Outdoor Lighting: Cree lights gas station and food mart; ATL airport to go LED
| Cree has announced another SSL retrofit at an Oregon gas station and food mart, while Atlanta plans a massive LED project for its parking areas and international municipalities consider LED projects. | |||||
Cree LED luminaires are being used both in outdoor canopy lighting at an Beaverton, Oregon gas station and inside the adjacent convenience store to deliver 70% energy savings. The Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport plans to retrofit more than 4000 legacyfixtures in parking lots with solid-state lighting (SSL). Thiruvananthapuram, India begins an LED project, Pakistan squabbles over LED retrofit costs, and the Philippines see LEDs as a way to efficiently light unlit streets.Beaverton gas and mart
The Highland Chevron gas station and ExtraMile food mart have been renovated indoor and out with Cree LED-based luminaires. Outdoors in the gas station canopy, the retrofit encompasses 24 105W Cree (BetaLED) 304 series recessed canopy lights that replaced 368W metal-halide (MH) fixtures. The owner of the station, Bob Barman, cited light quality, economic, and environmental benefits attributable to the lighting retrofit. Barman said, “The high-quality LED light makes everything appear brighter and safer – and that translates into a better customer experience.” The Oregon area is known for environmental sensitivity and green practices and that influenced the LED choice. “The payoff is more than what is saved in energy consumption and cost,” said Barman. “The payoff is also intangible – it’s what your customers think of you as a leader in sustainability and how you think of yourself – it’s just the right thing to do.” Cree also noted that the NanoOptic total internal reflection (TIR) lenses that were originally developed by BetaLED tightly control light distribution in the installed fixtures. Those TIR optics eliminate light spill for the outdoor sources and enable the station to meet local light-pollution ordinances.
Still economics are important and the savings are attributable to both the indoor and outdoor lighting. Indoors, 27 Cree 304 series pendant SSL luminaires replaced 330W fluorescent fixtures. Barman expects the retrofit to achieve payback in 2.5 years. According to Cree, the lighting retrofit will allow the station and mart to consume one third less energy, in total, relative to the typical 24-hour convenience store and gas station. Atlanta airport According to the Atlanta Business Chronicle, Cooper Lighting has won a major SSL retrofit at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport. The busiest airport in the world will apparently use 80W LED fixtures to replace 210W MH fixtures. The project will include retrofit of covered parking lots for both the north and south sides of the airport terminal. The project is slated for April 2012. In total the airport will replace 4342 lights according to the report. Cooper has said that the projects can save the city $500,000 per year. International LED projects The Times of India reports that Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of the Indian state of Kerala, is planning to install LED lights on 65 streets. Apparently the project will begin next month. In the Pakistan capital of Islamabad, a proposed LED project is generating considerable debate over the cost of the new lights according to The News International. The project could involve retrofits of as many as 6500 legacy street lights. In the Philippine municipality of Quezon City, the government hopes to install 10,000 LED street lights this year. The Philippine Information Agency reports that LEDs will allow the city to provide lighting on some streets for the first time with a manageable impact on energy consumption. SSL technology will allow the city to increase the number of lit streets by 80%. |
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| About the Author | |||||
| Maury Wright is a Senior Technical Editor with LEDs Magazine. | |||||
Market-Driven Energy-Saving Specifications for Commercial Lighting
February 15, 2012
The Energy Department today announced new voluntary energy-saving specifications for lighting troffers – rectangular overhead fixtures used in commercial buildings – as well as parking lot and parking structure lighting. The new performance criteria were developed by the Department of Energy’s Commercial Building Energy Alliances (CBEAs), which bring together major U.S. companies from a wide range of sectors to identify and implement successful energy efficiency and cost-saving practices. Building operators can voluntarily adopt these specifications for new buildings or building upgrades to reduce their energy bills and carbon emissions.
The potential to reduce the nation’s energy use through better lighting choices is enormous. On average, over half of the lighting fixtures in commercial buildings operate for more than 10 hours a day and collectively consume more than 87 terawatt hours of electricity annually, which is equivalent to the energy used by nearly 3 million homes. These new commercial lighting specifications can reduce energy use by more than 40% compared with conventional lighting and have the potential to save businesses up to $5 billion annually.
The new CBEA High Efficiency Troffer Specification provides minimum performance levels for LED and fluorescent troffers used in commercial buildings, including offices and restaurants. The new specification delivers energy savings of between 15% and 45% compared with conventional systems. The specification also includes an optional section on lighting controls, which can boost savings up to 75% by employing technologies such as motion sensors and timers.
