rebate programs please visit the RedBird LED website.

  

SAP Saves $80,000 Per Year From LED Ligting Retrofit

SAP recently completed a series of energy retrofit projects including an LED lighting retrofit. GreenTech Media provided an interesting analysis of the energy savings from each type of energy retrofit.The LED lighting retrofit was number two n savings!


By Michael Kanellos

Fluctuating energy prices, new regulations, employee satisfaction and market opportunities are prompting large and small businesses to adopt green technologies.But where do you get the most bang for your buck?

At the Palo Alto campus of SAP, the answer turns out to be videoconferencing. The company, as part of an overall energy retrofit, installed three telepresence systems from Cisco Systems in Palo Alto for a cost of $300,000. The units will save $300,000 in reduced travel costs in the first year alone. Besides that, they boost productivity.

Solid state lighting came in second place. SAP installed 337 LED fixtures from Lunera and connected them through a network from Redwood Systems. Total cost: $434,000. Annual savings: $80,000.“It is the best business case except telepresence,” said Peter Graf, SAP’s chief sustainability officer.

Retrofitting the data center to run on DC power came in fourth place, right behind a $1.2 million solar array, but the best part has yet to come for DC. The retrofit -- which largely revolved around installing a rectifier that can convert high voltage AC power from the grid into high voltage DC to run computers and storage equipment -- cost $128,000 and saves $24,000 a year. (DC rectifiers save power by reducing the number of times power gets converted from AC to DC and vice versa before it powers a server -- we’re huge fans of DC power these days).That’s a 5.3-year payback. Overall, the DC data center reduces power consumption in the data center by 15 to 20 percent, said Branitzky.

LED Lighting Retrofits- BLOG Sponsor
 
A good practice for businesses looking to reduce energy expenses is to consider an LED lighting retrofit. Lighting retrofits replace lighting with newer technology such as LED linear lighting to save on energy costs and maintenance costs. Many building experts recommend a lighting retrofit as the first step to reducing energy costs. Redbird LED is an Atlanta based manufacturer and designer of Premium LED lights at value price points. For more information please visit their LED Retrofit website or call ( 678) 733-2473



For years, SAP’s software mostly focused on parameters like factory productivity, cost-per-unit, etc. Now, the idea is to highlight building energy consumption, fuel costs and other direct and indirect factors tied to energy and resources. Right now, large companies largely estimate those figures through extrapolation. But in the future, soft drink managers will, ideally, be able to more easily mine data on changes to the water or fuel footprint of a canned soda over different energy pricing scenarios.

Regulations and rising energy costs are prompting large companies to try to better track resources. But price volatility is also a huge concern. In the last decade, commodity pricing has been 40 percent more volatile than it was in the previous decade, Graf noted. The uncertain future surrounding China’s exports of rare earth elements underscores the problem.


To read the full article please visit

http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/the-worlds-best-green-technology/

Starbucks Retrofits Lighting in 7,000 Stores

By Claudia Girrbach

 

Starbucks recently finished replacing nearly all of its incandescent and halogen lighting with LEDs during a two-year roll-out to over 7,000 company-owned stores, most in the United States and Canada, but with some in Europe and Asia. This is the largest deployment yet of LED technology in an application that is very sensitive to the quality of light; Starbucks' success proves that the new digital lighting is ready for mass install.

Jim Hanna, Director of Environmental Impact for Starbucks confirmed that the LED lighting program is on target to slash consumption by more than 80 percent compared to existing lighting. My back-of-the envelope calculations [see notes below] found that

    • Each LED light bulb saves approximately $30 annually in energy costs and eliminates the equivalent CO2 as half a barrel of oil;
    • Each 1,000 square foot store on average would save nearly $600 annually and eliminate the equivalent CO2 as 10 barrels of oil

To capture these impressive benefits, for both the bottom-line and the environment, it took more than replacing a light bulb. When Starbucks was examining which energy efficiency projects to deploy in its stores, lighting was an obvious choice, since retailers consume a large amount of energy on lighting to provide ambiance and to showcase products.

