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Act 129 Promotes Energy Efficiency in Pennsylvania

Wednesday, December 28th, 2011

According to a recent study released by Penn Future, an environmental advocacy organization, Pennsylvania’s Act 129 has proven to be a cost-effective and successful energy efficiency program.

In October 2008, Act 129 was passed to curtail energy demand, create jobs and reduce pollution in Pennsylvania. The Act required Pennsylvania electric utilities to reduce their electricity load by 1 percent by May 31, 2011 and by 3 percent by May 31, 2012. Utilities are also required to reduce their peak electricity demand by 4.5 percent by providing their customers with energy-efficiency and conservation programs.

PennFuture’s study, conducted by Optimal Energy, analyzed the Act’s results through May 31, 2011. This study concluded that Pennsylvania’s electricity load was reduced by 2,073 gigawatt hours (GWh), which equals over $278 million in annual savings for electric customers that participated in Act 129 programs.

The first year of Act 129 also created an estimated 4,000 job years (job years are measured as one full-time job for one year) and eliminated approximately 23 million tons of carbon dioxide over the lifetime of the installed energy efficiency measures. The Act’s first year in energy savings is also equivalent to taking four million cars off of the road for one year.

If the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission decides that Act 129 has been successful, they have until November 30, 2013 to extend the program and set new savings goals for Pennsylvania electric utilities. According to the study by Optimal, Pennsylvania has the opportunity to reduce its energy by 31,500 GWh by continuing the energy efficiency Act 129.

Aelux has participated in the completion of several energy efficient lighting retrofit projects at Pennsylvania businesses served by participating Act 129 utility companies such as Duquesne, Met-Ed, Penelec, Penn Power, PECO, PPL and West Penn. Pennsylvania utility rebates are still available for lighting retrofit energy efficiency projects. To find out how Act 129 can benefit your company and reduce electricity costs with a lighting retrofit, fill out our contact form and an Aelux team member will respond as soon as possible.

To view the complete press release regarding the Penn Future study, click here.

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Mercury Reduction Initiatives for Fluorescent Lamp use in Commercial & Retail Applications

Wednesday, October 27th, 2010

Earlier this month, members of NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Association) announced that they are voluntarily reducing the maximum allowable mercury content in compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs).

Under the new voluntary commitment, effective October 4, 2010, NEMA members will cap the total mercury content in CFLs of less than 25 watts at 4mg (milligrams) per lamp. The total mercury content of CFLs that use 25 to 40 watts of electricity will be capped at 5mg per lamp.

This agreement builds upon the companies’ March 2007 voluntary commitment and is consistent with NEMA’s initiative to reduce use of hazardous substances whenever feasible.

“NEMA lamp companies acknowledge the importance of reducing mercury content of fluorescent lamps while continuing to achieve the high performance and quality consumers expect,” said NEMA Lamp Section Chair Pam Horner. “NEMA’s update of the voluntary commitment today is made possible by research and engineering innovation in the lamp industry.”

While these lighting innovation initiatives are just reaching the residential market, trace mercury fluorescent lamps have been available for some time now for use in commercial applications.  Previously in commercial applications we saw the use of metal halides, HID fixtures, and T12 lamps, but we are seeing a phase out of these fixtures as they are both inefficiency and contain higher mercury levels, with levels as high as 10mg per lamp. While metal halides may be suitable in some commercial applications, such as outdoor lighting, there are certainly more energy efficient alternatives available for indoor commercial and warehouse settings that are designed specifically for use in retail, property management, commercial, and industrial segments.

The most commonly used lamps in lighting retrofits are T8 & T5 linear fluorescent lamps, which are highly efficiency, TCLP-compliant, and at the highest have 5mg of mercury and at the lowest 1.4mg.   Many manufacturers offer low mercury T8 lamps that contain approximately 3.5 mg per lamp, and some even offer an extra low mercury T8 lamps with less than 1.7 mg of mercury per lamp.  Newly designed T5 lamps are also more versatile, offering increased lighting flexibility, especially in tight spaces and low profile applications.

All the more reason to retrofit your existing lighting system: energy efficiency, better lighting, safer, and more environmentally friendly

TCLP stands for Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure. Fluorescent bulbs that are TCLP compliant reduce the amount of pollutants released into the environment. Mercury’s greatest threat comes when it is vaporized and can be inhaled, like when a bulb containing mercury is broken, shatters or ruptures in your place of business. Lamps with reduced mercury content pass the EPA’s TCLP tests, and pose less danger to the environment, your employees and your patrons in the event of breakage.

(Sources: NEMA & http://www.zeromercury.org/)

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NEMA asserts ‘Better Use of Light Bulb Act is Not Better’

Thursday, September 23rd, 2010

On Sept. 21, 2010, Rep. Joe Barton (R – Texas) introduced the “Better Use of Light Bulb Act”, which would repeal the phase-out of incandescent bulbs under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA 2007).