DOE also released updated specifications for high-efficiency parking lot and parking structure lighting. Both public and private organizations are increasingly using systems that meet DOE’s high efficiency parking lot lighting specification. This specification typically reduces energy use by 50% compared with conventional parking lot lighting. Some early adopters of the new specifications include Walmart, Lowe’s, and Cleveland Clinic.
WalMart now uses energy-saving lights that meet the specification in new parking lot sites, and is upgrading more than 250 existing lots. The company reports energy savings of 58% compared with ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2010, a widely used commercial building code. Lowe’s has tested lighting systems that meet the specification at several sites and plans to expand their use. Based on these and other successful installations, others, such as MGM Resorts International and the U.S. General Services Administration, are also considering upgrading their lighting to meet the new specification.
Through the CBEA, the Energy Department collaborates with building owners, operators, and manufacturers to develop minimum performance requirements that are voluntarily adopted by CBEA members. Increased adoption of energy-saving specifications can help American businesses cut costs, reduce energy use, and increase their competitiveness.
The Energy Department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) accelerates development and facilitates deployment of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies and market-based solutions that strengthen U.S. energy security, environmental quality, and economic vitality. Learn more about EERE’s support of building technologies, and about the Department’s Commercial Buildings Energy Alliances.
earth energy Solutions encourages economic shipping alternative
We have choices and cutting business expenses follows generating revenue. We encourage all LED Lighting manufacturers, resellers and brokers to compare shipping / freight fees. Then you will KNOW you made the eco.nomic decision!
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Exposing the truth … Will Customers Pay More for ‘Green?’
February 7, 2012
Andrea Thomas
Senior Vice President of Sustainability
Walmart
Will people pay to go green? That’s a key question – maybe the question – for any company committed to sustainability. At Walmart, we’ve learned that the answer is a bit nuanced: Basically, usually not – but it depends.
Some customers will pay more for certain products that are better for the environment, and their top purchases include chicken, milk, fruits and vegetables, household cleaners and laundry/dish care. The environmentally responsible products they are less likely to pay more for? TVs, cell phones, computers, beer, pork, mops and sponges and printers.
The economy remains a far more pressing concern. More than 70 percent of consumers say they worry more about price than whether a product is good for the environment or socially responsible, according to an October 2010 study by the Harrison Group.
What does that mean for us? Our approach to sustainability must be nuanced as well.
We’ve found that there is a group of shoppers who are fans of items such as free-range eggs and green cleaning products like Seventh Generation and Mrs. Meyer’s. We stock a full offering of those products in many of our stores. They can be more expensive but some people will pay more because they feel good about them.
But many shoppers cannot or will not pay more. That’s where we are getting creative and using our size and scale – and partnerships with suppliers – to drive down prices. We can do a lot of good by helping to make the products people are already buying more sustainable so they don’t have to make changes to what they buy to make a difference.
For instance: televisions, lettuce and laundry detergent.
Flat-panel TVs can use a lot of energy, but this is a category where many people don’t want to pay a premium for a more sustainable option. We committed to stocking only more energy-efficient panels, and because of our scale, the cost of the technology came down as did the prices for our customers.
We’ve also found a way to drive down the price of organic lettuce to match the cost of non-organics. We bought in bulk, cut transportation costs by packing our trucks more efficiently and bought directly from farmers. And it worked.
In some cases, our sustainability choices don’t always make immediate sense for customers who want the best value for their dollar. When we experimented with switching to concentrated laundry detergent, the price did not change but the package was much smaller. We decided to go with concentrated since washing machines will add the necessary water – why add it to detergent in a large bottle and ship it all over the country? The idea was actually suggested to us by one of our suppliers, but when we made the transition, some customers felt they were getting less for their money.
To educate them, and to help change their behavior, we gave prominent shelf space to all® small & mighty, the first brand to partner with us on concentrated detergent. Eventually, we had such momentum that we told our other suppliers that we would no longer carry non-concentrated detergent. They changed their products, and the industry was changed, as well.
Sustainability is a goal, so we’re learning as we go. That means we are making plenty of adjustments and mistakes as Walmart explores what customers want and what behaviors they will change. In the coming days, we will share some of what has not worked as well as what has and – as always – I’d love your thoughts about solutions.
Andrea B. Thomas is Senior Vice President, Sustainability for Walmart. She is responsible for working across the global organization as well as with external stakeholder to embed sustainability into all aspects of the company. Prior to assuming this role in September 2010, she led the Global Merchandising Center for the Home, Hardlines and Entertainment businesses where she had global brand responsibility for Walmart’s proprietary brands which include Mainstays, Canopy, Better Homes & Gardens, Home Trends and GE. This article was reprinted with permission from Walmart from the Walmart Sustainability Green Room.