But Starbucks had already installed energy-efficient fluorescents in many areas of its stores. The remaining halogen and incandescent lights were in its beverage and sitting areas. The soft, warm light provided by incandescent bulbs was critical to creating an inviting experience. And halogens were used to highlight products. Fluorescent was a poor fit in these areas due to its inferior color rendition. Although CFLs are prevalent in offices, older and inefficient lighting technology is common in many retail and other high-end applications.

Starbucks investigated LED lights and appreciated the low energy use and the quality of light, but LED products on the market at the time required replacing both the light bulb and fixture driving costs up considerably.

Read more: http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2010/12/02/how-starbucks-saves-millions-year-energy-led-lighting#ixzz17Yg0d014

 

Claudia Girrbach is a senior director in the IT department at Gap Inc., as well as a member of the company's EcoCouncil and Employee Engagement Team. She also authors the blog Going Green - Tips for Business.

Read more: http://www.greenbiz.com/bio/claudia-girrbach#ixzz17YgBTDCy

Retailers Save Money with LED Retrofits

As reported in Environmental Leader

Retail stores such as Timberland and Basset Home Furnishings are realizing the cost and environmental benefits of switching from traditional store lighting to LED lights.

Retail stores such as Timberland and Basset Home Furnishings are realizing the cost and environmental benefits of switching from traditional store lighting to LED lights.The Timberland Company has saved approximately $100,000 in electricity costs ten months after it partnered with Eco-Story to develop LED lighting track lights for its retail stores. Eco-Story developed special LED track lights for the footwear and apparel maker’s 50 retail stores across the United States.

Depending on each store’s location and size, Eco-story replaced up to 150 50- to 90-watt halogen spotlights per store with 10-watt Par 30 LED bulbs (featuring Cree XLamp LEDs) that were color-matched to client specifications.

“Eco-consciousness led the way in our endeavor to make lighting changes, but with the federal tax incentive and our lowered electric bill, the financial savings has been a significant advantage,” said Al Buell, store planning and construction project manager at Timberland.

In addition, there was no labor costs involved in the transition since Timberland store employees handled the easy lamp change, taking less than four weeks to complete in all 50 stores.

Timberland’s lights are predicted to last 6 to 10 years and have an extremely low failure rate, according to Eco-Story. Only about 15 of the approximately 5,400 lamps installed in Timberland stores have failed, equaling less than one percent.

Paying no upfront costs, the Bassett Home Furnishings showroom in Fife, Wash., recently completed an Energy Star-rated LED lighting project, aimed at improving light quality and energy efficiency.

Installed by Lime Energy, Bassett received a substantial utility incentive from Tacoma Power and will pay for the balance of the installation over time. Scott Selden, owner of the store, expects monthly energy costs to decrease by more than the monthly payment to Lime Energy for the next three years.

The LED retrofit project also is expected to eliminate 311,000 pounds of carbon dioxide, 1,217 pounds of sulfur dioxide and 772 pounds of nitrogen oxides (NOx).

U.S. Foodservice Completing LED Retrofit

As reported in Environmental Leader

U.S. Foodservice is completing a lighting retrofit project, deploying Orion’s LED technology and intelligent occupancy sensors in freezers at five of its facilities.

U.S. Foodservice will replace 400-watt High Intensity Discharge (HID) fixtures with 150-watt Orion LED fixtures. The actual number of new fixtures installed will be 15% less than what is currently installed. The reduction in watts consumed is expected to decrease the amount of electricity the food-service distributor uses in its freezers by 1.5 million kilowatt-hours a year, while at the same time increase light levels by 30%.

U.S. Foodservice began deploying Orion technology in 2009. To date, the company is reducing its energy consumption for lighting by 30-million kilowatt-hours and saving $3.3-million per year.   As a result, U.S. Foodservice will reduce 19,076 tons of greenhouse gasses annually including carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and mercury.

