As much as I don’t like it, lighting retrofit projects have to compete for corporate funds just like all other projects.  If it was up to me, lighting retrofits would just be given the green light and prioritized above all other capital requests, and corporations large and small would come flocking to RelightDepot for their energy efficient lighting needs.  In the real world, project sponsors have to justify why they want to spend money on new lights if the existing ones work just fine.  The most common way to do that is by building a business case that includes a return on investment (ROI) and a simple payback calculation.  In this article, I’ll walk you through the simple math that will help you prove that the money spent on a lighting retrofit is money well spent.

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Prior to the late 1970′s, ballast manufacturers used a group of compounds called polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, to insulate and cool the inner components in certain electrical products. One common application was to cool the internal capacitor of fluorescent lamp ballasts. These components contained a small amount of PCB oil and most of it is typically absorbed by several layers of paper within the device. Since these compounds were found to be health hazards and were linked to the development of certain cancers, they were prohibited by the US Congress in 1979. The risk of PCB leakage is quite low, however anyone considering a lighting retrofit project, or involved in these types of projects routinely, must understand how to determine if a ballast contains PCBs and what to do if it does. Read the rest of this entry »

All commercial and industrial customers of West Penn Power can now apply to the Non-Standard Lighting for Business Program to receive cash incentives for energy efficient lighting projects. Eligible customers include schools, local governments, institutions, not-for-profits, private businesses, industrial firms, or any other non-residential facility in the West Penn Power territory.

The Non-Standard-Lighting for Business Program provides cash incentives for energy efficient lighting projects, both new construction and retrofit. Equipment must be installed after October 28, 2009 to receive incentives. That means even completed projects with eligible equipment can apply to receive cash back. Incentives available through the Non-Standard-Lighting for Business Program include per-unit incentives as well as performance-based incentives:

• Compact fluorescent lamps, – $1/screw-in lamp or $15/hardwired lamp
• LED exit signs (retrofit only, double or single sided) – $15/sign
• Occupancy sensors – $25/sensor
• Daylighting photosensors – $25/sensor
• All other energy-saving lighting products or technologies are performance-based, and are incentivized at $0.05 per kWh saved. All equipment installed must be code compliant.

RelightDepot can help you with all of the required paperwork and ensure that your application conforms to the program requirements.  For more information, don’t hesitate to contact us or visit the EnergySavePA website.

• Lessons from New England energy efficiency study (http://bit.ly/g3Zndd can be applied to all states, via @seth_leitman http://bit.ly/gjzjVj #
• A Plan for 100% Renewable Energy by 2050 (http://bit.ly/fREgnr w/ half coming from energy efficiency is generating a lot of great comments. #
• LA remains in first place for the third year in EPA’s list of cities with the most Energy Star certified buildings http://1.usa.gov/gJaR6r #
• Siemens to spin out Osram to focus on energy efficient lighting under new leadership http://bit.ly/hTJvzY #
• You can be “America’s Next Top Energy Innovator” and license US National Labs patents for $1,000 each. http://1.usa.gov/g5UyRM #
• @Ecoalign study finds “Americans Ready to Move Away from Traditional Bulbs to More Energy Efficient Lighting Options” http://bit.ly/h5v6IM #
• Did you know 24/7 distribution centers can save $236 PER FIXTURE by changing old metal halide lighting to new 4 lamp T5HO fixtures? #
• Lake Worth Municipal Utilities offers up to $1000 rebate for energy efficient lighting upgrades. Forms online here: http://bit.ly/eQ2ixX #
• North Carolina has announced multiple lighting retrofit projects open for bids http://bit.ly/hyHO8b – Let us know how we can help you win! #
• City of Newton, NC, looking for bids to replace or retrofit 750 light fixtures with more energy efficient option. See http://bit.ly/gMitZS #
• US at top worldwide in energy efficiency innovation investment | The Daily Energy Report http://bit.ly/gqBHJh #
• Earn LEED credits & be certain you are getting the most of out of your system by installing an energy monitoring system http://bit.ly/eVV3Im #
• RecycleMatch sounds like a great resource for those old light fixtures you may be trying to get rid of. Check them out http://bit.ly/fiIsjF #
• @LindaLongo Thanks for the RT! #FF #
• Part 1 of Craig DiLouie’s summary of ASHRAE’s new 90.1-2010 model energy code via @ltgcontrols http://bit.ly/gKJfwT #
• “Lighting means more than simply meeting a basic number of footcandles across the working plane.” http://bit.ly/hUqgbP @Jamesbedell #
• US DOE to host High Efficiency Parking Structure Lighting Specification webinar on Fri May 6. Register here: http://1.usa.gov/ldEgCA #

I’m sure you’ve realized by now that in order to calculate the return on investment for a new lighting system, you’re going to have to know how much energy your new fixtures will save you.  In order to know that, you’re going to have to have an idea of total wattage the existing fixtures you have are consuming.  You could dismantle a sample of the fixture and read the specs for the ballast and lamps you have, but that can be tedious and very time consuming.  Another option is to use a standardized system wattage table that provides a very good rough estimate on the total system watts for your old lamps and ballasts.  The following list includes some of the most common fixtures you’ll encounter while doing energy audits and it provides the total watts that these fixtures draw.

