Reducing energy use in aging buildings is worth the investment

by Ralph Girondo | Mar 20, 2019 | Lighting Upgrades

Source: The Seattle Times   Date: March 19, 2019

By Stephanie Celt, Kerry Meade, and Nancy Hirsh   

Helping property owners refurbish and upgrade the energy efficiency of their buildings would save money, generate jobs and reduce carbon pollution.

The Washington Legislature can act now to improve the environment, grow good-paying jobs and save money. Those triple bottom-line benefits are all possible if the Clean Buildings for Washington Act (Second Substitute HB 1257) becomes law. That’s why our organizations — the NW Energy Coalition, the Northwest Energy Efficiency Council and the BlueGreen Alliance — enthusiastically support this effort.

In Washington, our buildings account for 27 percent of greenhouse-gas emissions. They are our fastest growing and second largest source of emissions — up 50 percent since 1990 — and commercial buildings make up approximately half of these emissions. Unlike cars, buildings last a long time and, without investment to address their energy use, they will continue to waste money and create unnecessary climate pollution.

Why you may need a lighting designer on your next project

by Ralph Girondo | Feb 22, 2019 | Lighting Upgrades

The Future of Smart Lighting from Dialight

by Ralph Girondo | Feb 12, 2019 | Lighting Upgrades

Source: Industry Today   1.24.19     By Luis Ramirez of Dialight

Comments:  Article adapted and condensed. Good article covering how LED fixtures are the perfect IOT backbone to reap not only savings but many other features to enhance productivity. Read more and full article link is below.

Industrial LED lighting has already proven to be a more energy efficient, low-maintenance lighting solution that out-performs and outlasts conventional lighting, especially in harsh industrial environments. By lowering energy use as much as 90 percent compared to legacy systems[1], LED systems help companies save thousands of dollars each year in electricity costs alone. And, with some of the most advanced models warranted to last a full 10 years, the reduced maintenance demand adds thousands more to the return on investment.

In addition to these bottom-line savings, smart industrial LEDs also have tremendous potential to offer broader benefits that impact production efficiency, sustainability and other metrics that can optimize overall facility performance both today and in the future. Here are just a few ways these fixtures of the future will enhance industrial performance.

1. Industrial LED fixtures provide a backbone for IIoT. Adoption of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technology is steadily growing across virtually every sector.
2. Industrial LEDs enhance sustainability. As the energy efficiency of industrial LED lighting systems improves, the impact of reduced pollution output contributes directly toward more sustainable operations.
3. Industrial LED fixtures will get better and cheaper. Conventional lighting systems haven’t seen a substantial technological improvement in a generation. The market has essentially stagnated when it comes to innovation, in large part because conventional HID systems like high-pressure sodium are plagued by delicate components and high heat output that cause frequent failures. As these performance enhancements evolve and LED lighting becomes more entrenched in industrial settings, the technology will become more affordable, making it accessible to a wider range of companies. You can read the full article at https://industrytoday.com/article/the-future-of-smart-led-lighting/. 

If you want more information or if you want assistance for a lighting upgrade at your facility, please contact me here on this site.

5 WAYS INDUSTRIAL LED LIGHTING CUTS ENERGY COSTS TODAY AND DOWN THE ROAD

by Ralph Girondo | Jan 10, 2019 | Lighting Upgrades

Source: Manufacturing.net       1.10.19         Article by Luis Ramirez, COO of Dialight

In honor of National Cut Your Energy Costs Day on Jan. 10, many consumers will add to their New Year’s Resolution list with a plan to reduce energy consumption and cost. While even small steps like lowering home thermostat temperature by one degree or covering drafty windows with plastic sheeting in the winter can make a big difference for individuals, these savings are pocket change in comparison to the massive energy savings potential that industrial facilities can see by taking their own relatively small step toward efficiency.

By simply modernizing their lighting fixtures with high-efficiency industrial LED lighting, companies can potentially cut their lighting energy consumption by as much as 80 to 90 percent over legacy systems like high-pressure sodium (HPS) and other high-intensity diode (HID) sources. With industrial lighting alone consuming some 58 terawatt hours of energy in the U.S. alone, switching to industrial LED lighting could cut that usage by 52 terawatt hours, saving enough energy to light 37 million homes.