Harvard University Finds Smart Way To Save Energy is Parking Garage Lighting Retrofit

From the Harvard University Sustainability website

During the summer of 2009, Transportation Services installed energy efficient lighting fixtures and sensors within 10 University parking garages and at the Fleet Management facility at 155 North Harvard Street. The project is expected to conserve significant amounts of electricity and save approximately $400K a year.

The standard metal-halide lights, which use 198-watts per hour, are being replaced with 3-bulb/2-ballast super T8 fluorescent fixtures which use just 92-watts per hour – a reduction of more than 50%. Even though these parking garage lighting fixtures consume less energy, they provide the same amount of light. Motion sensors will further reduce energy use by turning off certain lights in areas where there has not been any activity for ten minutes. However the parking garages will never go completely dark. An extensive amount of research was conducted to ensure that there will always be sufficient lighting levels at all times.

Funded through the Office for Sustainability Loan Fund and a $200K rebate from NStar, the project is expected to pay for itself in approximately three years.

LED Lighting Retrofits- BLOG Sponsor
 
A good practice for businesses looking to reduce energy expenses is to consider an LED lighting retrofit. Lighting retrofits replace lighting with newer technology such as LED linear lighting to save on energy costs and maintenance costs. Many building experts recommend a lighting retrofit as the first step to reducing energy costs. Redbird LED is an Atlanta based manufacturer and designer of Premium LED lights at value price points. For more information please visit their LED Retrofit website or call ( 678) 733-2473


Transportation Services is also embarking on another lighting initiative targeting above-ground garages. The goal is to replace the rooftop metal-halide fixtures with highly efficient LED lighting. Much more testing is needed to ensure proper light levels and a positive comprehensive lifecycle cost analysis, but if it proves successful, the project will be yet another step by University Operations Services (UOS) towards helping the University reach its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 30% by the year 2016.

Walmart in Puerto Rico Saves Money on Parking Deck Lighting Retrofit

In San Juan, Puerto Rico, Walmart is expected to save up to 48 percent of the electricity traditionally required to light its parking lots by retrofitting their lighting to LED Lights. They will also save an estimated 75 percent on maintenance costs.

On average, nearly one-third of a Walmart store’s energy consumption is tied to lighting. In addition to substantial energy and maintenance cost savings, the new LED parking lot lighting significantly reduces the greenhouse gas emissions associated with Walmart Puerto Rico’s operations.

“In 2009 alone, Walmart Puerto Rico’s operational energy efficiency initiatives saved more than 8.0-million kWh, equivalent to USD $1.4 million*. A large portion of these energy-efficient initiatives are tied to the continuous lighting improvements that Walmart is working with GE to help us achieve,” says Charles Zimmerman, vice president of international design and construction for Walmart. “Our latest initiative in Puerto Rico turns a high cost area such as outdoor lighting into an energy efficiency bellwether not only for our company on a global scale, but for the industry as a whole. We know outdoor LED lighting represents a huge opportunity for retailers to make strides economically and environmentally.”

RPI Completes LED Retrofit in Campus Buildings

As reported in LEDS Magazine

The Smart Lighting Engineering Research Center (ERC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) has collaborated with campus officials to replace 119 incandescent bulbs with LED retrofit lamps in the 9-story George M. Low Center for Industrial Innovation (CII) building. The Smart Lighting ERC expects the investment in the solid-state lighting (SSL) retrofit to pay for itself within 12 to 16 months.

The LED bulbs cost $60 each compared to $4.50 for the conventional incandescent bulbs. The LED retrofit project replaced 50W incandescent bulbs with LED alternatives that dissipate only 8W. The LED alternative produces the equivalent light output of 65W incandescent bulbs resulting in “better, brighter light” according to Smart Lighting ERC Director Robert Karlicek who led the project.