The same day, NEMA took their stand asserting the Better Use of Light Bulb Act is Not Better.  “The Lamp Section of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) reaffirmed its commitment to public policies that encourage transitioning to more energy-efficient lighting, including the energy-efficient light bulb provisions of EISA 2007.”

According to NEMA Vice President of Government Relations Kyle Pitsor, the lighting industry is investing heavily in new products that meet consumers’ demands for efficiency and light quality while developing marketing information that will help people understand the variety of products available to them as this transition takes place.

Sure consumers may be anxious about the shift, but “the reality is that consumer preference already has been shifting away from incandescent products, with the market for standard household incandescent bulbs declining by 50 percent over the last five or so years. With lighting consuming approximately 22 percent of all electricity in the U.S., the potential for energy savings and energy conservation that the country—and the world—can realize with this change to higher-technology light sources is immense. American businesses and consumers will annually save billions of dollars in electricity bills once the transition is complete,” Pitsor said.

As we talked last week about the bulb ban backfiring on the EU, it seems there may be brighter days for the US considering the statistics above, and US consumers’ drive to conserve spending.  (Source)

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Bulb Ban Backfires for EU

Friday, September 17th, 2010

As of August 31, 2010, “it is now a crime to manufacture or ship for sale a traditional 75-watt incandescent light bulb in the European Union.” By 2012, incandescent lighting of all types will be targeted for removal; this is the same year the United States is scheduled to begin a phase-out schedule mirroring the European plan.

The EU plan looks as such:

  • 2009 – 100-watt bulbs banned
  • 2010 – 75-watt bulbs banned
  • 2011 – 60-watt bulbs banned
  • 2012 – 40-watt bulbs banned

The goal of the incandescent bulb ban plan is to phase-out the least efficient bulbs, with expected hopes for an increase in the purchase of CFLs. To date, it seems this plan has backfired as EU citizens are rushing to purchase the last remaining incandescent bulbs off the shelves. Consumers are gathering a hoarded supply of bulbs to last them decades. The low cost of the incandescent bulb and the fear of mercury-filled fluorescent is driving this buying panic.

It seems imminent that EU history will repeat itself in the US as our own January 1, 2012 deadline approaches; all part of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 signed during President George W. Bush’s terms in office.  (source)

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4 Months until the New Year…What will be your resolution?

Monday, August 23rd, 2010

This past year we have witness economic downturns, natural & man-made disasters, world violence…and unfortunately the list goes on.

Have you made a difference personally in helping your community and/or business on making the world a more efficient place to live?  We’re four months away from the year 2011, make your goals today!  Are you working for a company that could be more “green / more efficient”? If you are not sure, researching and speaking out are the first steps.

For information on how companies, such as Aelux, LLC can help you, please visit www.aelux.com or call toll free to speak with an Aelux Representative 866-44-AELUX today.

Still hesitate to make the plunge to energy efficiency…read about how Aelux saved Motorola an annual energy savings of $70,954.

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Research, Retrofit, Reduce

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010

The 3 R’s of becoming an energy efficient company.  “If all the commercial buildings in the U.S. that exist as of 2010 were retrofitted to be more energy efficient, the country as a whole would save over $41.1 billion a year in energy bills” (Source).   Aelux, LLC, one of the leading lighting retrofit companies serves companies nationwide – making a difference one company at a time.  Currently, Aelux is offering a complimentary lighting audit and lighting retrofit proposal.

In addition to the complimentary lighting audit, there are variety of rebates and incentives available across the United States.  For further information on your state rebates and incentives contact an Aelux Representative toll free at 866-44-AELUX (1- 866-442-3589).

Be a proactive business and take advantage of all the Green Savings!

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New study shows global commercial energy efficiency growth in 2010 and continuing expansion

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

A June 3, 2010, global survey of over 2,800 decision-makers in the world-wide commercial building sector, conducted by Johnson Controls and the International Facility Management Association, shows that energy efficiency has continued to grow in importance in the past year, driven by bottom-line cost savings prompted by the still-sluggish economy. Some highlights of the survey include the following:

  • Investment in energy efficiency as a method of cost savings topped the list, with 97 percent rating it as at least somewhat significant. Attracting and retaining customers ranked second as an “extremely significant” influence in energy efficiency decisions.
  • Building efficiency is of primary importance for those determined to decrease their carbon footprint, with 34 percent giving energy efficiency as their main strategy.
  • About two-thirds of global respondents expect energy prices to increase in 2010, with the most likely increase amount being about 9 percent.
  • The majority of decision-makers think energy or carbon legislation is likely within the next two years. European respondents rated it as the third most important reason for energy efficiency, India rated it fifth, the United States and Canada ranked it seventh and China, eighth.
  • 39 percent of India’s respondents ranked energy management “extremely important,” compared to 27 percent for China, 16 percent in the U.S. and 14 percent for Pan-Europe.
  • Nearly 100 percent of respondents in China and India stated that they have planned operating expenditures for energy efficiency investments, compared to 73 percent of the respondents in the United States.
  • Looking forward as energy costs rise, corporate leaders think that PV and lighting technologies will see the greatest performance-to-price improvement, followed by smart building technologies and electric vehicles in third and fourth positions.

