As the public sector becomes much more concerned about the cost and sustainability of energy in general, energy efficient lighting has a major point of focus in our industry. Since much of this technology is still very new and continually evolving (as in the case with LED and Induction), explaining the technical dynamics of new luminaires to your clients may not be the best way to sell them on the idea of an upgrade. Since engineers are constantly coming up with new ways to conserve power and extend lamp life, and since new ways of producing light itself are still emerging, it is best to talk about the general benefits that an upgrade will bring to organizations regardless of the actual fixtures and lamps ultimately chosen for the new system. The following summary represents the top five benefits that clients can expect from energy efficient lighting.
Energy efficient lighting uses less electricity.
This is probably the first benefit that comes to everyone’s mind when they consider upgrading to energy efficient lighting. Rising fuel costs have had an effect on the cost of power in general, and reducing expenditures even by a marginal amount helps buffer any organization against the problematics of an unstable economy. Now is the best time to take stock of all indoor and outdoor luminaires and make a qualitative assessment of their long term value. If more energy efficient lights can be substituted in their place, then savings on power bills will pay for the fixtures in a few short years.
Energy efficient lighting minimizes replacement costs.
Light fixtures eventually wear out because of thermal stress on the components. The less electricity a fixture uses, the less heat it will generate during use. This works to prolong the life of the bulb and minimize replacement costs. When you encounter clients that know they need to upgrade to energy efficient lights, but fear the budgetary hit the expenditure may cause, remind them that this is not something they will need to do again for a considerable amount of time. The money saved on continual maintenance and/or replacement is yet another revenue stream that brings ROI on the equipment investment.
Energy efficient light fixtures are more environmentally friendly.
It has been estimated that buildings with inefficient lighting systems contribute 40% of the world’s greenhouse gases. A great deal of this pollution is the result of outdated incandescent technology that has already been banned in some places like California. Replacing all incandescent luminaires with energy efficient equivalents significantly contributes to the reduction of CO2 emissions. Imagine the positive impact that a nationwide retrofit would have on the global environment. Companies should consider the many advantages that a more sustainable and environmentally friendly public image will bring to their branding and marketing efforts.
Energy efficient lighting is essential to LEED certification.
Companies are starting to take LEED certification very seriously. Power conservation is becoming a top priority for new building construction, and is much easier to accomplish when designing the building with LEED certification in mind. Companies in existing buildings, however, may be facing more of a challenge. Older architectural styles, wiring systems, and incandescent lighting were intended for today’s power management demands. Remodeling such a facility can represent an enormous expense. Energy efficient lights may not provide all the necessary points for a LEED certificate in such places, but they will greatly improve the organizations budget and possibly help pay for further remodeling down the line.
Energy efficient lighting helps avoid conflict with lighting regulatory codes.
Lighting regulations vary from city to city throughout the United States. Currently, most codes are focused on dark sky conditions and light pollution reduction. The safety hazards caused by excessive glare are also something that lighting codes often address. In some parts of the country, energy efficient lighting is required under regulatory codes as part of a more comprehensive community push toward sustainability. In other places such as California, state legislation has now stepped in to make power conservation and environmental sustainability a top priority.
While there is currently no nationwide standard for regulating energy efficient lighting, we have reason to believe one may be created in the near future with increasing public demand for a comprehensive, national energy policy.
When that day comes, your client will already be equipped with the best possible technology for conservation of resources and funding.
We offer consultative lighting design services to clients and photometric analysis of any facility you wish to have scientifically analyzed prior to drafting your proposal.
Tags: Leeds, Lighting
#1 by jimmygodpage on June 20, 2010 - 7:32 am
Dude,
Buy a whole bunch (bags) of these little white candles. Each is round, has it's own aluminum base. We do this with our terrace…you can line then along edges of the balconey, ledges etc. Very Euro trendy and cheap. As for music…just get a smal techno "bro box". You don't need to blast loudly .