The expected payback period is based on both energy and maintenance savings. The campus typically replaces incandescent bulbs every four months while the LED replacements are expected to last six years. Once the payback is achieved the Smart Lighting ERC expects annual savings of $5608.

“Initially, we’re trying to show the campus community how easy it is to make a very noticeable difference in terms of sustainability and reduced energy consumption,” said Karlicek. “We hope this is just the first step. If we replaced all of the old bulbs in the CII with LEDs, the annual savings could increase by a factor of five. Imagine the impact of doing this across the entire campus — or across the entire world.”

Long term, the Smart Lighting ERC is focused on greater savings than what can be achieved with retrofit lamps. “The LED bulbs that were installed are a great showcase for sustainability, but they’re not ‘smart’ technology,” Karlicek said.

“When we talk about ‘smart lighting,’ we’re looking forward to a new wave of solid-state lighting with applications that will transform the way society uses light, said Karlicek. “The vision for smart lighting that we’re working to realize is a holistic integration of advanced light sources, sensors, and adaptive control architectures that take full advantage of the amazing capabilities of light. The smart lighting we’re developing will be able to talk with networked electronics and sensors within a space, and automatically adjust the lighting parameters to provide the ideal illumination required for the task at hand.”

The Smart Lighting ERC is led by RPI with partners Boston University and the University of New Mexico within funding from the National Science Foundation, industry, and New York state.
About the Author
Maury Wright is the Senior Technical Editor of LEDs Magazine.

http://www.ledsmagazine.com/news/7/11/2

Macy's Reducing Energy Costs With LED Lighting Retrofit

As reported in Chain Store Age

Macy’s has begun construction on a 3.5-megawatt high-efficiency solar power system on the roof of its online fulfillment center in Goodyear, Ariz. When completed in March 2011, the installation is expected to be the largest solar power system on a single rooftop in the United States. In other energy-saving moves, Macy’s has become the first department store company to implement the use of LED accent lighting on a wide scale.

The solar system in Goodyear is being designed and installed by SunPower, which will provide ongoing operations and maintenance services. The installation is expected to offset more than 3,500 tons of carbon dioxide per year, the equivalent of removing 18,204 cars from Arizona’s highways over the 30-year life of the system.

<b>LED Lighting Retrofit

On the lighting front, Macy’s will replace 117,000 incandescent lamps in 86 stores with LED lamps that use roughly 73% less energy. Total energy savings are estimated at about 16,200 megawatts per hour every year. In addition, the LEDs have an expected life of five to 10 years (compared with less than one year for traditional bulbs), thereby reducing landfill disposal.

http://www.chainstoreage.com/story.aspx?id=154585&menuid=441

Hawaii Hospital Completes LED Retrofit Program

As reported in Environmental Leader

Hawai'i Pacific Health (HPH), comprised of four nonprofit hospitals and 44 outpatient clinics and service sites, expects to save more than $1.2 million thanks to a LED lighting retrofit across its facilities.The switch to LED lighting at its four hospital facilities also will help reduce HPH’s carbon emissions by 465,324.65 pounds per year from just the parking garages alone, according to Pacific Eco-Lights, which is supplying the LED lighting.

By retrofitting existing fixtures with LEDs, HPH is projected to save up to $10,000 to $12,000 per month from the conversion of just one of its parking garage facilities, which will translate into $1.2 million in combined annual savings by retrofitting hallways, waiting areas, cafeterias and offices throughout its four hospitals.