With some 144 million industrial fixtures in use at 455,000 facilities in the U.S., switching to industrial LED fixtures could save American companies a combined total of $3.6 billion in energy cost each year. That’s in addition to the substantial savings reduced maintenance costs thanks to LED’s much longer useful life, which eliminates the frequent bulb changes common with HPS and other conventional lights for up to a decade or more.

How can switching to industrial LED fixtures have such a tremendous energy saving advantage? Here are five ways industrial LED lighting can cut energy costs today and for years down the road.

1. Up to 90 percent greater efficiency per fixture. Compared to electricity-hogging conventional HID systems, industrial LED fixtures sip energy. With some of the highest-efficiency LED systems now up to 90 percent more efficient¹ than equivalent output HPS lights, this dramatic reduction in energy use adds up fast when you consider that a single facility might have thousands of lights burning 24/7. Industrial lighting uses enough power to light a third of all homes in the U.S.², which means any reduction here can have a substantial impact on overall energy use.
2. Twice the light at half the energy. Because industrial LED fixtures deliver up to 60 percent more light output at the source, facilities get more lumens per watt with LEDs compared to HPS and other HID lighting. And, because LEDs can be configured to direct the light exactly where it’s needed—on the ground and other critical areas—this results in less wasted light on the walls, ceiling and other unnecessary areas, resulting in over 30 percent more delivered light. That means companies get more light where they need it, often with fewer fixtures, and more bang for their buck.
3. Smart controls add 50 percent more savings. Unlike HPS fixtures, which require an extended warmup period to come up to full output, LED fixtures are instant-on, delivering full output the moment the switch is flipped. This enables industrial LED fixtures to be equipped with smart controls, such as occupancy and daylight harvesting sensors, as well as programmed dimming and other configurable lighting schematics. This dramatically reduces burn time compared to HPS lights, which are often left burning 24/7 to avoid the warmup and can further cut energy use and cost by up to 50 percent per day.
4. Lower maintenance energy cost. Conventional HPS bulbs fail as often as every 24,000 hours and more frequently in high-vibration and other harsh environments, resulting in frequent change-out. This routine maintenance often requires the use of mechanical lifts, supplemental lighting and production shutdowns that can add to a facility’s energy costs. Because high-performance industrial LED fixtures can last more than 100,000 hours⁹, virtually eliminating lighting maintenance for up to 10 years or more, companies can avoid wasting the energy (and time and money) it takes to replace lamps.
5. Reducing pollution saves more money (and the planet). The cost savings associated with switching from HPS to LED lighting extend beyond the direct energy expenses. As more companies aim to reduce their carbon footprint, lowering energy consumption can also reduce the need to purchase carbon credits to offset their emissions. Meanwhile, disposal of conventional HPS bulbs (one of which contains enough mercury to poison an entire classroom of children) requires additional hazmat handling costs, which are eliminated by converting to LEDs. On the upside of the equation, sustainable operations are also good for business, with an estimated $1.2 trillion opportunity for brands that publicize their sustainable efforts.

With hundreds of millions of industrial fixtures in place, fewer than 90 percent of which are LED system, there is a tremendous opportunity for businesses to cut their energy costs by converting to industrial LED technology. Making the switch not only delivers an immediate drop in electricity use that generates a quick payback, but because of their long-life performance, the cost-saving benefits of LED fixtures continues to add up over time.

With a wider variety of fixtures now available at a cost that’s declined 80 percent in the last five years as the technology has matured, investing in high-performance, high-efficiency industrial LED fixtures can be one of the most effective ways for companies to cut energy costs as well as improve overall plant efficiency and sustainability.

Comments by Ralph:  Good article and points as the benefits to LED are many and now for all types of environments. What savings are you sitting on and how can we help you find out and capture them? Whether Interior or Exterior, local or all over the USA, I can help with Dialight and many other quality lines. FSG covers Product, Installation, Rebates, Recycling and more. If interested, you can reach me here on this site or at (267)370-1442.

