Monday, July 12, 2010

Survey In Todays Facility Manager Shows LIghting Upgrades To Continue

As reported in Todays Facility Manager

Greater survey participation, combined with an overall strong facility manager interest in either committing to energy efficient lighting projects or having just completed them, are the two most important findings from this year’s second annual Today’s Facility Manager (TFM) lighting survey, sponsored by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) enLIGHTen America initiative. Serving as a snapshot for what the facility management industry across various marketplace segments is doing with regard to lighting, this survey—considering the existing economy—shows encouraging signs of numerous organizations looking at lighting retrofit projects in 2010.

There were a total of 342 survey respondents for 2010 versus 182 from last year. And a wide swath of industries was represented as well. Commercial office spaces had the highest representation (35.6%) of the types of facilities respondents managed, followed by manufacturing (20.1%), education (18.3%), government (15.7%), healthcare (12%), and other (12.5%).

The 2010 survey showed that nearly 45% of respondents had lighting retrofits in the last three years, with 22.2% having done it in past year, and 22.7% having undertaken an upgrade in the last three years

Meanwhile, 30.2% plan to execute a lighting retrofit within the next year, and 23.7% are planning for it within the next three. This means nearly 54% plan to make energy efficient lighting upgrades within the next three years, suggesting a distinctive pattern of respondent interest in lighting related projects

“Energy Efficient Lighting Retrofit projects are the largest growth segment for 2010 and possibly beyond,” says Bob Freshman, marketing manager, Leviton. “And some new products that have been introduced recently are focused on this market.” Anecdotal evidence and the survey results confirm this trend, which lays the groundwork for facility managers and the lighting industry to work together to navigate project upgrades that create efficiencies for organizations. NEMA lighting survey facility management energy

2010 Survey: Types Of Lighting?

Along with greater participation and overall interest, there were some other important results from this year’s survey. One question asking respondents to indicate all the types of bulbs they use in their facilities showed linear fluorescents (87.7%) having the highest penetration in the market, with compact fluorescents being second with 79.9%. (See Chart 4 for other responses.)

A follow up question asked respondents what type of bulbs provide the most light in their facilities. Here, linear fluorescents were also the most popular bulbs being used, with 76.8% saying this type of product provided most light. Compact fluorescents came in second here at 10.2%.NEMA lighting survey facility management energy

Taking a closer look at fluorescent lamps, the survey found that 70.8% indicated T8 lamps are the fluorescent type most used, and only 16.2% indicated the same for T12s; it appears a true transition has taken place with regard to T8s.

When asked if they use a lighting management system to control use, 47.3% said yes; 40.7% said no; and 12% were planning to implement one in the future. This shows a positive trend in favor of lighting controls.
2009 Survey Versus 2010 Survey

While the number of participants and the survey takers may have changed from 2009 to 2010, some questions confirmed trends from year-to-year. Load shedding is one example. (Load shedding, a component of demand response programs, occurs when a facility temporarily reduces its demand for power from its utility company.)

When asked in the 2009 survey if they were considering load shedding as a way to control consumption and costs, nearly half of the respondents (46.1%) said “no.” This year, the same question had an even higher “no” response (55.4%). This, coupled with a higher number of total of respondents answering the question, indicated a majority of facility managers are still not using this strategy.

Another year-to-year trend was confirmed, albeit at a lesser rate for the 2010 survey. A question asking participants if they were going to take advantage of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct) Commercial Building Tax Deduction (CBTD) showed that for 2009 an overwhelming 82% said “no,” and for 2010 the “no” rate was 48.8%. However, what may have been most telling was that an additional 32.2% of 2010 respondents did not know about this tax. So, if the “no” responses and the “did not know” responses from this year were combined, it would add up to 81%—almost identical to the 82% “no” response from 2009.

This leaves the impression that many facility managers in the industry are not only opting out of seeking the EPAct tax deduction, but that a sizable number are not aware of it at all.
Why Some Incentive Inertia?

