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.
Energy Efficient Lighting retrofits, 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.
Blog Sponsor: Value Energy Solutions
One of the easiest ways to save energy is to retrofit lighting with energy efficient lighting upgrades. Experts all agree that energy efficient lighting retrofits are the first step to reducing your energy consumption. Value Energy Solutions was formed to help companies achieve energy savings through energy efficient lighting retrofits. They offer the widest selection of energy efficient lighting and best pricing based on the volume purchases because they are on eof the largest energy retrofitting companies in the nation.for moer information please visit their energy efficient lighting website or call (678) 501-4880
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Illume Upgrades Energy Efficent Lighting in New Warehouse
Illume, the designer and manufacturer of premium candles and home fragrance, has expanded its U.S.-based manufacturing and distribution facility in Minneapolis, Minn. The expansion, completed this month, and brings the total size of the facility to just over 100,000 square feet.
“We’ve experienced significant growth this past year,” commented Liz Barrere, SVP of Illume. “Our successful retail partnerships and increased brand awareness have created an opportunity for us to grow both our domestic and international manufacturing capabilities.”
The company’s expansion consisted of remodeling a former post office annex to create a new order fulfillment center and finished goods warehouse. As part of the expansion, Illume implemented energy-efficient temperature control, lighting and air circulation throughout its production facility and finished goods warehouse, and installed flooring made from recycled materials. Environmental responsibility is also an integral part of the company’s sourcing and product development through its use of recycled components and packaging, and creation of proprietary natural-wax blends
Begun in the mid-1990s as a small, trendy company in the heart of Los Angeles, Illume has grown into a top global home-fragrance brand with a proven track record for creating high quality products. Alongside the company’s product development, sourcing and marketing initiatives, its Minneapolis facility hosts state-of-the-art research and development facilities and technologically advanced production capability.
Blog Sponsor: Value Energy Solutions
One of the easiest ways to save energy is to retrofit lighting with energy efficient lighting upgrades. Experts all agree that energy efficient lighting retrofits are the first step to reducing your energy consumption. Value Energy Solutions was formed to help companies achieve energy savings through energy efficient lighting retrofits. They offer the widest selection of energy efficient lighting and best pricing based on the volume purchases because they are on eof the largest energy retrofitting companies in the nation.for moer information please visit their energy efficient lighting website or call (678) 501-4880
“We’ve experienced significant growth this past year,” commented Liz Barrere, SVP of Illume. “Our successful retail partnerships and increased brand awareness have created an opportunity for us to grow both our domestic and international manufacturing capabilities.”
The company’s expansion consisted of remodeling a former post office annex to create a new order fulfillment center and finished goods warehouse. As part of the expansion, Illume implemented energy-efficient temperature control, lighting and air circulation throughout its production facility and finished goods warehouse, and installed flooring made from recycled materials. Environmental responsibility is also an integral part of the company’s sourcing and product development through its use of recycled components and packaging, and creation of proprietary natural-wax blends
Begun in the mid-1990s as a small, trendy company in the heart of Los Angeles, Illume has grown into a top global home-fragrance brand with a proven track record for creating high quality products. Alongside the company’s product development, sourcing and marketing initiatives, its Minneapolis facility hosts state-of-the-art research and development facilities and technologically advanced production capability.
Blog Sponsor: Value Energy Solutions
One of the easiest ways to save energy is to retrofit lighting with energy efficient lighting upgrades. Experts all agree that energy efficient lighting retrofits are the first step to reducing your energy consumption. Value Energy Solutions was formed to help companies achieve energy savings through energy efficient lighting retrofits. They offer the widest selection of energy efficient lighting and best pricing based on the volume purchases because they are on eof the largest energy retrofitting companies in the nation.for moer information please visit their energy efficient lighting website or call (678) 501-4880
Friday, July 2, 2010
Energy Efficient Lighting Available for Industrial Buildings
Advancements in lighting technology have made industrial lighting retrofits an easy call in energy-reduction efforts, with utility grants and tax credits accelerating the rate of return these projects yield. The good news for processors considering replacement of obsolete illumination is that there are no bad choices: virtually any of the available options will reduce costs over time. The bad news is that the diversity of choices and continuing change can make selecting the optimum solution a challenge.
LED is the elephant in the lighting innovation room, though the consensus among suppliers is that the technology is two to five years away from being ready for prime time, at least in terms of industrial interiors. Some food plants seeking LEED certification already are installing LED lighting, but the economics argue against it. “It’s not fully there,” agrees Gray Sasser, Rig-A-Lite Inc.’s eastern regional sales manager, “but every 30 to 60 days, it’s evolving and changing.” Niche applications like ice cream freezers, where -20° F temperatures cause problems for metal halide and fluorescent lights, and exterior illumination that doesn’t demand a high number of foot-candles, are possible candidates for LED, but otherwise the upfront cost is prohibitive, adds Bob Catone, general manager of St. Louis’s Guth Lighting. Unless it is tied to new construction where lighting represents less than 5 percent of total project cost, LED “feels good, like buying a Prius, but you never get your money back,” he says.
Blog Sponsor: Value Energy Solutions
One of the easiest ways to save energy is to retrofit lighting with energy efficient lighting upgrades. Experts all agree that energy efficient lighting retrofits are the first step to reducing your energy consumption. Value Energy Solutions was formed to help companies achieve energy savings through energy efficient lighting retrofits. They offer the widest selection of energy efficient lighting and best pricing based on the volume purchases because they are on eof the largest energy retrofitting companies in the nation.for moer information please visit their energy efficient lighting website or call (678) 501-4880
“An early complaint about LED was the lack of warmth of the light,” reflects Brian Roy, cofounder of Sitka Enterprises Inc., an East Texas, PA, supplier. Cree Inc. addressed the color issue by adding more red to the light, helping LED gain a foothold in the retail market for food displays. In food plant applications, the absence of glass makes LED an appealing choice, and sharper contrasts from the light could have a positive impact in controlling the appearance of finished goods and boosting worker performance, Roy believes. A global leader in LED, Cree reflects the melding of mainline lighting technology with electronics. Whether it’s for energy savings or better light quality, solid-state ballasts and other electronic components are creating night and day improvements in industrial lighting.
