Darden Restaurants, owner of Red Lobster and Olive Garden banners among others, said Monday that its Red Lobster restaurant in Centerview, San Antonio, is one of the company’s first to receive sustainability recognition.
The restaurant was awarded Silver certification for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for New Construction from the U.S. Green Building Council.
The 7,029-sq.-ft. restaurant, which opened in March, features a number of sustainable design elements, including recycled building materials, increased use of natural light, and energy-efficient equipment and fixtures, including low-flow water nozzles in the kitchen and low-flow faucets in the restrooms, new LED parking lot light bulbs and low-wattage energy-efficient light bulbs, and heat recovery tanks that allow the capture of heat generated from the freezer/cooler compressors to aid in supplemental heating of hot water.
The effort is part of Darden Restaurant's Sustainable Restaurant Design initiative, which aims to reduce energy and water use in 1,800 restaurants by 15% by the year 2015.
Red Lobster, part of Darden Restaurants has nearly 700 locations across North America. Darden restaurant brands also include Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, The Capital Grille, Bahama Breeze and Seasons 52.
Redbird LED Offers LED Retrofits at Lower Pricing
The energy savings numbers of using LED lights has been obvious for a number of years but the initial costs have hindered the growth of the LED Retrofit market. That has changed with a new line up of LED Tube Lights from Atlanta based Redbird LED. They have carefully designed and manufactured a superior quality lights that are priced lower than most competitors. For more information please visit their LED Retrofit website.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
MGM Wins Green Awards for 12 Resorts
The Green Key Eco-Rating Program, the largest international program evaluating sustainable hotel operations, has awarded twelve MGM Resorts International properties a distinguished Green Key designation for “green” business operations.
The resorts are the first in Nevada and Michigan to receive Green Key ratings, which are designed specifically for evaluating commitment to sustainable “green” operations in the hospitality industry. Green Key evaluates hotels on a scale of one to five Keys, with five Keys being the highest ranking. Results are based on a comprehensive evaluation of the hotel’s sustainability efforts.
“This is the first time that our operations have been placed under this kind of microscope and the first time that our Company’s everyday commitment to ‘green’ practices have been formally validated,” said Cindy Ortega, Senior Vice President of Energy and Environmental Services for MGM Resorts International. “We see this rating as quite an accomplishment, as it acknowledges our Company’s commitment to sustainability, while allowing guests the ability to let environmental stewardship play a role in selecting a hotel when they travel. Ratings like Green Key offer real confidence in those choices.”
The MGM Resorts International properties earning “5 Keys” are ARIA and Vdara at CityCenter. “4 Keys” designations went to: Bellagio, Excalibur, Luxor, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand Las Vegas, The Mirage, Monte Carlo, New York-New York and MGM Grand Detroit. Circus Circus Las Vegas earned a “3 Keys” designation.
Following the philosophy of Conserve Today, Protect Tomorrow, MGM Resorts’ approach to sustainability focuses on five goals – natural resources conservation, sustainable construction and renovation, waste management, sustainable procurement, and communication and education. This strategic framework of raising environmental awareness and promoting sustainability forms the platform from which MGM Resorts is fundamentally changing the way its properties do business.
Through its innovative efforts in 2009, MGM Resorts’ properties diverted more than 20,000 tons of material from landfills. Content ranged from thousands of wine corks, to hundreds of gallons of hydraulic oil used by the high-tech, revolving stage in the MGM Grand’s KÀ Theater. The Company also makes significant contributions in more mainstream recycling efforts and represents about 21 percent of the glass recycled in Clark County, Nevada.
Other recent initiatives at MGM Resorts International include retrofitting lighting with energy-saving fixtures, implementation of Variable Frequency Drives which conserve energy, upgrading boilers to more efficient models, landscaping with drought-tolerant plants and installing water-saving, low-flow plumbing fixtures.
About Green Key
The Green Key Eco-Rating Program is the first of its kind to rank, certify and inspect hotels and resorts in North America based on their commitment to sustainable “green” operations. The program was originally developed for the Hotel Association of Canada by a leading environmental engineering firm. Designed specifically for hotel operations, the Green Key Eco-Rating Program is a comprehensive environmental audit that will allow each participating property to benefit on several fronts – cost savings, increased bookings from environmentally conscious consumers and meeting planners and responsible corporate citizenry. In the United States Green Key is a joint partnership between the Hotel Association of Canada and LRA Worldwide, Inc.; for more information, visit www.GreenKeyGlobal.com.