LED Lighting Retrofits
 
A good practice for businesses looking to reduce energy expenses is to consider an LED lighting retrofit. Lighting retrofits replace lighting with newer technology such as LED linear lighting to save on energy costs and maintenance costs. Many building experts recommend a lighting retrofit as the first step to reducing energy costs. Redbird LED is an Atlanta based manufacturer and designer of Premium LED lights at value price points. For more information please visit their LED Retrofit website or call ( 678) 733-2473

Warehouse Retrofits Lighting to Save On Energy Costs

As reported in Environmental Leader

Maines Paper & Food has cut its lighting-related energy use by 87 percent thanks to the installation of Digital Lumens’  Intelligent Lighting System in its 460,000-square-foot headquarters in Conklin, New York. The lighting retrofit also improves lighting levels and helps the company meets is corporate sustainability targets.With the lighting retrofit, Maines expects to save 1,726,108 kWh of electricity per year and prevent 1,240 metric tons of CO2 emissions.

After an evaluation of lighting alternatives including fluorescents and LEDs with the help of its energy-efficiency partner Groom Energy Solutions, Maines selected the Digital Lumens solution, which combines LED lighting fixtures, networking and software, as a one-for-one retrofit of highbay warehouse lights.

Maines can track energy usage and occupancy on a fixture-by-fixture basis, enabling them to fine tune the light retrofit program to maximize efficiency. The system also creates a lighting network inside the facility, which provides opportunities for future capabilities and/or measuring and monitoring other aspects of the facility, says the company.Groom Energy installed the lighting upgrade project and replaced Maines’ existing 400-watt, high-pressure sodium fixtures, reducing both energy use and ongoing maintenance.

“Lighting represents about 20 percent of our warehouse electricity costs, and a great opportunity to reduce our facilities’ costs and improve operational efficiency,” said Pat DeOrdio, vice president of operations, Maines Paper & Food Service, Inc.

“We evaluated the Digital Lumens Intelligent Lighting System and found that it enables us to significantly reduce our energy consumption, improve overall safety by increasing light levels and decrease maintenance. This solution delivers numerous operational and environmental benefits, and positions us to better serve our customers’ needs,” he added.

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) provided the project incentive. NYSERDA’s goal is to help New York reduce energy consumption, promote the use of renewable energy sources and protect the environment.

Other recent projects that NYSERDA has provided funding or incentives for include recent HVAC upgrades at six New York State commercial facilities, which together will cut their energy consumption by more than 9.9 million kWH annually, a new energy-efficient grocery store, and a medical center.

http://www.environmentalleader.com/2010/08/25/maines-slashes-energy-use-87-with-lighting-retrofit/

LED Lighting Retrofits
 
A good practice for businesses looking to reduce energy expenses is to consider an LED lighting retrofit. Lighting retrofits replace lighting with newer technology such as LED linear lighting to save on energy costs and maintenance costs. Many building experts recommend a lighting retrofit as the first step to reducing energy costs. Redbird LED is an Atlanta based manufacturer and designer of Premium LED lights at value price points. For more information please visit their LED Retrofit website or call ( 678) 733-2473

Lighting Retrofits Help Facility Managers Save Time and Money

As reported in Today's Facility Manager
By Craig DiLouie

Between 2005 and 2009, fluorescent ballast regulations imposed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) became effective in phases, limiting availability of T12 magnetic ballasts in new fixtures. In July 2010, the final phase of these regulations went into effect, virtually eliminating fluorescent F40T12, F96T12 and F96T12HO magnetic ballasts from the market. This includes both full wattage and energy saving versions (e.g., ballasts for 34W T12 lamps) as well as replacement ballasts—with few exceptions.

 According to the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), about seven percent of the fluorescent ballast market is magnetic ballasts. This is an indicator that this type of ballast is no longer popular in new construction, but they continue to be purchased to service existing installations. As facility managers (fms) and distributors deplete their inventories of these ballasts, they will have to make the switch to more efficient lighting systems.

The final nail, however, is coming in 2012. In that year, new DOE fluorescent lamp regulations will take effect, strengthening standards for lamp types covered by previous regulation while also covering 8' T8, 4' T5, along with more wattages of 4' T8 and T12 lamps. The net result, with few exceptions, is that a majority of 4' linear and 2' U-shaped T12, many 8' T12 and T12HO, and some low color rendering 4' T8 lamps will be eliminated.