Spotlight on efficiency
Fluorescent lamps are appropriate in heavy washdown environments, provided the fixtures include features like fire-rated acrylic tubes and capped and gasketed ends. Source: Gray Sasser, Rig A Lite Inc.
More light from less wattage has been the primary focus of suppliers in recent years, notes Michael Vranish, senior electrical engineer at the Jacksonville, FL, architectural engineering firm Stellar. The energy efficiency emphasis plays to the strength of fluorescent, and the development of special fluorescent lamps that closely replicate the warmth of incandescent lighting is encouraging more food and beverage manufacturers to install fluorescents. “For the last four to five years, the use of fluorescents in high mounting areas to save energy has been coming on strong compared to metal halide, which was the only option before,” says Vranish, who recently was honored for his lighting work in the food industry (see related story on page 110).
“Electronics” derives from the Greek word for “something else to go wrong,” and maintenance engineers who prefer to think about their light fixtures every 50,000 hours, when the lamps burn out might prefer electromagnetic ballasts and controls no more complex than an on/off switch. But the reliability of photo sensors, time-of-day controls and other electronic components, “have come a long way and can be very reliable these days,” Vranish reports. “In warehouses, we use motion sensors almost exclusively. You just have to make sure you get the most reliable system, not the cheapest.”
Cycling in an electronic ballast is so rapid that fluorescent flickering is barely perceptible, notes Roy. When equipped with dimmers, the units open the door to, “daylight harvesting,” automatically maintaining a constant level of foot-candles of illumination as sunlight waxes and wanes. Natural light has been designed into several LEED-certified food and beverage facilities, though HACCP considerations and the attendant need to maintain seals around windows and skylights could limit sunlight’s role in food plants, at least in existing buildings.
Natural lighting and automatic dimmers added cost to a 55,000-sq.-ft. expansion at Summer Garden Food Manufacturing, a Boardman, OH, producer of branded and private-label pasta sauces, but the company determined it was essential to boost its green-manufacturing credibility with retail customers. “Natural light was one of the easier ways we could green up the process,” explains CFO John Angelilli. The LEED-certified project, which came on line in January, cost the company $6 million, with green initiatives adding up to $1 million to the total cost.
Upgrading existing warehouse lighting systems accounts for the bulk of lighting projects. Regardless of how obsolete the old system is, financial returns usually occur quickly. Tax credits and rebates often push projects into the no-brainer category of capital improvements. Energy savings alone produced a 14-month simple payback for Inland Cold Storage’s 125,000-sq.-ft. warehouse in Riverside, CA. But benefits extend well beyond simple payback, points out Keith Hall, marketing director of Cooper Lighting’s Metalux fluorescents division. Sociological studies suggest an improvement in light quality has a positive improvement on work performance, even when the lamps produce fewer foot-candles of illumination than what they replace. “More and more, you’re seeing a movement to quality of life while also addressing energy consumption,” says Hall.
The old metal halide lights at Inland seldom were off: they operated an average of more than 22 hours a day, 365 days a year. An audit by Senergy Solutions pegged energy costs alone at $66,000 a year. Cold environments are metal halide’s sweet spot and were a challenge for fluorescent, but Senergy consultants recommended converting to T5 hi-bay fluorescents fitted with occupancy sensors. The specialty tubes were rated to perform at temperatures down to -20° F, and the improved color rendering drew positive feedback from workers. The ability to better push the light down and out to where it’s needed is an advantage with hi-bay fixtures, Stellar’s Vranish points out.
Metal halide’s challenge
Lighting specialists are passionate about the technology, and sharp differences of opinion are evident when discussing the best options and the impact of regulations, particularly in specialized applications such as food and beverage. One of the more contentious topics is the future of high-intensity discharge (HID) lighting.
High-intensity discharge fixtures can operate with mercury-vapor ballasts, which were banned by the Energy Policy Act of 2005; high-pressure sodium, an efficient light source with a yellow hue that relegates it to outdoor use; and metal halide. Like T12 fluorescent, metal halide is still serviceable technology but not the best energy-efficiency option, Sitka’s Roy believes.
Guth’s Catone staunchly defends metal halide. “There is a time bomb on mercury and probe-start metal halide, but high-pressure sodium and pulse-start metal halide have no problem,” he insists. Newer metal halide lamps also produce excellent color rendering. Citing a lamp his firm introduced a year ago that approaches the rendering of an incandescent bulb, Catone says, “The color is just gorgeous.”
“The hazard of metal halide is a real risk,” disagrees Rig-A-Lite’s Sasser, and the mandated switch to pulse-start lamps, “has increased the risk factor three or four fold.” With a probe-start, the bulb won’t come back on once it burns out. “Pulse-start forces the issue,” Sasser says, “and there is no safety mechanism to prevent an explosion.” Anticipating the problems posed by the probe-start ban that went into effect this year, he asked Rig-A-Lite’s engineers two years ago to design a NEMA 4X rated fixture that accommodates T8 and T5 fluorescent lamps.
The switch to electronic ballasts is another nail in HID’s coffin, he believes. While electronic HIDs are available, he dismisses them as too expensive and impractical. HID hi/lo systems still are used extensively in warehouses, but the inventory costs for multiple lamps and components is an argument for all-fluorescent lighting in food plants. “Hi/lo is still a consideration,” Sasser concludes, “but it’s been blown away by fluorescent.”
The washdown requirements and contamination issues in food production environments argue against standard lighting systems, according to Tamar Williamson, product manager at Grandville, OH-based Holophane. Fixtures also need to slope to eliminate harborage points and aid water runoff. Although Holophane’s acrylic shields are UL-tested to ensure that glass from an exploding lamp won’t breach them, Williamson says some food clients specify coated lamps, as well as a fail-safe.