While it appears that a majority of the survey’s respondents were not using or aware of the EPAct tax deduction, another of the important federal incentive programs—The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009—fared only a little bit better. When asked if they were going to apply for ARRA funding, 6.5% said they had already done so; 23.7% said they were looking into it; but 29.2% said no; and another 28.3% said they did not know they could apply for ARRA funding for lighting projects. So, the largest single percentage of respondents were not taking advantage of it, but almost equally as many facility managers did not know the option might be available to them. NEMA lighting survey facility management energy

Interestingly enough, when participants were asked their top reason for failing to undertake a lighting upgrade—besides those who had already done an upgrade recently (43.7%)—23.7% said it was “too expensive” and 29% responded “other.”

Those who responded “other” were given an opportunity to provide written feedback as to why they had not done opted for an upgrade. “Controls and lighting updates were deemed too expensive in light of the economic recession,” said one facility manager working in a large commercial environment. Another comment: “Don’t have the capital at this point and also waiting to perform other building renovation projects,” explained one manager in a large education environment.

Ironically, there appears to be a disconnect between what facility managers see as the main challenge to lighting upgrades and what is available. This perceived financial challenge may be the cause of some inertia.

Another area where there has been some reluctance has been third-party financing. When asked whether they would consider third-party financing from a manufacturer or service provider (ESCOs and contractors) for lighting upgrades, 59.1% said no, but combine that number with the 16.6% of respondents that said yes along with 24.3% of facility managers who said they would need to know more, and there is an opportunity for some growth development in this area.

Finding Funding For Lighting

Today, incentive programs exist at the federal and state levels as well as with local utilities. From a federal standpoint, the aforementioned EPAct Commercial Building Tax Deduction (CBTD) allows building owners (or tenants) to write off the complete cost of upgrading a building’s indoor lighting, HVAC/hot water, and building envelope in the year the new equipment is placed in service, capped at $1.80/square foot. Alternately, the owner (or tenant) could upgrade just one of these three systems to earn the CBTD capped at $0.60/square foot.

NEMA lighting survey facility management energyIn short, with the CBTD, the cost of new lighting or other building systems can be claimed in a single tax year instead of amortized over a period of years. The CBTD can be claimed for qualifying projects completed before January 1, 2014. NEMA’s special site, (www.lightingtaxdeduction.org), is a good resource to find out more about the EPAct CBTD.

Technical Consumer Products (TCP), Inc. has an EPAct checklist it provides to prospective clients, advises Chuck Wood, linear spec manager at the company. TCP, Inc. recommends facility managers create a cross functional team of in-house experts to assist with providing the necessary and correct information quickly and efficiently.

Another funding opportunity is ARRA, which is applicable to companies who create lighting efficiencies through upgrades. One sector taking advantage of ARRA is taxpayer-owned buildings. “We are seeing more public facilities doing lighting upgrades, and that’s really being brought about by the stimulus money,” asserts Anderson.

Although more widely known in California and New York, there are efficiency programs in many states. Individual utilities also offer efficiency incentive programs as well. While there is variability in what they are offering, collectively, utilities are gaining a reputation for working with facilities to help develop efficiencies and reward them with incentives. Some utilities are open to customizing plans with individual organizations to tailor such programs.

Pay-as-you-save type programs offered by lighting retrofit contractors and ESCOs provide facilities with the benefit of not having to pay upfront. These contractors and ESCOs evaluate where lighting efficiencies can be realized in a facility and then make upgrades. Consequently, these efficiencies save facilities on their utility bills, and these savings in turn are used to incrementally pay back the contractors and ESCOs incrementally over time.