According to NEMA, about 30% of fluorescent 4' lamps sold each year are T12. As with magnetic ballasts, they are not popular in new construction, but there are millions installed in existing buildings. In 2012, fms will have no choice but to upgrade.

Scheduling The Changes

A basic choice will be whether to replace an existing T12 lighting system all at once in a planned upgrade or to replace individual components as they fail. Replacing the entire system may seem challenging because of the upfront cost for equipment and installation labor; in addition, fms must accept the idea of disposing of ballasts that may still be providing reliable operation.

However, having maintenance staff replace individual components as they fail presents severe disadvantages. First, with T12 lamps being phased out soon, it makes little sense to buy electronic T12 ballasts, so the next basic option is an electronic ballasted T8 system. Since a T8 ballast must operate a compatible T8 lamp, a maintenance department would have to replace the ballast plus the lamps that the ballast operates.

This would result in a mix of T12 and T8 ballasts and lamps in inventory ad also in the general lighting system, which could cause confusion, risk performance problems due to incompatibilities, potentially have a negative impact on lighting conditions and appearance, and deny opportunities to reevaluate the lighting system and take advantage of good lighting practices and volume purchasing.

Fms are seizing these opportunities. According to a survey conducted in February 2010 by Today’s Facility Manager (TFM) and NEMA EnLIGHTen America, 54% of responding fms plan to conduct lighting upgrades within the next three years. (The TFM April 2010 article reporting on the results of this lighting survey can be found here.)

Once a decision is made to upgrade the lighting system, the fm has taken control of the situation and can work to maximize the impact of new lighting. A major benefit is energy costs savings. In this regard, substantial opportunities can be found in buildings that use older technologies (such as T12 systems), that have very high utility costs, and where lighting is uncontrolled and left on all night. T12 systems, for example, can be upgraded to realize energy savings as high as 50% or more in offices, classrooms, and other applications.

The next basic choice facing the fm is whether to retrofit or redesign a lighting system. In a retrofit, new lamps and ballasts are installed in existing fixtures and existing controls replaced. In a redesign, the fixtures themselves may be replaced or moved.

While energy is important, productivity is also very important to businesses. Studies show that large numbers of people are unsatisfied with the lighting in their workspaces. According to a 1999 office lighting study conducted by Steelcase, 38% of workers said the lighting in their workspaces was either too dim or too bright. Further, three out of four workers said better lighting would improve their efficiency and productivity, and two out of three said they would be more creative.lighting fixtures illumination quality

Fms who are interested in an energy saving retrofit, therefore, may instead actually need a redesign that not only reduces energy consumption, but that also improves lighting quality. According to the TFM/NEMA EnLIGHTen America survey, all respondents consider improving occupant satisfaction with the facility, and the organization overall, as an important goal of a lighting upgrade project.

Good lighting quality, according to the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), accounts for factors such as visual comfort, glare, uniformity, color rendering, lighting on walls and ceilings, and harsh patterns, shadows, and flicker. If a facility’s primary spaces have been retasked for new purposes for which the existing lighting system provides insufficient lighting conditions (or uniformity is poor, there is little light on walls and ceilings, or there are obvious, unaddressed sources of glare), and if occupants are unhappy with their lighting, then a redesign may provide the most benefit.
Executing The Project

Once these decisions are made, what follows is a normal retrofit or renovation. Energy efficient lighting technologies have been undergoing development for decades, and there are many reliable solutions now available from manufacturers. Regarding lamps and ballasts, fms can consider T8 systems. There are now 23W, 25W, 28W, 32W (normal output), and 32W (high output, or “Super T8”) T8 lamps available, which offer a choice of power and light output.

There are also electronic ballasts available with a range of efficiencies and ballast factors, enabling further tuning of light output. The most efficient ballasts carry the NEMA Premium mark on the ballast label.