Urgently enter Schools into the Green Ribbon Competition
Deadline Fast Approaching for Schools to Enter the Green Ribbon School Competition
PHILADELPHIA (February 7, 2012) — EPA Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin is encouraging all schools in the mid-Atlantic region to get recognized for their environmental achievements by entering the Green Ribbon School Competition.
The deadline for the new pilot award program, created by the U.S.. Department of Education and supported by EPA, is March 22 but all applications must be sent to the individual state Department of Education by February 23, 2012. Each participating state may nominate up to four of their highest performing schools that meet the criteria for recognition: environmental impact and energy efficiency, healthy environment and environmental literacy. The U.S. Department of Education will select one winning school in each participating state.
“This is a great opportunity for schools to brag about their efforts to save energy, reduce costs, create healthy environments for their students and improve student and staff health,” Garvin said today during a tour of the Thurgood Marshall School in Philadelphia. “By applying for Green Ribbon recognition, schools will be moving forward in adopting green concepts and becoming even greener.”
EPA has long encouraged the creation of healthy school environments because green school buildings and education are vital to the development and learning of every student. Green schools benefit teachers and other staff as well because they, too, work better when the indoor air and other conditions are healthy.
In his State of the Union Address, President Obama emphasized the importance of education in building a strong future for America. Creating healthy schools is one way we can support our students and their learning.
For K-12 schools interested in applying, a webinar to assist in the application process will be held Feb. 7, 2012 at 4 p.m. (EST). Event address for attendees is: https://usgbc.webex.com/usgbc/onstage/g.php?d=753402875&t=a.
The event number is 753 402 875 and the event password is Gr33n1..
Call-in toll free number (US/Canada) is: 1-866-469-3239. Access code is 753 402 875
For more information about the Green Ribbon Schools competition, go to: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/green-ribbon-schools/index.html
Contact: Donna Heron 215-814-5113/heron.donna@epa.gov
Super Bowl XLVI Goes Green eeS Group Congratulates the Giants
Green Mountain Energy has been selected to supply green power for Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis, Indiana. Green Mountain Energy will supply 15,000 megawatt-hours of renewable energy certificates (RECs) for all six major Super Bowl facilities. The purchase is the equivalent to the electricity use for Lucas Oil Stadium (site of the Super Bowl), the Indiana Convention Center (site of the NFL Experience Football Theme Park), and all four of the major NFL hotels, including the NFL headquarters, the Super Bowl Media Center, and the AFC and NFC team hotels. The RECs are sourced from wind power generated in North Dakota.
News Release - Super Bowl XLVI Goes Green
Additional Information - Super Bowl XLVI Scores Green Power from Green Mountain Energy
earth energy Solutions applauds DOE shift to energy saving lighting products
January 24, 2012
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has released a report that documents the increased adoption of energy-efficient lighting products in the United States over the last decade. The 2010 U.S. Lighting Market Characterization examines the current conditions and broad trends in the U.S. lighting market, broken down by technology and sector.
The report also details specific products, including comprehensive and detailed estimates of the national inventory of installed lighting products, as well as their performance characteristics, associated energy use, and lumen production – a measure of brightness. The report helps chart progress made toward the goal of transitioning to more energy-efficient lighting technologies across four sectors: residential buildings, commercial buildings, industrial buildings, and outdoor applications.
The study shows that in 2010, lighting used approximately 700 terawatt-hours (TWh), or nearly19% of the electricity produced in the United States. Of the total energy used for lighting, the commercial sector consumed nearly half, or 349 TWh, primarily with fluorescent lighting products. While there are nearly 6 billion light bulbs installed in the residential sector, far more than the approximately 2 billion lamps in the commercial buildings sector, the mostly incandescent residential lamps were not used nearly as much per day, on average, as lights in the commercial sector.
Green For All recognizes need for energy efficiency
Dear Earth Energy,
Tonight, President Obama presents his State of the Union address. He’s expected to present a forceful vision for 2012.
The problem, of course, is that we need to be building an American economy today that will position us for the next hundred years, not just the next one. There’s a clear path to doing so, but political obstacles will make it difficult.
So today Green For All is announcing a “Plan To Keep America First,” a four-step outline of how the President can ensure that our nation remains strong and competitive well into the next century, while putting Americans back to work now:
- Recognize long-term growth opportunities. Specifically, the on-going growth of renewable energy, green jobs, and pollution controls
- Make direct entrepreneurial investments in green technology. Leverage the government’s resources to support the clean energy economy and ensure a robust return on its investment.