Lighting Technologies

Bulbs. While the aforementioned linear fluorescent bulbs (76.8%) were chosen as providing the most light in a facility in the survey, Anderson suggests re-examining the metal halide bulb again. “It’s a high intensity discharge source that is used in many high bay applications—20' or up,” she says. These are especially applicable in industrial and manufacturing settings. Anderson also notes that new technologies are being used in metal halide lamps and ballasts and that consumers obtain more lumens per watt, more efficacy than from older technologies.

LEDs. While being considered a hugely important development in lighting, light emitting diodes (LEDs) still have the impression of being costly and needing more technological development before they can be more widely adopted. When asked if they use LED lighting anywhere in their facility, 42% of survey respondents said no.

Comments from those responding “no” included: “Waiting for LED technology to be advanced enough to use and cheap enough to afford,” said a survey respondent who manages a large healthcare setting. “It was too expensive when I had it quoted,” said another. (See Chart 5 for more on this question.)NEMA lighting survey facility management energy

Strainic acknowledges that LEDs (a solid state lighting technology) are still evolving in all lighting categories with its early adoption in exterior and interior signage. She also believes that less than legitimate manufacturers are partially at fault. “They are claiming things that just aren’t true about LEDs,” she says. “They sell the product, and six months later it doesn’t meet the claim. Customers have to do the research and work with a reliable manufacturer.”

To address this issue, GE Lighting has developed a campaign to help people understand LED technology better. “We think it is incredibly important for the customer to understand what to look for when choosing an LED solution,” says Strainic.

Lighting Controls. “Many of the lighting trends correlate directly with the increased adoption of energy codes nationwide as well as the increased level of control provisions in those codes,” says Dorene Maniccia, director of policy and industry affairs, WattStopper. She cites the example of ASHRAE’s 90.1 standard and its mandate requiring manual-on lighting.

In the controls market, Maniccia sees trends that will offer better efficiencies and ease of use. For example, she sees more facilities adopting variable lighting controls in the forms of bi-level switching strategies or continuous dimming. She also anticipates greater adoption of daylighting, self commissioned products, and digital lighting control technologies.

“The market will increasingly demand products and technologies that control lighting in response to daylight,” Maniccia notes. For example, she points out that current photosensor technology may be measuring either the light coming from outside, or inside the space, but not both. “We are beginning to combine closed and open loop technologies into one product that looks up at a skylight and down at the space at the same time. This strategy improves performance, energy savings, and reliability.”

The other trend she sees involves products that self commission. These allow facility managers to make adjustments and modifications to lighting with handheld remotes—avoiding a manual “climb up the ladder” adjustment.

Where Do We Go From Here?

As the green building movement grows, it now has national ramifications with Congress enacting laws that legislate energy efficiency. “Federal policy is regulating what product manufacturers will, and can, produce,” says Maniccia. “Policy is setting building energy performance goals, and energy codes are becoming more stringent. These trends will continue to drive the lighting and controls market and will greatly influence the products and solutions available to facility managers.”

The desire for greater energy efficient lighting will drive government regulation and technological innovation as lighting manufacturers look to change the paradigm in how facilities are illuminated. With a wealth of information and financial incentives to help offset outlying costs, facility managers have an opportunity to address their lighting systems today, because ultimately, these incentive programs will expire, yet lighting demands won’t.

For more information on how you can implement effective lighting upgrades in your facility, contact the

Energy Efficient Lighting Crucial To Facility Managers

Energy-efficient lighting dominates facilities managers' energy efficiency efforts

By Heather Clancy
ZDNet

Turns out there a really good reason that our posts about more efficient lighting technology tend to get more traffic than the norm here at GreenTech Pastures: Facilities managers polled as part of the latest Energy Efficiency Indicator point to lighting as not only their top energy-efficiency measure, but also the green technology that has the best price-performance ratio.

The indicator is an annual research project and survey conducted by building automation technology company Johnson Controls and the International Facility Management Association.The 2010 poll represents the opinions of 1,435 North American executives who had capital or operations budget responsibility for facilities AND who were involved in reviewing or monitoring energy usage for their organization. You can read more about the operational implications in my related blog on SmartPlanet.