Redbird LED Offers LED Retrofits at Lower Pricing
The energy savings numbers of using LED lights has been obvious for a number of years but the initial costs have hindered the growth of the LED Retrofit market. That has changed with a new line up of LED Tube Lights from Atlanta based Redbird LED. They have carefully designed and manufactured a superior quality lights that are priced lower than most competitors. For more information please visit their LED Retrofit website.
The resorts are the first in Nevada and Michigan to receive Green Key ratings, which are designed specifically for evaluating commitment to sustainable “green” operations in the hospitality industry. Green Key evaluates hotels on a scale of one to five Keys, with five Keys being the highest ranking. Results are based on a comprehensive evaluation of the hotel’s sustainability efforts.
“This is the first time that our operations have been placed under this kind of microscope and the first time that our Company’s everyday commitment to ‘green’ practices have been formally validated,” said Cindy Ortega, Senior Vice President of Energy and Environmental Services for MGM Resorts International. “We see this rating as quite an accomplishment, as it acknowledges our Company’s commitment to sustainability, while allowing guests the ability to let environmental stewardship play a role in selecting a hotel when they travel. Ratings like Green Key offer real confidence in those choices.”
The MGM Resorts International properties earning “5 Keys” are ARIA and Vdara at CityCenter. “4 Keys” designations went to: Bellagio, Excalibur, Luxor, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand Las Vegas, The Mirage, Monte Carlo, New York-New York and MGM Grand Detroit. Circus Circus Las Vegas earned a “3 Keys” designation.
Following the philosophy of Conserve Today, Protect Tomorrow, MGM Resorts’ approach to sustainability focuses on five goals – natural resources conservation, sustainable construction and renovation, waste management, sustainable procurement, and communication and education. This strategic framework of raising environmental awareness and promoting sustainability forms the platform from which MGM Resorts is fundamentally changing the way its properties do business.
Through its innovative efforts in 2009, MGM Resorts’ properties diverted more than 20,000 tons of material from landfills. Content ranged from thousands of wine corks, to hundreds of gallons of hydraulic oil used by the high-tech, revolving stage in the MGM Grand’s KÀ Theater. The Company also makes significant contributions in more mainstream recycling efforts and represents about 21 percent of the glass recycled in Clark County, Nevada.
Other recent initiatives at MGM Resorts International include retrofitting lighting with energy-saving fixtures, implementation of Variable Frequency Drives which conserve energy, upgrading boilers to more efficient models, landscaping with drought-tolerant plants and installing water-saving, low-flow plumbing fixtures.
About Green Key
The Green Key Eco-Rating Program is the first of its kind to rank, certify and inspect hotels and resorts in North America based on their commitment to sustainable “green” operations. The program was originally developed for the Hotel Association of Canada by a leading environmental engineering firm. Designed specifically for hotel operations, the Green Key Eco-Rating Program is a comprehensive environmental audit that will allow each participating property to benefit on several fronts – cost savings, increased bookings from environmentally conscious consumers and meeting planners and responsible corporate citizenry. In the United States Green Key is a joint partnership between the Hotel Association of Canada and LRA Worldwide, Inc.; for more information, visit www.GreenKeyGlobal.com.
Redbird LED Offers LED Retrofits at Lower Pricing
The energy savings numbers of using LED lights has been obvious for a number of years but the initial costs have hindered the growth of the LED Retrofit market. That has changed with a new line up of LED Tube Lights from Atlanta based Redbird LED. They have carefully designed and manufactured a superior quality lights that are priced lower than most competitors. For more information please visit their LED Retrofit website.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Office Depot In Austin Opens LEED CI Registered Store
In Austin, Texas Home Depot® has opened its first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Commercial Interiors (CI) registered store. Office Depot expects the store to be certified a few months after opening.Through LEED for Commercial Interiors, Office Depot is able to integrate environmentally friendly attributes into its stores’ preexisting shells. Beginning with the Austin store, all new and relocated North American Office Depot retail locations will receive LEED CI certification, including 14 stores planned for 2010.