- Make direct investments in infrastructure – with an eye toward the future. Build infrastructure now that considers long-term sustainability and energy use trends.
- Use full power of the executive branch. It’s vital that the private sector work with President Obama to figure out creative ways to make progress.
The plan is ambitious and not politically easy. That’s where you come in. Take a few minutes to read the plan. Then, contact your member of Congress using our online tools. Let the President and your member of Congress know that you support Green For All’s bold, forward-looking agenda for America.
We’ve seen repeatedly over the last few months the power of speaking out, both on Wall Street and online. It’s time for us to step up once again and demand the jobs that will keep America first.
Sincerely,
Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins
P.S. Please share the “Plan To Keep America First” with your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter. Here’s a tweet you can use:
Let’s put America back to work today. I support @GreenForAll #KeepAmericaFirst plan. Read + share the plan: http://bit.ly/y7GSBE
Related articles
- Despite Solyndra, Obama to Boost Green Energy (usnews.com)
- Obama’s Keystone Debacle (papundits.wordpress.com)
- Letter to President Obama Re: The State of the Union Address (nader.org)
Reality on the changing technology of Light Bulbs
Reality unveiled about why newer technology light bulbs, they cost far less to run, are energy efficient and will last a decade or longer (usage dependent).
Let’s talk LUMENS vs. WATTAGE, watch the video, short and informative as seen on MSNBC Today Show.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32545640
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
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- Are You Ready for the Incandescent Light Bulb Ban? (bargaineering.com)
Improve energy efficiency in U.S. industrial facilities with $3M from DOE
Program aims to improve energy efficiency in U.S. industrial facilities, spur global competitiveness
January 19, 2012
The Department of Energy (DOE) today announced up to $3 million to administer DOE’s Superior Energy Performance (SEP) program that will help American manufacturers continually increase the energy efficiency of their domestic facilities, boost their global competitiveness, and create jobs. The funding will support at least one organization to launch, operate, and promote the SEP program. When launched later this year, the voluntary program will provide a transparent, step-by-step certification process to help industrial and commercial facilities implement and validate improvements in their energy performance and reduce their energy costs.
The SEP program will be a key component of DOE’s efforts to improve energy efficiency throughout the nation’s manufacturing sector. The SEP Program Administrator selected for funding through this solicitation will be responsible for launching and overseeing the program during its initial stages. The administrator will develop and execute a sustainable business model to enable SEP to become a fee-based, self-sufficient program within three years of the award.
The SEP Program will address several fundamental challenges that energy managers face within both the industrial and commercial sectors. The program aims to improve awareness of energy efficiency opportunities within companies across both sectors, develop consistent models to evaluate the business merits of competing opportunities, foster commitments to energy efficiency from company leadership, and provide guidance to implement energy-saving upgrades. There are currently 35 companies in 20 states addressing these challenges by participating in SEP industrial demonstration projects. Eight SEP commercial pilot facilities have also been established to test the SEP program elements and overall scheme.
The funding is expected to be awarded to at least one entity over a period of up to three years and will be subject to an annual performance review to evaluate progress toward meeting program goals and deliverables. Eligible applicants for this funding opportunity include U.S. domestic entities or consortia composed of academic institutions, non-profits [except 501(c)(4) non-profits] and for-profit private entities.
For more information and application requirements, please visit the Funding Opportunity Exchange website. Letters of intent in connection with this opportunity are due February 21, 2012. Applications will be accepted through 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on March 21, 2012. DOE anticipates notifying applicants selected for awards by May 2012 and making awards by June 2012.
DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy invests in clean energy technologies that strengthen the economy, protect the environment, and reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil. Learn more about how DOE’s Advanced Manufacturing Office is working to identify, explore, develop, demonstrate, and deploy new, energy-efficient processes, products and materials that can help U.S. manufacturers secure a competitive advantage in the global economy.
Winning Energy Efficient Light Bulb — What to Expect in 2012
Image via Wikipedia
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is offering a webinar on Wednesday, January 18, from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. EST, titled “The L Prize-Winning LED A19 Replacement—What Commercial Building Owners and Operators Can Expect in 2012.” Register now to attend this free webinar. Light emitting diode (LED) light bulbs are energy-saving lighting choices available today to replace some of the most inefficient incandescent bulbs.
In this webinar, Kelly Gordon of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory will present an update on the status of LED A19 light bulb options for commercial businesses, provide an overview of DOE’s Bright Tomorrow Lighting Prize (L Prize) competition, and discuss the winning bulb. Todd Manegold, director of LED Lamps Marketing at Philips Lighting, will outline the best applications for the winning bulb in commercial settings, Philips’ plans for commercial distribution, and a financial calculator showing expected cost and payback.