Specialized fixtures make warehouse lighting retrofits more expensive in food and beverage processing areas. To minimize the cost, Sitka Enterprises developed a fixture-in-fixture solution. The package bypasses an existing T12 or T8 ballast and converts the lighting to T5, “and it takes it from a job for a skilled electrician to something a lower-skilled person can do,” says Roy.
While some lighting specialists believe T8 fluorescents are as good or better than T5, Roy takes a contrary view. Missing in many efficiency calculations is the heat generated by the lamps. In refrigerated environments, removing the heat is a big issue, and that gives the lower wattage T5 a big advantage. For each 4 kilowatts of installed lighting, 1 kilowatt is needed to remove the unwanted heat in a refrigerated area, he says; in a freezer, the cost is even greater. After a recent audit of a 500,000-sq.-ft. refrigerated food facility, Roy concluded lighting and heat removal accounted for about 25 percent of total electric cost.
When weighing the pros and cons of various lighting options, Cooper Lighting’s Hall advises plant engineers to look beyond energy consumption and consider lamp life, color, maintenance requirements and other factors. “Have you taken into account everything you can before the product is installed?” he asks rhetorically. A 60-day trial installation in a work area is advisable to determine if enough light will be delivered and whether or not people like the hue. While technological advances will continue, once a lighting system is overhauled, organizations and the people in them are going to have to live with it for awhile.
Spotlight on appetizing food
Warm lighting that enhances the look of food was essential in the award-winning design of the Nestle Professional Customer Innovation Campus in Solon, OH. Source: Nestle Professional.
People eat with their eyes, it’s been said, and the first impression a meal makes is largely dependent on the light cast upon it. When managers at Nestle Professional set out to build the Customer Innovation Campus in Solon, OH, they conducted detailed discussions with the designers of the 67,000-sq.-ft. facility to ensure that the culinary center would put new foodservice products in the best possible light.
“Early on, we talked about concepts and what they were trying to accomplish,” remembers Michael Vranish, senior electrical engineer at Jacksonville, FL-based Stellar. “They wanted a building they can be proud of and show to their foodservice clients and others in the Nestle organization.”
Marble and other architectural accents, combined with stainless steel-equipment, posed challenges of reflected light, requiring glare-free illumination schemes. A wide assortment of light sources came into play, including fluorescent, halogen and incandescent bulbs. In the tasting area, “lights that you use in a jewelry store” add warmth to the food, says Vranish.
Special care was taken to blend light sources into the architecture, and sophisticated lighting controls sense the amount of available sunlight, automatically dimming and raising lamps’ wattage as necessary.
The project recently was honored with an award from the Northeast Florida section of the Illuminating Engineering Society. Nestle opened the R&D center in November 2008.
LED is the elephant in the lighting innovation room, though the consensus among suppliers is that the technology is two to five years away from being ready for prime time, at least in terms of industrial interiors. Some food plants seeking LEED certification already are installing LED lighting, but the economics argue against it. “It’s not fully there,” agrees Gray Sasser, Rig-A-Lite Inc.’s eastern regional sales manager, “but every 30 to 60 days, it’s evolving and changing.” Niche applications like ice cream freezers, where -20° F temperatures cause problems for metal halide and fluorescent lights, and exterior illumination that doesn’t demand a high number of foot-candles, are possible candidates for LED, but otherwise the upfront cost is prohibitive, adds Bob Catone, general manager of St. Louis’s Guth Lighting. Unless it is tied to new construction where lighting represents less than 5 percent of total project cost, LED “feels good, like buying a Prius, but you never get your money back,” he says.
Blog Sponsor: Value Energy Solutions
One of the easiest ways to save energy is to retrofit lighting with energy efficient lighting upgrades. Experts all agree that energy efficient lighting retrofits are the first step to reducing your energy consumption. Value Energy Solutions was formed to help companies achieve energy savings through energy efficient lighting retrofits. They offer the widest selection of energy efficient lighting and best pricing based on the volume purchases because they are on eof the largest energy retrofitting companies in the nation.for moer information please visit their energy efficient lighting website or call (678) 501-4880
“An early complaint about LED was the lack of warmth of the light,” reflects Brian Roy, cofounder of Sitka Enterprises Inc., an East Texas, PA, supplier. Cree Inc. addressed the color issue by adding more red to the light, helping LED gain a foothold in the retail market for food displays. In food plant applications, the absence of glass makes LED an appealing choice, and sharper contrasts from the light could have a positive impact in controlling the appearance of finished goods and boosting worker performance, Roy believes. A global leader in LED, Cree reflects the melding of mainline lighting technology with electronics. Whether it’s for energy savings or better light quality, solid-state ballasts and other electronic components are creating night and day improvements in industrial lighting.
Spotlight on efficiency
Fluorescent lamps are appropriate in heavy washdown environments, provided the fixtures include features like fire-rated acrylic tubes and capped and gasketed ends. Source: Gray Sasser, Rig A Lite Inc.
More light from less wattage has been the primary focus of suppliers in recent years, notes Michael Vranish, senior electrical engineer at the Jacksonville, FL, architectural engineering firm Stellar. The energy efficiency emphasis plays to the strength of fluorescent, and the development of special fluorescent lamps that closely replicate the warmth of incandescent lighting is encouraging more food and beverage manufacturers to install fluorescents. “For the last four to five years, the use of fluorescents in high mounting areas to save energy has been coming on strong compared to metal halide, which was the only option before,” says Vranish, who recently was honored for his lighting work in the food industry (see related story on page 110).
“Electronics” derives from the Greek word for “something else to go wrong,” and maintenance engineers who prefer to think about their light fixtures every 50,000 hours, when the lamps burn out might prefer electromagnetic ballasts and controls no more complex than an on/off switch. But the reliability of photo sensors, time-of-day controls and other electronic components, “have come a long way and can be very reliable these days,” Vranish reports. “In warehouses, we use motion sensors almost exclusively. You just have to make sure you get the most reliable system, not the cheapest.”