Regarding fixtures, fms can consider T5 systems, direct/indirect lighting, and, if recessed, volumetric-distribution fixtures that place some light on walls to eliminate the “cave effect” common with some parabolic fixtures.

Meanwhile, LED lighting offers opportunities to improve efficiency dramatically. Still, the overall technology remains relatively new, and fms should proceed with caution, particularly hen confronted by options such as LED T8 lamp replacements, which have not fared well in independent product testing at the DOE. (For results from past DOE testing of LED lighting, visit this DOE Website.)
 For rest of article please visit
  
http://www.todaysfacilitymanager.com/articles/services-and-maintenance-planning-the-next-lighting-upgrade.php

LED Lighting Retrofits
 
A good practice for businesses looking to reduce energy expenses is to consider an LED lighting retrofit. Lighting retrofits replace lighting with newer technology such as LED linear lighting to save on energy costs and maintenance costs. Many building experts recommend a lighting retrofit as the first step to reducing energy costs. Redbird LED is an Atlanta based manufacturer and designer of Premium LED lights at value price points. For more information please visit their LED Retrofit website or call ( 678) 733-2473

Parking Garage LED Lights Use Latest Technology

Manufacturing.Net - July 28, 2010

Zug, Switzerland, 2010-Jul-28

The facade of the new car park at the headquarters of the Siemens Building Technologies Division in Zug, Switzerland is lit using LED lights made by the Osram joint venture Traxon Technologies. A total of 25,900 LEDs light up the architecturally harmonious building structure, thus contributing to the attractive contemporary look of the Siemens site.

The Siemens Building Technologies Division, which is the largest employer in the Zug region and a leading technology company, illuminated the facade of its new parking garage and staff restaurant at its headquarters in Zug with a total of 25,900 LEDs produced by the Osram joint venture Traxon. In order to ensure that this building is not only an eye-catcher architecturally, but also at night, Siemens invested an additional six-figure sum. This LED lighting, the dimensions of which are entirely unique in Switzerland, can be seen as a contribution by Siemens to Zug's contemporary and progressive image as a city.

The parking garage opened on June 1st and the staff restaurant "five moods" on the ground floor is opening its doors on July 26th. In August construction of three new buildings will begin on the site of the old staff restaurant and the existing parking spaces. With this new structure, Siemens is implementing the development plan created together with the municipal and regional authorities of Zug.

Energy Efficiency due to LED lights

The lighting concept includes 1,230 LED lights of the type Liner XB from Traxon, which can generate an entire range of colors using the three primary colors red, green and blue. The Liner XBs are equipped with high-power LEDs and thus achieve high light output. The asymmetrical optics of the LEDs allow for uniform and intense illumination, which can be controlled flexibly in terms of both color and intensity. The energy efficient LED lights help keep the operating costs of the facade lighting to a minimum: The power requirement for the light installation is only 39.2 kW per hour of operation, which is roughly equivalent to the power consumption of 20 electric kettles. In addition to four standard sizes, special lengths of the Liner XB lights were developed especially for use in the parking garage in Zug. The entire light installation is controlled using the Lighting Application Suite software, which runs on an LCS1 lighting control server made by e:cue lighting control. In addition to this four Butler XT DMX controllers, which are also made by e:cue, are to be used to flexibly control the lighting effects.

The facade lighting is currently operated statically (i.e. without color changes and lighting effects). However, Building Technologies is working closely with municipal authorities to develop an overall lighting concept for the city of Zug to enable dynamic operations today and in the future.

Eye-catching even without lighting

The new parking garage is located at the northern end of the Dammstraße and it defines Theilerplatz in combination with the planned new Building Technologies headquarters and the existing superstructure. The facade's design clearly reflects the buildings significance as a structure that defines the space and adds to the overall design of the square. The building's outer skin consists of expanded metal mesh fields in two tones of silver as well as dark gray horizontal pilaster strips (column-like wall elements), which combine to form a delicate, slightly transparent, sectioned facade. The expanded metal mesh construction also allows for natural energy-efficient ventilation of the parking garage.