Lighting Key to Enhancing Late-Day Freshness Perceptions

by Ralph Girondo | Jan 4, 2019 | Lighting Upgrades

Image above: The latest LED technology can enhance the just-picked quality of fresh produce, as at this Price Chopper Market Bistro location

Source:    Progressive Grocer  12/26/18      Article By Bill Plageman of Amerlux Lighting

A recent study by the Retail Feedback Group had some bad news for grocers: Shopper satisfaction with supermarkets drops between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Ratings were down in several categories, including quality/freshness, cleanliness and value for money. Since these are the prime shopping hours for supermarkets, this is a problem.

But there’s a way to combat these negative afternoon perceptions, and it’s all in how grocers present fresh food. When customers buy produce or meat or fish, they want the merchandise to be bursting with freshness, exuding a “just-picked” appearance.

The key to communicating the language of fresh is color. Vibrant hues signal freshness and light is the best way to highlight color.

Getting the right light on food is crucial to delivering the message of fresh.

LET THERE BE LED LIGHTING

Modern LED lighting can make food look like it’s just been picked that very day. Things tend to look best in natural sunlight, and fresh food is no exception. We grow up looking at sunlight, and it’s our reference point for what good light looks like. Until now, there hasn’t been a lighting solution that could emulate the sun’s natural tones without degrading fresh food by emitting heat.

Older light technologies, such as halogen lamps, had a very warm-toned light – similar to the golden light of sunset – and would project heat and UV rays onto the merchandise. That heat would ripen fruits quickly and wilt lettuce. Staff members had to turn produce over throughout the day to protect it from the heat and UV rays from older lights. With modern LEDs, stores no longer need to hire someone to turn potatoes over so they don’t turn green.

Many supermarkets have upgraded from older halogen and ceramic metal halide lamps, but for those that haven’t, there’s never been a better time than now to make the switch. Modernizing your stores to LEDs can improve how your produce looks, as well as deliver huge energy savings.

The average 50,000-square-foot supermarket racks up more than $200,000 in energy bills annually, according to EnergyStar.gov. Since most of that expense accounts for refrigeration and lighting, energy savings from LEDs can be quite significant when operating on razor-thin margins. LEDs can reduce energy costs by up to 80 percent, compared with conventional lighting.

Newer lighting technologies fixed the heat projection problems, but didn’t master color quality, with fresh food looking flat under metal halide, fluorescent and early-generation LED lights.

Modernizing your stores to LEDs can improve how your produce looks, as well as deliver huge energy savings.

MAXIMIZE THE POWER OF THE PERIMETER

With modern LED technology, however, you can finally bring the sun into your store. The natural colors of fresh food shine under LEDs. With the lights’ outstanding color-rendering abilities, fresh food looks like it was just picked when placed under LEDs.

Light falls on a spectrum, and conventional light sources emit light at fixed points along the spectrum. Since LEDs are made from electronics, they can be tuned to showcase the natural colors in fresh foods, which older light sources can’t.

For greater visual appeal, LEDs can bring out the reds in meat, emphasize the farmers’-market appearance of fruit and vegetables, and highlight the cool silver scales of fresh-caught fish. The right lights don’t change the colors of fresh food. However, they show the food’s natural colors and highlight the freshness of the product. This enhances your shoppers’ perceptions of fresh and can counteract the late-day slump identified in the Retailers Feedback Group survey.

Your perimeter aisles house your high-margin fresh food departments. Maximize the power of your perimeter with lighting that showcases the natural colors of your fresh food products with the right LED lighting.

Comments from Ralph Girondo, LC, CLMC: With the right blend of LED fixtures, lamps, and tubes you can achieve the fresh, natural colors for all your meats, dairy, and produce displays.  Contact me for help and assistance with Amerlux and many other lamp and fixture lines. Layouts, cost comparisons,  mockups, installation, and great pricing are all available. Reach out here on my site or at ralph.girondo@fsgi.com