Turns out that switching to energy-efficient lamps, ballasts or fixtures is the most popular energy efficiency measure embraced by those survey, cited by more than 72 percent as one of their strategies. Another 56 percent said they relied on adjustments to heating and air-conditioning systems, while 40 percent have installed daylight or occupancy sensors.

The fact that facilities managers are gravitating toward energy efficient lighting isn’t all that surprising when you consider that 51 percent say that it will offer the greatest performance-price ratio improvement of all the technologies they are using to address energy efficiency. The respondents were asked to pick their three most important technologies from this standpoint. The other top choices were smart building technology (44 percent) and solar photovoltaics (38 percent).

Information about the Author:

Heather Clancy is an award-winning business journalist with a passion for green technology and corporate sustainability issues. Her articles have appeared in Entrepreneur, Fortune Small Business, The International Herald Tribune and The New York Times. In a past corporate life, Heather was editor of Computer Reseller News, where she was a featured speaker about everything from software as a service to IT security to mobile computing.

Heather started her journalism life as a business writer with United Press International in New York. She holds a B.A. in English literature from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, and has a thing for Lewis Carroll.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Energy Efficient Lighting Retrofits Make Sense

As reported on ECM website

Lighting retrofit projects have always seemed like a no-brainer to me. Replace poor quality, inefficient components, products, and systems with their new high-quality, long-life counterparts. Because these projects can typically be completed quickly and easily — with little disruption to a customer's day-to-day activities — they offer you and your clients a desirable return on investment. The extra revenue stream during these slow periods of new construction isn't bad either.

With the enormous amount of aging commercial and industrial building space in the United States, the supply of potential  energy efficient lighting retrofit projects continues to grow. According to a recent survey by the Global Facility Management Association, “Green Practices Study,” 92% of respondents are working toward making their facilities more sustainable. Offering a similar positive projection, the U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that by 2030, more than 250 billion sq ft of building stock in the country will consist of renovated space.

As more building/facility owners look for ways to reduce their energy consumption levels and make their facilities more environmentally friendly, the case for lighting retrofit projects makes even more sense. That's why you need to have your “Why It's Time to Consider a Lighting Upgrade” presentation polished and ready to go.
The biggest obstacle you'll face when pitching a lighting upgrade project to a client — or even your own vice president or executive management team — is the up-front costs associated with the conversion. If the long list of benefits, such as lower energy bills, improved lighting levels, reduced carbon footprint, and rebates/tax credits/grants, aren't enough to get them to sign on the dotted line, then you might have to consider another interesting option — subsidize or cover the up-front costs of the project yourself. If you're fortunate enough to have access to cash reserves or can form a strategic relationship with a finance group or bank, then it might be worthwhile for you to throw a financing component into the equation. Some utilities and energy service companies (ESCOs) already offer this option on different types of projects, so a working model exists for you to review. Basically, the monthly service fee you charge your client is offset by the electricity cost savings realized from the system upgrade.

The bottom line is financing options are becoming a critical component of energy-efficient upgrade projects, so the more options you bring to your client's table, the better your odds are of walking away with more work in hand.

For more information: http://ecmweb.com/iep/lighting-retrofits-opportunities/

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

Friday, July 9, 2010

Limited Brands Saving Money With Energy Efficent Lighting

 Energy-efficient lighting retrofit delivers major savings for Limited Brands

By Marianne Wilson
Chain Store Age

 Energy-efficient lighting retrofits are paying off big time for Limited Brands -- and not just in the stores. The apparel specialty chain expects to realize an annualized energy and maintenance cost savings of approximately $775,000 as a result of a comprehensive lighting retrofit of five distribution centers at its headquarters in Columbus, Ohio.

New lighting has increased light levels at Limited Brands’ distribution centers, with some areas up to four times brighter.