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Aelux takes part in Lightfair International 2010

Thursday, June 17th, 2010

Aelux had the opportunity to take part in LIGHTFAIR® International (LFI), the world’s largest annual architectural and commercial lighting trade show and conference, which experienced its most phenomenal West Coast show last month. The 2010 show and conference, which took place in Las Vegas, ended with a record-breaking number of 22,000 registered attendees—increasing attendance by 10% from LFI 2008 in Las Vegas and making it the largest in LFI’s West Coast history.

This year, LFI debuted a new pavilion on the trade show floor, the Building Integration Pavilion, which featured companies with enterprise system technologies used to maximize and create energy efficient buildings and showcased many of these successful projects. In addition, nearly 100 industry experts presented 72 sessions, addressing topics that covered lighting fundamentals, software, applications, controls and solutions, as well as design innovation, sustainability, energy-efficiency, product updates and case studies.

Aelux’s technical team spent several days reviewing the latest new technologies being offered by hundreds of new and established manufacturers. LEDs were the hot product line with dozens of new companies competing for what they billed as the future of lighting.

There is no doubt that within the next 5 to 10 years there will be LED solutions for every lighting environment; but we are just not there yet. LEDs are excellent for decorative and retail applications and even a few very high-end commercial uses. However, for the conventional industrial/commercial/institutional marketplaces, the efficiency delivered by the LEDs when combined with their high cost simply does not provide the high ROIs our customers have come to expect. There is one notable exception. We found some very interesting LED solutions for outdoor/garage lighting, and we are working closely with a couple of potential suppliers to see if we can offer outdoor solutions that will insure both quality and real value.

We were impressed with the developments of a couple notable manufacturers of induction lighting, and see a place in the high bay and outdoor space for this technology now. To be sure, the first cost is still higher than fluorescents, but the benefits of producing the same light output from a single lamp (as opposed to 3,4,6 or 8 lamps for linear T8/T5HO fluorescents) has caught the attention of several of our clients. Coupled with up to 100,000-hour lamp life, the ROI on these systems can rival fluorescents when accounting for total cost of ownership.

In the meantime, the fluorescent manufactures have not been idle. There are new higher efficiency lower wattage T-8s and T-5s that will make our fluorescent retrofits even more efficient and produce even higher returns.

It is without a doubt that “LIGHTFAIR International continues to evolve as the premier event for the lighting industry and as the world’s largest architectural and commercial lighting trade show and conference,” says Rochelle Burt, managing director of LIGHTFAIR International.

Aelux understands that the lighting industry is more dynamic than ever, and you can be certain that we will always be in the forefront of bringing our customers the best values possible. Contact an Aelux representative to learn how your business can achieve the highest ROI with a lighting retrofit project.

Source

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Commercial Building Tax Deduction

Thursday, June 3rd, 2010

To help stimulate job creation, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) and American Institute of Architects (AIA) renewed its call on Congress to extend the commercial building tax deduction.  They have announced an increase from $1.80 per square foot to $3.00 per square foot.  Due to the economic downfall since 2005 when the first deduction of $1.80 per square foot was enacted “the current economic crisis has reduced the amount of building design, construction, and renovations nationwide” (Source).

CEO Evan R. Gaddis, NEMA, stated “This tax incentive has proven record of success in supporting thousands of construction, electrical, design, contractor, and manufacturing jobs prior to the recession.  An increase is needed to address tight capital and other financing issues facing building owners.  This is the type of measure that fits with the outlines of President Obama’s jobs stimulus announcement on December 8, 2009”

To read a copy of the letter from NEMA it is available here

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LED Fluorescent Tubes

Thursday, May 13th, 2010

Increasingly becoming popular in recent news is the construction of “green” commercial buildings and green updates on already standing structures. One of the latest debates within green updates are the pros and cons of using LED fluorescent tubes.  In an article published by greentechenterprise compares LEDs to fluorescent tubes, here are four key specifications that should be reviewed:

  • Lumens – This is the unit of measurement for strength of light. Look for tubes with 1500 lumens or more.
  • Watts – This is a unit of measurement for power consumption. Four-foot LED tubes typically use 15 to 25 watts, while fluorescent tubes of this size use more than 30 watts.
  • Lifespan – This is how long the bulb will last. It’s measured in hours. 50,000 hours is common for LED tubes.
  • Color temperature – The temperature of the light is the color of the light. It is measured in units of absolute temperature, or Kelvin (K). 3000K is considered warm (redder), 4100K is considered neutral, and 5800 K is cool (bluer).

In addition to the four specifications listed above it is also important to consider: cost, heat ouput, efficiency, comfort & material.

What are your general thoughts on the debate over LED Fluorescent Tubes?

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