Cycling in an electronic ballast is so rapid that fluorescent flickering is barely perceptible, notes Roy. When equipped with dimmers, the units open the door to, “daylight harvesting,” automatically maintaining a constant level of foot-candles of illumination as sunlight waxes and wanes. Natural light has been designed into several LEED-certified food and beverage facilities, though HACCP considerations and the attendant need to maintain seals around windows and skylights could limit sunlight’s role in food plants, at least in existing buildings.
Natural lighting and automatic dimmers added cost to a 55,000-sq.-ft. expansion at Summer Garden Food Manufacturing, a Boardman, OH, producer of branded and private-label pasta sauces, but the company determined it was essential to boost its green-manufacturing credibility with retail customers. “Natural light was one of the easier ways we could green up the process,” explains CFO John Angelilli. The LEED-certified project, which came on line in January, cost the company $6 million, with green initiatives adding up to $1 million to the total cost.
Upgrading existing warehouse lighting systems accounts for the bulk of lighting projects. Regardless of how obsolete the old system is, financial returns usually occur quickly. Tax credits and rebates often push projects into the no-brainer category of capital improvements. Energy savings alone produced a 14-month simple payback for Inland Cold Storage’s 125,000-sq.-ft. warehouse in Riverside, CA. But benefits extend well beyond simple payback, points out Keith Hall, marketing director of Cooper Lighting’s Metalux fluorescents division. Sociological studies suggest an improvement in light quality has a positive improvement on work performance, even when the lamps produce fewer foot-candles of illumination than what they replace. “More and more, you’re seeing a movement to quality of life while also addressing energy consumption,” says Hall.
The old metal halide lights at Inland seldom were off: they operated an average of more than 22 hours a day, 365 days a year. An audit by Senergy Solutions pegged energy costs alone at $66,000 a year. Cold environments are metal halide’s sweet spot and were a challenge for fluorescent, but Senergy consultants recommended converting to T5 hi-bay fluorescents fitted with occupancy sensors. The specialty tubes were rated to perform at temperatures down to -20° F, and the improved color rendering drew positive feedback from workers. The ability to better push the light down and out to where it’s needed is an advantage with hi-bay fixtures, Stellar’s Vranish points out.
Metal halide’s challenge
Lighting specialists are passionate about the technology, and sharp differences of opinion are evident when discussing the best options and the impact of regulations, particularly in specialized applications such as food and beverage. One of the more contentious topics is the future of high-intensity discharge (HID) lighting.
High-intensity discharge fixtures can operate with mercury-vapor ballasts, which were banned by the Energy Policy Act of 2005; high-pressure sodium, an efficient light source with a yellow hue that relegates it to outdoor use; and metal halide. Like T12 fluorescent, metal halide is still serviceable technology but not the best energy-efficiency option, Sitka’s Roy believes.
Guth’s Catone staunchly defends metal halide. “There is a time bomb on mercury and probe-start metal halide, but high-pressure sodium and pulse-start metal halide have no problem,” he insists. Newer metal halide lamps also produce excellent color rendering. Citing a lamp his firm introduced a year ago that approaches the rendering of an incandescent bulb, Catone says, “The color is just gorgeous.”
“The hazard of metal halide is a real risk,” disagrees Rig-A-Lite’s Sasser, and the mandated switch to pulse-start lamps, “has increased the risk factor three or four fold.” With a probe-start, the bulb won’t come back on once it burns out. “Pulse-start forces the issue,” Sasser says, “and there is no safety mechanism to prevent an explosion.” Anticipating the problems posed by the probe-start ban that went into effect this year, he asked Rig-A-Lite’s engineers two years ago to design a NEMA 4X rated fixture that accommodates T8 and T5 fluorescent lamps.
The switch to electronic ballasts is another nail in HID’s coffin, he believes. While electronic HIDs are available, he dismisses them as too expensive and impractical. HID hi/lo systems still are used extensively in warehouses, but the inventory costs for multiple lamps and components is an argument for all-fluorescent lighting in food plants. “Hi/lo is still a consideration,” Sasser concludes, “but it’s been blown away by fluorescent.”
The washdown requirements and contamination issues in food production environments argue against standard lighting systems, according to Tamar Williamson, product manager at Grandville, OH-based Holophane. Fixtures also need to slope to eliminate harborage points and aid water runoff. Although Holophane’s acrylic shields are UL-tested to ensure that glass from an exploding lamp won’t breach them, Williamson says some food clients specify coated lamps, as well as a fail-safe.
Specialized fixtures make warehouse lighting retrofits more expensive in food and beverage processing areas. To minimize the cost, Sitka Enterprises developed a fixture-in-fixture solution. The package bypasses an existing T12 or T8 ballast and converts the lighting to T5, “and it takes it from a job for a skilled electrician to something a lower-skilled person can do,” says Roy.
While some lighting specialists believe T8 fluorescents are as good or better than T5, Roy takes a contrary view. Missing in many efficiency calculations is the heat generated by the lamps. In refrigerated environments, removing the heat is a big issue, and that gives the lower wattage T5 a big advantage. For each 4 kilowatts of installed lighting, 1 kilowatt is needed to remove the unwanted heat in a refrigerated area, he says; in a freezer, the cost is even greater. After a recent audit of a 500,000-sq.-ft. refrigerated food facility, Roy concluded lighting and heat removal accounted for about 25 percent of total electric cost.
When weighing the pros and cons of various lighting options, Cooper Lighting’s Hall advises plant engineers to look beyond energy consumption and consider lamp life, color, maintenance requirements and other factors. “Have you taken into account everything you can before the product is installed?” he asks rhetorically. A 60-day trial installation in a work area is advisable to determine if enough light will be delivered and whether or not people like the hue. While technological advances will continue, once a lighting system is overhauled, organizations and the people in them are going to have to live with it for awhile.
Spotlight on appetizing food
Warm lighting that enhances the look of food was essential in the award-winning design of the Nestle Professional Customer Innovation Campus in Solon, OH. Source: Nestle Professional.