#2 by ultra _ girl on June 20, 2010 - 7:41 am
I have a motion activated light by my back garage door. I installed lights on top of my patio cover that I can turn on if someone is on the hillside above my home. I have landscape lights in front, back and both sides. I use the spot lights to highlight recessed corners and the fence. I made it look like the spotlights on the fence are highlighting some decorative items I hung on it, but it is really so that burglars know they cannot get over the fence without being seen. I also keep the trees and bushes pruned under the height of the windows so that they do not provide an obscurity that criminals could use to enter. A very bright motion detecting light above the garage door not only gives visitors light to get up to the front entry, but discourages criminals from messing with cars in the drive. Finally, I replaced the fixtures the builder provided at the front entry because they could not accomodate a bright enough bulb to illuminate the entire front walk and porch.
Inside my home, I have lights on timers in several rooms so that it always looks like someone is home somewhere in the house. I set them to go off at different times so it also looks like there is more than one person home, but randomly enough that there is no regular schedule. I also make certain that neither mine, nor my neighbors, newspapers, ad circulars or any other stuff, accumulates so that no one knows when any of us are out of town. We rarely leave our garage doors open, even when we are mowing the lawn. We've had a lot of petty theft of tools, CDs out of cars, stored items in garages, in broad daylight. I think theives scope out the garages, pick out what they are after, get in and out in a flash.
#3 by Joseph0007 on June 20, 2010 - 2:27 pm
The sun.
#4 by Bunny on June 20, 2010 - 7:11 pm
Okay. Go to Wal*Mart. Go to the sports and such section. Buy a bb gun. Buy bb's. Go home. Wait till night-time. Load bb's in gun. Shoot bb's at the lights. Run away. Claim complete innocence if confronted.
Or you could always just ask them to tone it down a little. Call them on the phone if you don't like confrontation.
#5 by kitjhanna@sbcglobal.net on June 21, 2010 - 4:54 am
Looping the wiring means connect both ends of the wiring together….ex: you have a 20ft wire….you connect one end to the transformer and tape up the other end,or bury it etc. so instead of tape it or burying it run the end back to the transformer so you have a "loop" or closed circuit. However if the lights keep cycling on and off it means that the transformer is overloaded. a quick fix is basically just add 1 or 2 more lights to lower the voltage going back into the transformer.
#6 by lights on June 21, 2010 - 3:18 pm
Those enclosures are supposed to be designed with temperature
control as a factor.
Just some W.A.G.s.:
Is this a 'refit from M.V'. situation?
(A step down in Wattage might be indicated.)
Are there any blocked cooling passages/vents?
Is airflow around the ballast compartment restricted?
Are the fixtures hard against the inside of a precast 'pan'?
(Sometimes even a short stand-off nipple can give you some
more space for convective flow.)
#7 by movielovers33 on June 21, 2010 - 9:29 pm
Yes go to your local electrician and ask for nolox. This is used to stop corrosion caused by the outside elements and the corosive effects of copper on aluminum. This will help a little with the warping effects of heat. If that doesnt work get a refund.
#8 by hannibalNclarice on June 22, 2010 - 2:34 pm
I have not seen one in a long time. Check at Lowes? home depot? Another thing you could do is when the light is replaced have an outlet wired into the light circuit in the wall, it should not be very difficult for an electrician
#9 by jcueland on June 22, 2010 - 9:04 pm
with out testing it my guess is there is more wrong then the transformer. a transformer is wires rapped around a core. if it was bad you should get nothing. the motor on the timer is good that's why it works. however, just because the timer turns doesn't mean the electricity is going through it. you may find it would be cheaper to replace it rather than to buy the parts to repair it, if you can even find any. some where there must be some electronic components that are damaged. although the challenge to fix it is compelling, i think you will be happier in the long run if you replace it. lots of luck. p.s. if it were me i would replace it and take the challenge of trying to repair the old one, just for personal satisfaction.