“Office Depot is at the forefront of corporate environmental sustainability,” said Kevin Peters, President of North American Retail for Office Depot. “And LEED CI is a step forward in our expanded effort to grow greener.”According to Peters, Office Depot aims to continue the success of its LEED Gold certified store which opened in 2008. The store, also located in Austin, Texas, made Office Depot the first retailer to receive LEED Gold Certification on a store prototype. Among its many benefits, the LEED Gold store lowers carbon emissions by 23 percent and is about 15 percent more energy efficient (per square foot) than other Office Depot retail locations in Austin.
“As a leader in green initiatives, Office Depot is focused on improving the environmental performance of our suppliers, our customers and ourselves,” said Yalmaz Siddiqui, Director of Environmental Strategy for Office Depot. “We take our role very seriously and hope that our commitment to ‘green’ all new stores has a positive impact on the communities they serve.”
Office Depot LEED CI Green Store Highlights
Features of all new Office Depot LEED for Commercial Interiors certified stores will include:
* Skylights (where applicable) to harvest daylight for 90% of the store.
* Reflective roof, which features a membrane that helps to prevent absorption of the heat from the sun and keeps the interior of the store much cooler.
* Energy Star rated HVAC equipment, which exceeds the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) standards.
* T5 energy-efficient lighting, which is over 30% more efficient than typical retail lighting and will contribute to a more than 20% reduction in energy use.
* Daylight and occupancy sensors, which reduce energy use.
* Water conservation interior fixtures, including tankless instant hot water heaters, low flush toilets, low flow urinals and automatic shutoff sensors in restrooms that will use over 30% less water than the typical facility.
* Construction waste that will be recycled when waste recycling is available.
* Construction materials that consist of at least 10% recycled content.
* Wood, 50% of which will come from Forest Stewardship Council certified sources.
* Interior finishes made up of low VOC emitting materials and finishes.
* Green Power purchases to supplement electrical use.
* Energy Management Systems that allow tracking of energy usage and trends from one central location.
* 100% Energy Star rated building equipment and appliances.
* Office supplies, technology and furniture featuring a range of green attributes, including recycled content, remanufactured, Energy Star rated and non-toxic.
* An in-store recycling center with environmental solutions including Office Depot Ink and Toner Cartridge Recycling, Tech Recycling Service and Cell Phone and Rechargeable Battery Recycling.
* Preferred parking designated for low-emitting, fuel-efficient vehicles and carpooling.
For more information on Office Depot’s environmental initiatives please visit: www.officedepot.com/environment.
Redbird LED Offers LED Retrofits at Lower Pricing
The energy savings numbers of using LED lights has been obvious for a number of years but the initial costs have hindered the growth of the LED Retrofit market. That has changed with a new line up of LED Tube Lights from Atlanta based Redbird LED. They have carefully designed and manufactured a superior quality lights that are priced lower than most competitors. For more information please visit their LED Retrofit website.
“Office Depot is at the forefront of corporate environmental sustainability,” said Kevin Peters, President of North American Retail for Office Depot. “And LEED CI is a step forward in our expanded effort to grow greener.”According to Peters, Office Depot aims to continue the success of its LEED Gold certified store which opened in 2008. The store, also located in Austin, Texas, made Office Depot the first retailer to receive LEED Gold Certification on a store prototype. Among its many benefits, the LEED Gold store lowers carbon emissions by 23 percent and is about 15 percent more energy efficient (per square foot) than other Office Depot retail locations in Austin.
“As a leader in green initiatives, Office Depot is focused on improving the environmental performance of our suppliers, our customers and ourselves,” said Yalmaz Siddiqui, Director of Environmental Strategy for Office Depot. “We take our role very seriously and hope that our commitment to ‘green’ all new stores has a positive impact on the communities they serve.”
Office Depot LEED CI Green Store Highlights
Features of all new Office Depot LEED for Commercial Interiors certified stores will include:
* Skylights (where applicable) to harvest daylight for 90% of the store.
* Reflective roof, which features a membrane that helps to prevent absorption of the heat from the sun and keeps the interior of the store much cooler.
* Energy Star rated HVAC equipment, which exceeds the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) standards.