People eat with their eyes, it’s been said, and the first impression a meal makes is largely dependent on the light cast upon it. When managers at Nestle Professional set out to build the Customer Innovation Campus in Solon, OH, they conducted detailed discussions with the designers of the 67,000-sq.-ft. facility to ensure that the culinary center would put new foodservice products in the best possible light.
“Early on, we talked about concepts and what they were trying to accomplish,” remembers Michael Vranish, senior electrical engineer at Jacksonville, FL-based Stellar. “They wanted a building they can be proud of and show to their foodservice clients and others in the Nestle organization.”
Marble and other architectural accents, combined with stainless steel-equipment, posed challenges of reflected light, requiring glare-free illumination schemes. A wide assortment of light sources came into play, including fluorescent, halogen and incandescent bulbs. In the tasting area, “lights that you use in a jewelry store” add warmth to the food, says Vranish.
Special care was taken to blend light sources into the architecture, and sophisticated lighting controls sense the amount of available sunlight, automatically dimming and raising lamps’ wattage as necessary.
The project recently was honored with an award from the Northeast Florida section of the Illuminating Engineering Society. Nestle opened the R&D center in November 2008.
NSPE Partners With Energy Star
From a NSPE Press Release
Members and their clients can now improve the energy efficiency and performance of their facilities and projects, and make a fundamental commitment to protecting the environment, through a new partnership between the National Society of Professional Engineers and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's ENERGY STAR. Through the partnership, NSPE will be working toward helping members establish energy management approaches to enhance their financial health and preserve the environment for future generations.
"The requirement that a professional engineer verify applications for an ENERGY STAR label for commercial building has led to a natural partnership," says Larry Jacobson, executive director at NSPE. "The EPA understands that PEs provide unbiased engineering services and are legally bound to uphold ethical standards. And it is also this high level of professionalism and commitment to the public health, safety, and welfare that sees many PEs searching for ways to be energy-efficient and environmentally friendly in everything they do."
In partnership with ENERGY STAR, NSPE will encourage members to:
* Measure and track energy performance of their facilities and those of their clients by using tools such as those offered through ENERGY STAR;
* Develop and implement plans consistent with the ENERGY STAR Energy Management Guidelines to achieve energy savings;
* Help spread the word about the importance of energy efficiency to their staff, peers, and the community;
* Support the ENERGY STAR Challenge and improve the energy efficiency of America's commercial and industrial buildings by 10 percent or more; and
* Encourage other engineering organizations to join ENERGY STAR and take the ENERGY STAR Challenge.
NSPE will be recognized on the ENERGY STAR Web site as a partner and supporter of the ENERGY STAR Challenge, and hopes to achieve additional recognition for the society and its members by sharing members' milestone achievements in energy efficiency. Members will also enjoy access to many EPA and ENERGY STAR resources and tools, as well as future training, panel participation, and educational opportunities. In addition, members can participate in a program to offer free ENERGY STAR label certifications to K–12 schools in their local or surrounding areas as a gesture of goodwill and commitment to energy efficiency.
ENERGY STAR is a voluntary partnership between business, government, and others to protect our environment for future generations by changing to energy-efficient practices today. ENERGY STAR works with more than 9,000 partners to improve the energy efficiency of products, homes, buildings, and businesses. Businesses can use ENERGY STAR to improve efficiency, enhance profits, and create a competitive advantage. Last year alone, with the help of ENERGY STAR, Americans saved about $19 billion on their energy bills while reducing the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 29 million vehicles. For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit www.energystar.gov or call 1-888-STAR-YES.
The National Society of Professional Engineers is the national society of licensed professional engineers from all disciplines that promotes the ethical and competent practice of engineering, advocates licensure, and enhances the image and well-being of its members. Founded in 1934, NSPE has been promoting professional excellence for over 75 years. NSPE serves more than 43,000 members and the public through 53 state and territorial societies and more than 500 chapters. For more information, please visit www.nspe.org.
Blog Sponsor: Value Energy Solutions
One of the easiest ways to save energy is to retrofit lighting with energy efficient lighting upgrades. Experts all agree that energy efficient lighting retrofits are the first step to reducing your energy consumption. Value Energy Solutions was formed to help companies achieve energy savings through energy efficient lighting retrofits. They offer the widest selection of energy efficient lighting and best pricing based on the volume purchases because they are oneof the largest energy retrofitting companies in the nation.for more information please visit their energy efficient lighting website or call (678)-501-4888
Members and their clients can now improve the energy efficiency and performance of their facilities and projects, and make a fundamental commitment to protecting the environment, through a new partnership between the National Society of Professional Engineers and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's ENERGY STAR. Through the partnership, NSPE will be working toward helping members establish energy management approaches to enhance their financial health and preserve the environment for future generations.
"The requirement that a professional engineer verify applications for an ENERGY STAR label for commercial building has led to a natural partnership," says Larry Jacobson, executive director at NSPE. "The EPA understands that PEs provide unbiased engineering services and are legally bound to uphold ethical standards. And it is also this high level of professionalism and commitment to the public health, safety, and welfare that sees many PEs searching for ways to be energy-efficient and environmentally friendly in everything they do."
In partnership with ENERGY STAR, NSPE will encourage members to:
* Measure and track energy performance of their facilities and those of their clients by using tools such as those offered through ENERGY STAR;
* Develop and implement plans consistent with the ENERGY STAR Energy Management Guidelines to achieve energy savings;
* Help spread the word about the importance of energy efficiency to their staff, peers, and the community;
* Support the ENERGY STAR Challenge and improve the energy efficiency of America's commercial and industrial buildings by 10 percent or more; and
* Encourage other engineering organizations to join ENERGY STAR and take the ENERGY STAR Challenge.