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President Obama is proposing new efforts to improve energy efficiency in commercial buildings across the country. Last year, commercial buildings consumed roughly 20 percent of all energy in the U.S. economy. Improving energy efficiency in our buildings can create jobs, save money, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and make our air cleaner. The President’s Better Buildings Initiative will make commercial buildings 20 percent more energy efficient over the next decade by catalyzing private sector investment through a series of incentives to upgrade offices, stores, schools and other municipal buildings, universities, hospitals, and other commercial buildings. This initiative builds on our investments through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), and our continued commitment to passing the President’s proposed “HOMESTAR” legislation to encourage American families to make energy saving upgrades in their homes.

• Achieve a 20 percent improvement in energy efficiency by 2020: Under the President’s plan, by 2020, we will make commercial building space in the United States 20 percent more energy efficient through cost-effective upgrades.
• Reduce companies’ and business owners’ energy bills by about $40 billion per year: By making buildings more energy efficient we will save business owners money by reducing their energy bills by about $40 billion at today’s prices. That money that can be put to better use hiring more workers, inventing new products, and creating shareholder value.
• Save energy by reforming outdated incentives and challenging the private sector to act: The President is calling for an aggressive reform of existing tax and other incentives for commercial building retrofits and proposing a new competitive grant program. In turn, he is asking corporate leaders to commit to making progress toward his energy goals.

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It’s February and Ameren Illinois’ Act On Energy ® program is offering a sweet deal!  For all new applications submitted from February 14th through March 31st of 2011 that include electric measures, an additional 15% cash bonus will be added on top of the incentive.  This could improve your project’s ROI and increase your incentives for high bay lighting replacements and other non-T12 retrofits.  Since the T12 lighting phase-out program already pays a 10% bonus, T12 measures are not eligible for this 15% bonus.  The current 10% bonus for T12 lighting upgrades offers the best incentives for T12 replacements that will be offered for the duration of this program.

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• EERE News: DOE to Offer LED Lighting Workshop in Dallas http://bit.ly/bPhuTy #
• Lowe-Martin Group gets kudos for reducing environmental footprint http://bit.ly/cMgYRm The T5 lighting retrofit identified as key component. #
• NYSEG and RG&E Offering Rebates to Encourage Commercial and Industrial Customers to Become More Energy Efficient – http://bit.ly/d46GTj #
• Leviton introduces Zipline integrated ballast and lamp holder system for 32/30/28W T8-based fixtures to lower mfg cost. http://bit.ly/9jfW4Z #
• Photosynthesis depends on quantum entanglement say Berkeley scientist http://bit.ly/dsAc4H This type of research is mind-blowing. #
• CPS Energy in Texas pays $75/ea to replace up to 50 400W metal halide high bays with 4,5 or 6 lamp T5HO high bay http://bit.ly/9zAsoD #
• LEDs Magazine – Research reveals lighting controls can reduce commercial building energy consumption 35% – 55 %. http://tinyurl.com/2wnrg6u #
• Incentives to Ditch Magnetic T12 Ballasts http://tinyurl.com/29gvqg4 #
• Rebound in Energy Efficiency Spending Predicted by New Research @LightNOWblog http://tinyurl.com/2dmzzwv #
• GE introduces a new Low-watt High-output T5 Lamp http://tinyurl.com/2cng9pt #
• LEDs Magazine – Research reveals lighting controls can reduce commercial building energy consumption 35% – 55 %.
  http://tinyurl.com/2wnrg6u #
• Incentives to Ditch Magnetic T12 Ballasts http://tinyurl.com/29gvqg4 #
• Rebound in Energy Efficiency Spending Predicted by New Research @LightNOWblog http://tinyurl.com/2dmzzwv #

• Lincoln Electric System's funds for energy efficiency rebates were tapped out after first three months of applications. http://bit.ly/agwRfp #
• Ameren IL Utilities Act On Energy rebate program goals for 3 years grow to 115,000,000 kWh savings with budget of $10.7M. #
• @Jamesbedell I wish I was at #lightfair also! Know of any good sources of what's going on at the show floor? in reply to Jamesbedell #
• @Jamesbedell I say we decide My vote is for #lightfair Other one has some noise on it and not enough use yet. What do you think? in reply to Jamesbedell #
• @lightNOWblog are you going to be reporting from #lightfair this week? @Jamesbedell and Inquiring Minds (mostly me) want to know. #
• @advantageltg Thanks for the pic! How many lighting companies will try to sell more efficient lighting to the LV conv. center this week? in reply to advantageltg #
• Dominion VA Power pays $61 to replace a 400W HID with a 4 lamp T5HO high bay. Program details at http://bit.ly/dhXmw4 or RelightDepot.com #

• Congrats to @LightNOWBlog for a great article just published on Electrical Contractor magazine (@ECMagdotcom) http://bit.ly/cWOKlj #