In August, 2011, DOE named Philips Lighting North America as the first winner of the L Prize competition in the 60-watt replacement bulb category, one of the most widely used lighting types. Philips developed a highly efficient LED product to meet the rigorous requirements of the L Prize competition—ensuring that performance, quality, lifetime, cost, and availability met expectations for widespread adoption and mass manufacturing.
The winning Philips product excelled through rigorous short-term and long-term performance testing carried out by independent laboratories and field assessments conducted with utilities and other partners.
DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy invests in clean energy technologies that strengthen the economy, protect the environment, and reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil. Learn more about DOE’s support of research and development of energy-efficient lighting, and visit our Energy Savers lighting choices website to start saving money by saving energy.
Join the clean energy conversation on Facebook at DOE’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and Energy Savers pages.
Dr. Ulrich Eisele shares OSRAM’s Organic LED insight
OSRAM is one of the leading companies developing (and marketing) OLED lighting. Dr. Ulrich Eisele, head of OSRAM’s OLED unit, was kind enough to answer a few questions we had for him regarding OSRAM’s OLED program:
Q: You recently presented a new flexible OLED that features 32 lm/W. Can you us some more information on this panel?
A: The outstanding feature of the flexible OLED shown is that the production is based on well-tried OSRAM OLED processes. The production line is located in Regensburg (Bavaria), so we can benefit from our local expertise.
Q: What kind of applications do you see for a flexible OLED lighting panel? What are the use cases?
A: There are 3 different kinds of use cases:
- Traditional: thanks to the flexible OLED, designers and light planners enjoy greater freedom of design. They can break up with classical rigid forms of luminaires, for example creating flexible lamp shades. Such an application has clear efficiency benefits. While a classical one is absorbing photons from the light source behind, a flexible OLED is directly emitting diffuse light.
- Traditional applications with additional benefit: for example automotive rear lamps that have a three-dimensional character and that combine design and safety.
- New applications: for example flexible room dividers or furnishings that become a light source at night (vase, mirror, window).
Q: A few weeks ago the University of Toronto announced the “world’s most efficient flexible OLED” – with very little details. How does your OLED panel compare?
A: So far, there is no real technical data available. That is why we are not able to compare our flexible OLEDs with real data of the OLED of the Toronto research group.
Q: The new panel was made as part of the TOPAS project. Can you explain this project and give us some updates?
A: The TOPAS project received public support, i.a. by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and Aixtron. Its fundamental goal was to link transparency and lumen/watt. This goal was achieved.
Q: OLEDs can be made flexible and/or transparent. What do you think is more useful for lighting purposes? What kind of panels will reach the market first in your opinion? And when will that be?
A: Of course the combination offers additional potential for the 3 OLED use cases (please see above).
Q: You recently unveiled a new production line in Regensburg. You claimed it will reduce your panel prices by 90% – mostly due to volume. When will that happen?
A: The OLED cost trend (lm/W) will face a similar cost trend such as LED.
Q: Can we expect Orbeos-like panels for 16 euros or so then? Will it make its way into retail?
A: It is very likely that OLED will be supplied via several channels in the future (similar to LED). However, in our opinion, OLED Retrofits are not to be expected.
Q: The new line will be able to produce transparent panels, too. Do you have any actual plans to start offering such panels?
A: We actually can produce transparent panels in Regensburg. The product mix, however, will be aligned with the specific needs and wishes of our customers.
Q: OSRAM’s current Orbeos panels aren’t very efficient. Philips and KM already produce more efficient panels (using phosphorescent materials). When do you plan to start making more efficient panels? Will you use phosphorescent materials too?
A: With an efficiency of 87 lm/W, OSRAM currently holds the record. At light+building we will present OLED panels which remain at benchmark level, regarding performance and quality. For example, OSRAM OLED don’t need any getter thanks to our innovative thin film encapsulation. The customer benefit is obvious: The back side of the panel is almost as beautiful as the front side (no big black “disc”).
Q: Where do you see OLED lighting in the future? Do you think OLEDs will penetrate the ‘general lighting’ market or will it remain a niche premium product?
A: The future of OLED has only just begun, and its development will be as dynamic as it is for LED. Based on the 3 defined use classes OLED will be well suited for mass market applications. At the same time OLED will become a tailor-made product which fit the specific needs of customers (design, performance).
Thank you for your time Dr. Ulrich, I wish both you and OSRAM good luck!