NSPE will be recognized on the ENERGY STAR Web site as a partner and supporter of the ENERGY STAR Challenge, and hopes to achieve additional recognition for the society and its members by sharing members' milestone achievements in energy efficiency. Members will also enjoy access to many EPA and ENERGY STAR resources and tools, as well as future training, panel participation, and educational opportunities. In addition, members can participate in a program to offer free ENERGY STAR label certifications to K–12 schools in their local or surrounding areas as a gesture of goodwill and commitment to energy efficiency.
ENERGY STAR is a voluntary partnership between business, government, and others to protect our environment for future generations by changing to energy-efficient practices today. ENERGY STAR works with more than 9,000 partners to improve the energy efficiency of products, homes, buildings, and businesses. Businesses can use ENERGY STAR to improve efficiency, enhance profits, and create a competitive advantage. Last year alone, with the help of ENERGY STAR, Americans saved about $19 billion on their energy bills while reducing the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 29 million vehicles. For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit www.energystar.gov or call 1-888-STAR-YES.
The National Society of Professional Engineers is the national society of licensed professional engineers from all disciplines that promotes the ethical and competent practice of engineering, advocates licensure, and enhances the image and well-being of its members. Founded in 1934, NSPE has been promoting professional excellence for over 75 years. NSPE serves more than 43,000 members and the public through 53 state and territorial societies and more than 500 chapters. For more information, please visit www.nspe.org.
Blog Sponsor: Value Energy Solutions
One of the easiest ways to save energy is to retrofit lighting with energy efficient lighting upgrades. Experts all agree that energy efficient lighting retrofits are the first step to reducing your energy consumption. Value Energy Solutions was formed to help companies achieve energy savings through energy efficient lighting retrofits. They offer the widest selection of energy efficient lighting and best pricing based on the volume purchases because they are oneof the largest energy retrofitting companies in the nation.for more information please visit their energy efficient lighting website or call (678)-501-4888
Manufacturing Can Benefit from Energy Stimulus Money
Manufacturing has yet to reap many benefits from the $780 billion stimulus package, but an industry economist has uncovered a program that delivers both financial rewards and environmental benefits for the sector."As it evolved thus far, the stimulus cash has ended up in a wide variety of programs, many administered by the states that help them deal with budget shortfalls. The impact has essentially preserved jobs instead of creating new private sector work," said Dr. Chris Kuehl, economic analyst for the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International (FMA).
"One initiative that bypasses this issue, and others that have not allowed quick and effective disbursement of the money, is the Program for Energy Efficiency through Responsible Stimulus (PEERS)," said Kuehl. "Its aim is simple: Get the government to direct $16 billion of the $780 billion to a program that supports energy efficiency retrofits.
Blog Sponsor: Value Energy Solutions
One of the easiest ways to save energy is to retrofit lighting with energy efficient lighting upgrades. Experts all agree that energy efficient lighting retrofits are the first step to reducing your energy consumption. Value Energy Solutions was formed to help companies achieve energy savings through energy efficient lighting retrofits. They offer the widest selection of energy efficient lighting and best pricing based on the volume purchases because they are one of the largest energy retrofitting companies in the nation.for more information please visit their energy efficient lighting website or call (678) 501-4880
"The secret to the plan is that every state has programs in place that could carry out the assignment," he continued. "These usually are utilities or those connected to some power provider. They already have the ability to go into a facility to conduct energy audits that allow a company to find ways to save money on its energy usage."
However, companies that received the audit often lacked the funds to make the changes, according to Kuehl.
"The idea behind PEERS, designed by the National Association of Lighting Management Companies (NALMCO), is to direct the stimulus money to help underwrite the costs of these retrofits," said Kuehl. "This leads to the proverbial win-win; companies save money by reducing energy costs, reduce their contributions to emissions and creates jobs for firms that do retrofit work and provide ongoing maintenance.
"The fact that existing agencies and organizations are in place to perform this work makes this a far more‘shovel ready' program than many others."
Gerald Shankel, FMA president and CEO, added this is the type of grass roots effort that should be supported by manufacturers to access portions of this stimulus money."Our members certainly recognize they can save money by installing more energy efficient equipment," Shankel said. "In fact, we offer members an energy audit program through Affiliated Power Purchasers International that helps them identify potential cost savings.
"Yet, it is more than challenging to invest in these technologies in the face of today's many economic pressures," he added. "The availability of government incentives to pursue this goal changes the dynamics in a very positive way. We applaud NALMCO for taking the lead in this initiative."
Blog Sponsor: Value Energy Solutions
One of the easiest ways to save energy is to retrofit lighting with energy efficient lighting upgrades. Experts all agree that energy efficient lighting retrofits are the first step to reducing your energy consumption. Value Energy Solutions was formed to help companies achieve energy savings through energy efficient lighting retrofits. They offer the widest selection of energy efficient lighting and best pricing based on the volume purchases because they are one of the largest energy retrofitting companies in the nation.for more information please visit their energy efficient lighting website or call (678) 501-4880
"One initiative that bypasses this issue, and others that have not allowed quick and effective disbursement of the money, is the Program for Energy Efficiency through Responsible Stimulus (PEERS)," said Kuehl. "Its aim is simple: Get the government to direct $16 billion of the $780 billion to a program that supports energy efficiency retrofits.
Blog Sponsor: Value Energy Solutions
One of the easiest ways to save energy is to retrofit lighting with energy efficient lighting upgrades. Experts all agree that energy efficient lighting retrofits are the first step to reducing your energy consumption. Value Energy Solutions was formed to help companies achieve energy savings through energy efficient lighting retrofits. They offer the widest selection of energy efficient lighting and best pricing based on the volume purchases because they are one of the largest energy retrofitting companies in the nation.for more information please visit their energy efficient lighting website or call (678) 501-4880
"The secret to the plan is that every state has programs in place that could carry out the assignment," he continued. "These usually are utilities or those connected to some power provider. They already have the ability to go into a facility to conduct energy audits that allow a company to find ways to save money on its energy usage."
However, companies that received the audit often lacked the funds to make the changes, according to Kuehl.