* T5 energy-efficient lighting, which is over 30% more efficient than typical retail lighting and will contribute to a more than 20% reduction in energy use.
* Daylight and occupancy sensors, which reduce energy use.
* Water conservation interior fixtures, including tankless instant hot water heaters, low flush toilets, low flow urinals and automatic shutoff sensors in restrooms that will use over 30% less water than the typical facility.
* Construction waste that will be recycled when waste recycling is available.
* Construction materials that consist of at least 10% recycled content.
* Wood, 50% of which will come from Forest Stewardship Council certified sources.
* Interior finishes made up of low VOC emitting materials and finishes.
* Green Power purchases to supplement electrical use.
* Energy Management Systems that allow tracking of energy usage and trends from one central location.
* 100% Energy Star rated building equipment and appliances.
* Office supplies, technology and furniture featuring a range of green attributes, including recycled content, remanufactured, Energy Star rated and non-toxic.
* An in-store recycling center with environmental solutions including Office Depot Ink and Toner Cartridge Recycling, Tech Recycling Service and Cell Phone and Rechargeable Battery Recycling.
* Preferred parking designated for low-emitting, fuel-efficient vehicles and carpooling.
For more information on Office Depot’s environmental initiatives please visit: www.officedepot.com/environment.
Redbird LED Offers LED Retrofits at Lower Pricing
The energy savings numbers of using LED lights has been obvious for a number of years but the initial costs have hindered the growth of the LED Retrofit market. That has changed with a new line up of LED Tube Lights from Atlanta based Redbird LED. They have carefully designed and manufactured a superior quality lights that are priced lower than most competitors. For more information please visit their LED Retrofit website.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
California Schools Retrofit Lighting with LED
Reporting by Michelle Mitchell- Desert Sun
LED Lighting Retrofits save Schools Thousands of Dollars
From new light bulbs to solar panels, Coachella Valley schools are increasingly going green in an effort to save money down the road.The infrastructure changes cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in a time of unprecedented budget cuts to education throughout the valley. But the efficiency updates ultimately will save money that can be spent on teachers and students rather than utilities, officials said.
Maintenance Engineers Involved in LED Lighting Retrofits
“We're just trying to save everybody money,” said Gregg Shoemaker, director of maintenance and operations at Palm Springs Unified. “It's a win-win.”
Energy Efficiency projects already have started to pay off for local districts.
Palm Springs Unified saved 5 percent on its $4 million electric bill in 2009 and expects to save 10 percent in 2010, said Julie Arthur, the district's executive director of facilities planning and development. That's from about $500,000 in investment, she said.
Coachella Valley Unified, which created a green committee, is installing new lights and fixtures at 12 schools that will pay for themselves with savings within five years.
Desert Sands Unified started to really look at energy conservation in the early 1990s — another slow budget time for education — and most school sites have improved their efficiency by 5 percent to 10 percent in recent years, said Terry Parker, retiring district director of maintenance, operations and transportation.
The district has saved as much as $500,000 in one year on utilities, Parker said.
“We want to be green,” said Tony Barrios, facilities project manager at Coachella Valley Unified. “We understand that there is a need for the school district to set the example for the community.”
Now that school is out for the summer, districts are taking advantage of the break to finish some efficiency projects. New air conditioners or updated components, and more efficient lights are being installed at several schools throughout the valley. The lower-wattage lights will save $30,000 annually at Coachella Valley High alone, according to a new monthly green newsletter CVUSD is producing.
Lighting and air conditioning costs comprise 75 to 80 percent of Palm Springs Unified's electricity costs, Shoemaker said. Replacing the lights also saves cooling costs because the efficient lights create less heat.
Desert Sands also is looking at LED lights — another efficiency measure being piloted at the district office — this summer.
Desert Hot Springs High may already qualify as an Energy Star School — a distinction that could come with extra incentives — based on its current usage, Jacobs said.
For complete article please visit Desert Sun
Michelle Mitchell covers education for The Desert Sun. Reach her at (760) 778-4642 or Michelle.Mitchell @thedesertsun.com
Redbird LED Offers LED Retrofits at Lower Pricing
The energy savings numbers of using LED lights has been obvious for a number of years but the initial costs have hindered the growth of the LED Retrofit market. That has changed with a new line up of LED Tube Lights from Atlanta based Redbird LED. They have carefully designed and manufactured a superior quality lights that are priced lower than most competitors. For more information please visit their LED Retrofit website.