The energy efficient lighting retrofit, which involved 3.5 million sq. ft. of facilities, utilized T5 lamps from GE Consumer & Industrial (GE T5 High-Output Starcoat Ecolux), along with TCLP-compliant 2-ft. and 3-ft. T8 lamps (GE Watt-Miser) in both 28 watts and 23 watts, and T8 ballasts (GE Ultramax).

Additionally, the fixtures are equipped with motion sensors so the lamps operate only when there is activity in the area.

"We're constantly examining new strategies for enhancing the efficiency of our lighting," says Ronald T. Rau, VP stores and facilities maintenance, Limited Brands. "With this project, and others underway now, we're doing more than just trimming electricity bills. We're contributing to our sustainability initiatives while improving the work environment of our associates."

As a result of the retrofit, which reduced lighting-related energy consumption in the five centers by 50%, Limited Brands is expected to achieve an annual savings of $650,000 in energy costs and $125,000 in maintenance expenditures. (Cost-saving calculations for the new lighting were based on an audit of existing equipment, the published input wattages, an agreed upon kWh rate and operating hours of both the before and after lighting products. Cited maintenance savings for the lamp and ballast replacements are based on the published, anticipated failure of the existing system and operating hours.)

In another plus, the new lighting has dramatically increased light levels in the facilities, with some areas up to four times brighter.

"Associates working in the distribution centers have told us that the brighter lighting makes it easier to perform tasks," notes Rau. "They've reported that the work area feels cleaner and that seeing barcoded vendor information more clearly seems to be enhancing productivity.”

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

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

LED and Other Energy Efficient Lighting Is the Future

Conventional illumination systems represent more than 20% of the energy footprint of today’s buildings and account for $174 billion in electricity costs. Those dim figures have a brighter future, however, as advanced light sources and controls increasingly phase out conventional means of illumination. By 2020, advanced fluorescent lamps, light emitting diodes (LEDs), and automated control technologies will help reduce estimated energy usage for direct lighting by 60%, according to a new report from Lux Research. Further, improved efficiencies will drive related energy costs down to $119 billion even as the developed world expands its building space by approximately 11.3 billion ft2 per year.

 
The report, titled “The Future is so Bright: Energy, Carbon, and Cost Savings through Better Lighting,” forecasts adoption rates of advanced lighting technology, and determines the energy, cost, and carbon savings over all major application and building types. It projects that building illumination will see a 15% decline in electricity demand – a development that will affect the lighting industry, ripple through the conventional utility market, and have a profound impact on power generation and even HVAC system providers.

“If you want to improve a building’s energy efficiency, lighting is the first thing you should look at because it’s comparatively easy and inexpensive to update,” said Michael LoCascio, a Senior Analyst for Lux Research, and the report’s lead author. “With the potential cost savings that new technologies like LEDs afford, advanced building illumination is on track for rapid and sizeable adoption, which spells opportunities across markets.”

To prepare the report, Lux Research analysts interviewed lighting suppliers, architects, and other potential buyers before developing an adoption model that projected the energy, carbon, and cost savings enabled by more efficient lighting technologies. Among the report’s key findings:

    * Advanced lighting controls will infiltrate non-residential buildings. Advanced lighting controls that reduce lighting requirements up to 60% will be used in more than 30% of commercial and industrial buildings in 2020. That’s up from 6% and 12%, respectively, this year. In addition, they will be applied in over 90% of government and public spaces, respectively.

    * LED-based illumination will explode onto the scene in 2014. As LEDs continue to improve on cost and efficiency, their payback period will approach one year. As that happens, they will begin to supplant T8 fluorescent lamps in government and commercial buildings by 2014. Overall, by 2020, LEDs will provide 42% of the light in the residential market; 60% of the commercial, industrial, government, and public building low bay lighting; and dominate exterior and decorative lighting.

    * The success of new lighting adoption may breed… slower adoption. As lighting efficiency improves dramatically over the next decade, the prices of electricity may very well stagnate – or indeed fall, which would increase the payback period and reduce the propensity for further efficient lighting adoption.