"The idea behind PEERS, designed by the National Association of Lighting Management Companies (NALMCO), is to direct the stimulus money to help underwrite the costs of these retrofits," said Kuehl. "This leads to the proverbial win-win; companies save money by reducing energy costs, reduce their contributions to emissions and creates jobs for firms that do retrofit work and provide ongoing maintenance.
"The fact that existing agencies and organizations are in place to perform this work makes this a far more‘shovel ready' program than many others."
Gerald Shankel, FMA president and CEO, added this is the type of grass roots effort that should be supported by manufacturers to access portions of this stimulus money."Our members certainly recognize they can save money by installing more energy efficient equipment," Shankel said. "In fact, we offer members an energy audit program through Affiliated Power Purchasers International that helps them identify potential cost savings.
"Yet, it is more than challenging to invest in these technologies in the face of today's many economic pressures," he added. "The availability of government incentives to pursue this goal changes the dynamics in a very positive way. We applaud NALMCO for taking the lead in this initiative."
Blog Sponsor: Value Energy Solutions
One of the easiest ways to save energy is to retrofit lighting with energy efficient lighting upgrades. Experts all agree that energy efficient lighting retrofits are the first step to reducing your energy consumption. Value Energy Solutions was formed to help companies achieve energy savings through energy efficient lighting retrofits. They offer the widest selection of energy efficient lighting and best pricing based on the volume purchases because they are one of the largest energy retrofitting companies in the nation.for more information please visit their energy efficient lighting website or call (678) 501-4880
Energy Efficient Lighting Important for Schools
Better quality, more controllable and energy efficient lighting is an investment that ought to be on the radar screens of school districts across the U.S. this year. Superintendents, business managers, and school boards can take a meaningful step toward extraordinary, lasting lighting energy savings--and improved, more flexible learning environments--by visiting www.BetterLightingBetterSchools.com.
The site provides a spectrum of information on how schools can improve lighting energy efficiency. It features a lighting audit request form tied to the introduction of energy-efficient Class Pack Lighting Systems from GE Lighting and Lithonia Lighting. By installing Class Pack Lighting Systems, schools can reduce annual lighting-related energy costs up to 50 percent.
Blog Sponsor: Value Energy Solutions
One of the easiest ways to save energy is to retrofit lighting with energy efficient lighting upgrades. Experts all agree that energy efficient lighting retrofits are the first step to reducing your energy consumption. Value Energy Solutions was formed to help companies achieve energy savings through energy efficient lighting retrofits. They offer the widest selection of energy efficient lighting and best pricing based on the volume purchases because they are one of the largest energy retrofitting companies in the nation.for more information please visit their energy efficient lighting website or call (678) 501-4880
"We want to help school districts across the country understand the significant opportunity that today's energy-efficient lighting systems can provide," says Jason Raak, a marketing manager with GE's lighting business. "Recent new product advancements make current high-performance lighting far superior to systems installed just five years ago, and payback periods are shorter than ever."
Do the math to cut energy costs!
Qualified school representatives can use www.BetterLightingBetterSchools.com to request a school or district-wide energy audit (restrictions apply). Visitors to the site will see a host of supporting statistics and valuable details on how school executives can lower the cost to renovate facilities by using NEMA premium ballasts and CEE qualified HPT8 lamps, which in many regions can defray initial costs through utility rebate eligibility.
The new Class Pack Lighting Systems combine high-light-output, full-spectrum fluorescent lighting with a ballast system that delivers customized lighting levels in a two-lamp platform. With fewer, longer-longer life components, it minimizes maintenance and lamp replacement costs. It's designed for fast, easy installation after school is out for the day or during summer renovations.
"We think BetterLightingBetterSchools.com provides school districts with many of the resources needed to make smart financial decisions about lighting and energy savings," says Monik Mehra, director of marketing, Lithonia Lighting. "It's a vital tool at a time when school districts have to do more with less, while striving to improve the quality of their students' learning experience."
The site provides a spectrum of information on how schools can improve lighting energy efficiency. It features a lighting audit request form tied to the introduction of energy-efficient Class Pack Lighting Systems from GE Lighting and Lithonia Lighting. By installing Class Pack Lighting Systems, schools can reduce annual lighting-related energy costs up to 50 percent.
Blog Sponsor: Value Energy Solutions
One of the easiest ways to save energy is to retrofit lighting with energy efficient lighting upgrades. Experts all agree that energy efficient lighting retrofits are the first step to reducing your energy consumption. Value Energy Solutions was formed to help companies achieve energy savings through energy efficient lighting retrofits. They offer the widest selection of energy efficient lighting and best pricing based on the volume purchases because they are one of the largest energy retrofitting companies in the nation.for more information please visit their energy efficient lighting website or call (678) 501-4880
"We want to help school districts across the country understand the significant opportunity that today's energy-efficient lighting systems can provide," says Jason Raak, a marketing manager with GE's lighting business. "Recent new product advancements make current high-performance lighting far superior to systems installed just five years ago, and payback periods are shorter than ever."
Do the math to cut energy costs!
Qualified school representatives can use www.BetterLightingBetterSchools.com to request a school or district-wide energy audit (restrictions apply). Visitors to the site will see a host of supporting statistics and valuable details on how school executives can lower the cost to renovate facilities by using NEMA premium ballasts and CEE qualified HPT8 lamps, which in many regions can defray initial costs through utility rebate eligibility.
The new Class Pack Lighting Systems combine high-light-output, full-spectrum fluorescent lighting with a ballast system that delivers customized lighting levels in a two-lamp platform. With fewer, longer-longer life components, it minimizes maintenance and lamp replacement costs. It's designed for fast, easy installation after school is out for the day or during summer renovations.
"We think BetterLightingBetterSchools.com provides school districts with many of the resources needed to make smart financial decisions about lighting and energy savings," says Monik Mehra, director of marketing, Lithonia Lighting. "It's a vital tool at a time when school districts have to do more with less, while striving to improve the quality of their students' learning experience."