LED Lighting Retrofits save Schools Thousands of Dollars
From new light bulbs to solar panels, Coachella Valley schools are increasingly going green in an effort to save money down the road.The infrastructure changes cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in a time of unprecedented budget cuts to education throughout the valley. But the efficiency updates ultimately will save money that can be spent on teachers and students rather than utilities, officials said.Maintenance Engineers Involved in LED Lighting Retrofits
“We're just trying to save everybody money,” said Gregg Shoemaker, director of maintenance and operations at Palm Springs Unified. “It's a win-win.”
Energy Efficiency projects already have started to pay off for local districts.
Palm Springs Unified saved 5 percent on its $4 million electric bill in 2009 and expects to save 10 percent in 2010, said Julie Arthur, the district's executive director of facilities planning and development. That's from about $500,000 in investment, she said.
Coachella Valley Unified, which created a green committee, is installing new lights and fixtures at 12 schools that will pay for themselves with savings within five years.
Desert Sands Unified started to really look at energy conservation in the early 1990s — another slow budget time for education — and most school sites have improved their efficiency by 5 percent to 10 percent in recent years, said Terry Parker, retiring district director of maintenance, operations and transportation.
The district has saved as much as $500,000 in one year on utilities, Parker said.
“We want to be green,” said Tony Barrios, facilities project manager at Coachella Valley Unified. “We understand that there is a need for the school district to set the example for the community.”
Now that school is out for the summer, districts are taking advantage of the break to finish some efficiency projects. New air conditioners or updated components, and more efficient lights are being installed at several schools throughout the valley. The lower-wattage lights will save $30,000 annually at Coachella Valley High alone, according to a new monthly green newsletter CVUSD is producing.
Lighting and air conditioning costs comprise 75 to 80 percent of Palm Springs Unified's electricity costs, Shoemaker said. Replacing the lights also saves cooling costs because the efficient lights create less heat.
Desert Sands also is looking at LED lights — another efficiency measure being piloted at the district office — this summer.
Desert Hot Springs High may already qualify as an Energy Star School — a distinction that could come with extra incentives — based on its current usage, Jacobs said.
For complete article please visit Desert Sun
Michelle Mitchell covers education for The Desert Sun. Reach her at (760) 778-4642 or Michelle.Mitchell @thedesertsun.com
Redbird LED Offers LED Retrofits at Lower Pricing
The energy savings numbers of using LED lights has been obvious for a number of years but the initial costs have hindered the growth of the LED Retrofit market. That has changed with a new line up of LED Tube Lights from Atlanta based Redbird LED. They have carefully designed and manufactured a superior quality lights that are priced lower than most competitors. For more information please visit their LED Retrofit website.
California Businesses Save Money with Lighting Retrofits
A growing number of Southern California companies are working to "green" their operations.
That's all well and good. But when a business can also save big money in the process ... well, that's a powerful incentive. And that's exactly what Industry- based cosmetics manufacturer Markwins International Corp. is doing. Markwins just received Orion Energy Systems' Environmental Stewardship Award. Orion designs, manufactures and deploys energy-efficient lighting systems, and Markwins recently replaced 449 high-intensity discharge light fixtures in its 310,0000-square-foot Industry facility with Orion's compact modular, high-intensity fluorescent lights.
"Our whole warehouse management team was excited about this," said Caroline Chiu, who is in charge of facilities and safety for Markwins. "We have logistics, another section that makes merchandising display units for retail stores, and a repackaging division."
As a result of the lighting change, Markwins is expected to cut its light-related electricity costs by 68 percent - from $36,192 a year to $11,440 annually.The Lighting retrofit cost the company $90,500, but Chiu said it was a good investment that has improved working conditions at the plant.
