Welcome to the February 2011
issue of ENERGY MONTHLY
In this issue...
Introduction
February is coming to an end and with it, hopefully, the end of winter. This has been a tough season in the East and mid-west, with heavy snow and colder than normal temperatures. I won’t get involved in the global warming debate, but I know our customers are pleased with the fact that they are doing their share to help reduce carbon emissions. Over the last year Aelux lighting projects have had the same impact as planting tens of thousands of trees, and removing thousands of cars from the roads. This won’t solve the problem, but it certainly helps.
Along with Spring comes baseball and the Phillies. The thought of our “4 Aces” pitching rotation has helped me get through some of these long Winter days.
With the better weather we are putting added emphasis on some of our new outdoor lighting solutions. LEDs aren’t yet ready to become a dominant player in the indoor lighting world, but they are developing good position in outdoor lighting because other efficient technologies have too many drawbacks. Our research team is continuing to do exhaustive investigation on all new LED solutions and you can be assured that when we have identified the best choices our customers will hear about it.
Skip Pasternak
President, Aelux
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Lighting Insight: Improving Your Light Levels
The efficiency of your lighting system is not only determined by the type of lighting fixtures installed, but the surface reflectance for the room. Believe it or not, “If light is not absorbed by a surface, it is reflected or transmitted to other surfaces.” “…They can also increase light levels and perception of brightness” (Source). Determining the space dimension and reflectance is referred to as the coefficient of utilization (CU). When choosing proper lighting fixtures the CU is often considered, in fact fixture manufacturers publish CU tables for their products (Source).
Ideal Surface Finishes
- Avoid dark surfaces (not only the walls, but consider furniture as well)
- White or lighter pastels
- Matte surface vs specular (glossy)
In a room that has had the surface reflectance considered, the upgraded lighting equipment will offer optimum lighting and energy savings for the future.
Taking Control for a Brighter Future
As we all look to the light at the end of the tunnel, the cultural shift toward simplicity, greater sustainability and environmental responsibility is becoming more apparent. We must take control of our long-term budgets by investing in energy saving practices, and realizing the trend toward modern advancements in energy efficiency.
Whether you visit our website, or read our monthly lighting newsletters, you will always hear us talking about lighting retrofits—replacing T12’s with T8 or high-output T5’s—fixture talk, but when you take a closer look and read some of our case studies, it becomes obvious that many companies are realizing the greatest return on investment through energy management lighting controls.
Industry experts say demand is increasing for simple lighting control upgrade options, both in interest and in actual projects, and the trend will only continue to grow. The combination of rebates, tax credits and energy savings dramatically shorten the return-on-investment time, making installation of lighting controls a very affordable option.
Craig DiLouie, education director for the Lighting Controls Association, said that perhaps the greatest driver is energy management. The New Buildings Institute reports that advanced lighting controls can generate up to 50 percent energy savings in existing buildings. For example, DiLouie said, a simple automatic shutoff is one of the most simple, if not the most significant and low-risk, strategies to generate energy savings.
Selecting the right lighting retrofit partner is important, especially when you only want to spend labor money once. While upgrading lighting fixtures, ballasts and lamps to high-efficiency systems, the labor that upgrades fixtures or ballasts can add lighting controls during the same project.
Fortunately, all commercial building types can benefit from lighting upgrades. Lighting improvements, DiLouie said, are typically driven by lamp, ballast or fixture replacement, with controls increasingly being incorporated into the solution to accelerate energy savings.
Sparking Vision Awareness
In February we think of hearts, and take time to recognize American Heart Month, and often we neglect one of the most important things in front of us—or rather what helps us see in front of us—our eyes.
February marks Low Vision Awareness Month, and eye health awareness carried into March as we celebrate Workplace Eye Wellness Month. As the workforce continues to age, our organizations must do everything we can to help protect our employees sight.
Between 80 and 85 percent of our impressions of the world are visual. Light makes sight: vision requires a functioning human eye and light. Perception, however, depends on how a space is lighted. And perception, as they say, is reality. With Americans spending an average of 80 percent of their time indoors, most lighting is therefore electric--created, designed and controlled by humans.
By providing the best lighting design to support human interaction with the visual environment, we can support the goals of the space, including worker productivity, retail sales, occupant satisfaction, safety, security, reduced absenteeism, greater competitiveness in leasing--in short, turning good lighting into profit.
Meet the Team: Scott Kaplan
Scott is one of the newest members of the Aelux Team. He graduated from the University of Delaware with a degree in Management Information Systems, and a concentration in Marketing. Scott is working with both the Sales and Operations teams. He is being trained to perform surveys for potential clients, generate lighting solutions, administer rebates and tax breaks, and manage installation projects. Regardless of what is needed, in true full- turnkey fashion, Scott is your man.
In his spare time, Scott enjoys maintaining an active lifestyle and spending time with friends. The only thing that surpasses his solid work ethic and enjoyment of physical activity is his passion for all Philadelphia sports teams.
Scott Kaplan
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