In addition to the LED facade lighting, numerous Siemens products and solutions are used in both the parking garage and the staff restaurant including exhaust fume monitoring, the fire alarm system, transformer stations, switch cabinets for the main and sub-distribution boards as well as measurement and control technology. In the future, the lighting installation is to be connected directly to the building management system.

SOURCE

http://manufacturing.net/article.aspx?id=262526

Verizon Wireless Stores Retrofit Lighting to Save Energy

The Verizon Wireless Communications Store in Columbia, MD is among the first wireless retail stores to rate in the top 25 percent of commercial facilities for energy efficiency and to earn the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) ENERGY STAR(R), the national symbol for superior energy efficiency and environmental protection. The Columbia store is one of more than 47 Verizon Wireless retail stores nationwide to receive the ENERGY STAR label.

"The changes we have implemented in our stores are significant because they impact our business, the environment and our ability to provide customers with an industry-leading experience," said Mike Maiorana, regional president for Verizon Wireless in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC. "By being more energy efficient, we can keep operating costs down and redirect those resources to improve the customer experience."

The Communications Store located at 9021 Snowden Square Dr. in Columbia replaced incandescent lamps with compact fluorescent lamps and installed light-emitting diode (LED) exit signs and motion sensors to activate lighting in portions of the store that are not in constant use, such as the storage room and back offices. In addition, the store's entire lighting and display systems are controlled by a digital timer system to ensure that lights turn off when the store is closed to avoid energy waste.

The EPA's ENERGY STAR is yet another recognition of Verizon Wireless' ongoing commitment to environmentally friendly Green practices. In 2008, Verizon Wireless was the only wireless carrier named to IDG Computerworld's first-ever list of top Green-IT Companies. Research firm Frost & Sullivan also awarded the company with its 2008 Green Excellence of the Year Award in the Corporate Leadership category for the telecom services industry.

Sponsor- RedBird LED is an Atlanta based designer and manufacturer of LED Tube Lights. They recently announced their new parking garage LED solution and launched a new website, www.groceryledlighting.com. Their LED lights offer facility managers the opportunity to save between 30 and 60 % on their energy bills and reduce maintenance costs.

New Green Building Standards For California Buildings

The California Building Standards Commission has adopted the first-in-the-nation Green Building Standards Code, called CALGreen. The code, which takes effect on Jan. 1, 2011, will require all new buildings in the state to meet more stringent energy efficiency and environmental standards. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said the action lays the foundation for the move to greener buildings constructed with environmentally advanced building practices that reduce energy use, decrease waste, and conserve resources.

CALGreen will require mandatory inspections of energy systems (such as furnaces, heat pumps, air conditioners, and other mechanical equipment) for nonresidential buildings with more than 10,000 square feet of floor space, to ensure that the energy systems are working at their maximum capacity and according to their design efficiencies. It also requires that every new building constructed in California reduce water consumption by 20 percent, divert 50 percent of construction waste from landfills, and install materials that emit low amounts of indoor pollutants.

In addition, separate water meters are required for nonresidential buildings’ indoor and outdoor water use, with a requirement for moisture-sensing irrigation systems for larger landscape projects. While water conservation is itself a priority in the state, water consumption is directly tied to energy consumption. A 2005 report from the California Energy Commission (CEC) found that water use consumes 19 percent of the state’s electricity, 30 percent of its natural gas, and at least 88 billion gallons of diesel fuel per year, although those figures included water heating.

Upon passing state building inspection, California’s property owners will be able to label their facilities as CALGreen compliant without using additional third-party certification.

Sponsor- Redbird LED, an Atlanta based manufacturer of LED Tube Lights has developed a new Lighting Retrofit Solution for Parking Garages and Decks. For more information please visit www.parkinggarageleds.com

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

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.