Atlanta Hotel features Energy Efficient Lighting
The all-new Loews Atlanta Hotel in Midtown opened in the spring of 2010. The hotel adheres to the Loews Hotels Green Policy to be “committed to being environmentally responsible”.
Loews branded Q7s at an event prior to the hotel's opening day.
“We seek every reasonable opportunity to incorporate green standards and practices into all aspects of our business,” states the corporate policy. With the goal of doing good and doing well at the same time, Loews does several things to reduce their overall footprint.
Standard practices for the hotel group include food donations, reduced linen and towel washing policy (according to guest preference), recycling, water-conserving and energy-saving technologies such as low-flow shower heads and compact fluorescent light bulbs. The hotel restaurants serve and feature local, seasonal fruits and vegetables.
Blog Sponsor: Value Energy Solutions
One of the easiest ways to save energy is to retrofit lighting with energy efficient lighting upgrades. Experts all agree that energy efficient lighting retrofits are the first step to reducing your energy consumption. Value Energy Solutions was formed to help companies achieve energy savings through energy efficient lighting retrofits. They offer the widest selection of energy efficient lighting and best pricing based on the volume purchases because they are one of the largest energy retrofitting companies in the nation.for more information please visit their energy efficient lighting website or call (678) 501-4880
We seek every reasonable opportunity to incorporate green standards and practices into all aspects of our business
One of Loews Atlanta’s ways to “do good and do well” is to use clean diesel TDI vehicles for their customer shuttles. Luxurious Audi Q7s provide the level of luxury and comfort a Loews hotel guest would expect, and with 20 mpg in town and 23 mpg highway burning low-emission clean diesel technology, the Q7 delivers the low environmental impact that the hotel desires.
As the premier Audi dealer in the city of Atlanta, Jim Ellis Audi Atlanta is the perfect partner for the luxury hotel in this endeavor. Because of their clean diesel TDI vehicles, Jim Ellis Audi Atlanta frequently partners with other businesses who show environmental responsibility, including the LEED-certified Philips Arena and the Ovie Mughelli Foundation, which promotes green living.
Of course, Jim Ellis Audi Atlanta’s commitment to sustainability extends beyond the TDI cars and SUVs for sale on the lot. The dealership uses energy efficient lighting, in-office waste reduction and recycling programs, as well as green cleaning supplies and energy-saving practices in the store.
“It’s not enough to simply say that we care about the environment.” Says Tracie Dean, General Manager of Jim Ellis Audi Atlanta, “we also have to do something proactive to help conserve.”
Loews Atlanta is a four-diamond luxury hotel featuring 414 in the heart of midtown. With a rich history spanning over six decades, Loews continues to offer ultimate travel experiences in 16 cities across the US and Canada. For more information, please visit the Loews Hotels website.
Jim Ellis Audi Atlanta is proud to be the only Magna Audi Dealership in Georgia! Jim Ellis Audi Atlanta offers outstanding service and the best deals on new and certified pre-owned Audi cars and SUVs, from the sleek R8 to the clean-diesel luxury SUV the Q7 TDI. To learn more about this Atlanta Audi dealership please visit the Jim Ellis Audi Atlanta website.
Loews branded Q7s at an event prior to the hotel's opening day.
“We seek every reasonable opportunity to incorporate green standards and practices into all aspects of our business,” states the corporate policy. With the goal of doing good and doing well at the same time, Loews does several things to reduce their overall footprint.
Standard practices for the hotel group include food donations, reduced linen and towel washing policy (according to guest preference), recycling, water-conserving and energy-saving technologies such as low-flow shower heads and compact fluorescent light bulbs. The hotel restaurants serve and feature local, seasonal fruits and vegetables.
Blog Sponsor: Value Energy Solutions
One of the easiest ways to save energy is to retrofit lighting with energy efficient lighting upgrades. Experts all agree that energy efficient lighting retrofits are the first step to reducing your energy consumption. Value Energy Solutions was formed to help companies achieve energy savings through energy efficient lighting retrofits. They offer the widest selection of energy efficient lighting and best pricing based on the volume purchases because they are one of the largest energy retrofitting companies in the nation.for more information please visit their energy efficient lighting website or call (678) 501-4880
We seek every reasonable opportunity to incorporate green standards and practices into all aspects of our business
One of Loews Atlanta’s ways to “do good and do well” is to use clean diesel TDI vehicles for their customer shuttles. Luxurious Audi Q7s provide the level of luxury and comfort a Loews hotel guest would expect, and with 20 mpg in town and 23 mpg highway burning low-emission clean diesel technology, the Q7 delivers the low environmental impact that the hotel desires.
As the premier Audi dealer in the city of Atlanta, Jim Ellis Audi Atlanta is the perfect partner for the luxury hotel in this endeavor. Because of their clean diesel TDI vehicles, Jim Ellis Audi Atlanta frequently partners with other businesses who show environmental responsibility, including the LEED-certified Philips Arena and the Ovie Mughelli Foundation, which promotes green living.
Of course, Jim Ellis Audi Atlanta’s commitment to sustainability extends beyond the TDI cars and SUVs for sale on the lot. The dealership uses energy efficient lighting, in-office waste reduction and recycling programs, as well as green cleaning supplies and energy-saving practices in the store.
“It’s not enough to simply say that we care about the environment.” Says Tracie Dean, General Manager of Jim Ellis Audi Atlanta, “we also have to do something proactive to help conserve.”
Loews Atlanta is a four-diamond luxury hotel featuring 414 in the heart of midtown. With a rich history spanning over six decades, Loews continues to offer ultimate travel experiences in 16 cities across the US and Canada. For more information, please visit the Loews Hotels website.
Jim Ellis Audi Atlanta is proud to be the only Magna Audi Dealership in Georgia! Jim Ellis Audi Atlanta offers outstanding service and the best deals on new and certified pre-owned Audi cars and SUVs, from the sleek R8 to the clean-diesel luxury SUV the Q7 TDI. To learn more about this Atlanta Audi dealership please visit the Jim Ellis Audi Atlanta website.
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