Archive for November, 2009

Many obstacles can get in the way of projects designed to improve a facility’s energy efficiency. Topping this list of challenges are such issues as finances, product specification and calculating the return on investment (ROI). These issues might create legitimate concerns for maintenance and engineering managers and others involved in project planning, but they need not be deal breakers. In fact, they might not even be real obstacles. Organizations often make decisions based on uncertain or incomplete data, and diminish potential ROI.

Lighting retrofits epitomize this scenario. These projects can help facilities reduce energy use and create more efficient and aesthetically pleasing indoor environments, but only if planners base their decisions on accurate information. Companies often view lighting-upgrade projects as a revenue drain, when in fact they represent a positive cash flow that renews itself year after year. They tend to get focused on one solution, like a lamp and ballast retrofit, which limits the options and opportunities.

Aelux ensures that you will make an informed decision based on a comprehensive analysis including a proposal that clearly defines why a particular retrofit recommendation was made and a photometric analysis to substantiate the retrofit recommendation. Also expect to see what the energy and cost savings will be, and what rebate and tax incentives are available. Additional detail should include an explanation of tax benefits, fixture and component spec sheets, warranty information, environmental benefits and a transparent description of model inputs.

A lighting retrofit is when you replace components in the system with counterparts which make it use energy more efficiently. A lighting upgrade is any strategy that reduces the system’s energy use. Energy savings are realized over time and can be significant enough to not only pay for the new equipment, but produce a return on the investment.

Understanding Energy Consumption:

Utilities bill their customers in several ways including an energy use charge, demand charge, power factor charge, fuel adjustment charge and other charges. Here is a look at Energy Consumption:

Energy Consumption (kWh) = Input Watts (kW) x Time (hours operated in a given year)

To reduce energy consumption we can do two things. Reduce the input wattage or reduce the hours of operation. Input wattage can be reduced by replacing lamps and ballasts with more-energy-efficient counterparts or by removing lamps and ballasts. The hours of operation can be reduced by using sophisticated controls and other methods.

Many people are currently being cautious with their spending given the current state of our economy. However, a safe investment that everyone can afford is in CFLs or Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs. Making the switch from traditional light bulbs to CFLs will not only reduce your electric bill, but will also prevent greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global climate change. In the average home, lighting accounts for about 20% of the electric bill. By switching to CFLs, your lights will be using 75% less energy than incandescent light bulbs. Since CFLs cost little upfront and last up to 10 times longer they provide a quick return on investment.

Think of it this way: If only 1 traditional light bulb was replaced by an ENERGY STAR CFL in every home in America, in only 1 year it would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes and prevent greenhouse gas emissions equal to that of more than 800,000 cars. So why haven’t you made the switch yet?