“The Future is so Bright: Energy, Carbon, and Cost Savings through Better Lighting,” is part of the Lux Green Buildings Intelligence service. Clients subscribing to this service receive ongoing research on market and technology trends, continuous technology scouting reports and proprietary data points in the weekly Lux Research Green Buildings Journal, and on-demand inquiry with Lux Research analysts.

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

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Sony Uses Energy Efficient Lighting in Warehouse Lighting Retrofit

Sony Supply Chain Solutions Singapore (SSCSS) has cut energy use in its warehouse by more than 50 percent by installing energy-efficient  lighting. It also reduced the number of fixtures required in the warehouse and significantly improved lighting levels.

The high bay lighting system consists of Echelon’s LonWorks control networking technology and ROMlight’s energy-efficient, individually dimmable lights.

The energy efficient lighting retrofit was installed by Fluematic Engineering Services, which replaced the existing 210 400-W metal halide lighting fixtures with 147 400-W metal halide fixtures with acrylic reflectors. Each fixture includes Echelon LonWorks power line-based networking technology to enable remote control and dimming at both the individual fixture and system level.

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

Glaxo Smith Kline completes LED Lighting Retrofit

The Mississauga office of GlaxoSmithKline Inc. (GSK), one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical, vaccine and healthcare companies, recently retrofitted their office with LED Lighting. LED lights are more energy efficient lighting than incandescent, halogen or fluorescent tube lighting. They also provide increased brightness and require less maintenance. The average LED lighting fixture will pay for itself within 2 years of being installed.

Company Will Save $46,000 per Year

"Our previous light fixtures used 26 watts per hour. The LEDs use 9 watts," said Terrence DeWolfe of GSK. "That's a savings of 18 watts per hour, over ten hours a day, five days a week. Financially, that means $46,000 saved each year."

LED light are also much cooler than incandescents or CFLs, which helps to maintain a comfortable room temperature. "Not only do you save on electricity," DeWolfe added, "you save on cooling costs as well. These LEDs also have a much longer life expectancy than our old units, so we'll reduce labour and change out costs. It's good for business and good for the environment."

"We benefit from reduced consumption, with no change in lighting quality."

Technological developments have made LEDs available for a wide variety of applications, and they've become increasingly popular as more and more organizations recognize their economic and ecological benefits. "We're very pleased with our investment,"concluded DeWolfe. "We benefit from reduced consumption, with no change in lighting quality. LEDs are a great way to integrate good financial sense with good corporate citizenship."

The Mississauga office of GlaxoSmithKline Inc. (GSK), one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical, vaccine and healthcare companies, recently retrofitted their office with LED Lighting. LED lights use significantly less energy than incandescent, halogen or fluorescent tube lighting. They also provide increased brightness and require less maintenance. The average LED lighting fixture will pay for itself within 2 years of being installed.

Company Will Save $46,000 per Year

"Our previous light fixtures used 26 watts per hour. The LEDs use 9 watts," said Terrence DeWolfe of GSK. "That's a savings of 18 watts per hour, over ten hours a day, five days a week. Financially, that means $46,000 saved each year."

LED light are also much cooler than incandescents or CFLs, which helps to maintain a comfortable room temperature. "Not only do you save on electricity," DeWolfe added, "you save on cooling costs as well. These LEDs also have a much longer life expectancy than our old units, so we'll reduce labour and change out costs. It's good for business and good for the environment."

"We benefit from reduced consumption, with no change in lighting quality."

Technological developments have made LEDs available for a wide variety of applications, and they've become increasingly popular as more and more organizations recognize their economic and ecological benefits. "We're very pleased with our investment,"concluded DeWolfe. "We benefit from reduced consumption, with no change in lighting quality. LEDs are a great way to integrate good financial sense with good corporate citizenship."

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