"Our lighting is now very bright," she said. "It's brighter than the higher-voltage lights we were using before, and the radius of light illumination for each light is unexpectedly higher that what I expected. We started this on two aisles as a trial run, but now the whole warehouse has been converted to this lighting."
kevin.smith@sgvn.com
Redbird LED Offers LED Retrofits at Lower Pricing
The energy savings numbers of using LED lights has been obvious for a number of years but the initial costs have hindered the growth of the LED Retrofit market. That has changed with a new line up of LED Tube Lights from Atlanta based Redbird LED. They have carefully designed and manufactured a superior quality lights that are priced lower than most competitors. For more information please visit their LED Retrofit website.
That's all well and good. But when a business can also save big money in the process ... well, that's a powerful incentive. And that's exactly what Industry- based cosmetics manufacturer Markwins International Corp. is doing. Markwins just received Orion Energy Systems' Environmental Stewardship Award. Orion designs, manufactures and deploys energy-efficient lighting systems, and Markwins recently replaced 449 high-intensity discharge light fixtures in its 310,0000-square-foot Industry facility with Orion's compact modular, high-intensity fluorescent lights.
"Our whole warehouse management team was excited about this," said Caroline Chiu, who is in charge of facilities and safety for Markwins. "We have logistics, another section that makes merchandising display units for retail stores, and a repackaging division."
As a result of the lighting change, Markwins is expected to cut its light-related electricity costs by 68 percent - from $36,192 a year to $11,440 annually.The Lighting retrofit cost the company $90,500, but Chiu said it was a good investment that has improved working conditions at the plant.
"Our lighting is now very bright," she said. "It's brighter than the higher-voltage lights we were using before, and the radius of light illumination for each light is unexpectedly higher that what I expected. We started this on two aisles as a trial run, but now the whole warehouse has been converted to this lighting."
kevin.smith@sgvn.com
Redbird LED Offers LED Retrofits at Lower Pricing
The energy savings numbers of using LED lights has been obvious for a number of years but the initial costs have hindered the growth of the LED Retrofit market. That has changed with a new line up of LED Tube Lights from Atlanta based Redbird LED. They have carefully designed and manufactured a superior quality lights that are priced lower than most competitors. For more information please visit their LED Retrofit website.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
LED Lighting Retrofits
By Stan Shook
Published: February 2010
In Electrical Contractor Magazine
Making the most of lighting retrofits
There are different types of lighting retrofit projects: fixture replacement, relocation, repair, ballast retrofit, clean and relamp only, and various other fixture-related tasks; some projects may not even involve working with existing lumminaires. As green building takes an even stronger hold of our industry, the focus of most projects will likely be adding to or enhancing the lighting control systems. So along with swapping out ballasts, replacing fixtures and reconfiguring overhead circuitry, there may be many new switches, sensing devices, signal cabling and control panels with which to deal.
The success or failure of your estimate will depend strongly on how much information you have about the existing fixtures, circuitry and your knowledge of the new control systems. Perhaps most importantly, it will depend on how you labor it all.
Know the complete scope!
This is so critical. You must read every sheet note thoroughly and study the entire specification manual, not just the lighting spec. Engineers love to hide little notes, such as general conditions and wiring devices, deep in other specification sections. And don’t forget to study the Division 01 Scope of Work documents or similar directives, which usually are issued to the general contractors.
Thoroughly study the architectural drawings to learn and/or verify what is happening with the ceilings. If the entire ceiling in an area is getting replaced, it is likely all the fixtures in that area will need to be taken down. However, if the ceiling is a T-bar type, the fixtures might be able to stay in place. Details such as this can have a major effect on your total estimated labor.
The same goes for researching and knowing which walls are getting removed or resurfaced, as there may be lighting fixtures, exit signs and related control devices that need to be removed and replaced. Sometimes, these fixtures and devices are not shown on the electrical drawings. What will you carry if they are not shown?
‘Intercept, connect to existing systems’
This is one of the most vague, nondescript and scary sheet notes. Engineers often use this sheet note because they don’t have a clue as to how this work should be done or if it can be done at all. The bigger problem is neither do you.Unless you are able to spend several hours or days at the job site prior to the bid—combing through the ceiling, opening junction boxes, testing and tracing circuits, and following conduits and cable routings—you will only be able to make a blind guess at what to carry in your bid.
Be very careful with notes like this. Visualize what might be needed if the installation were new; carry some new conduit, wiring and a J-box or two. Add a little extra labor for the time it takes the electrician to work with existing systems.
Demo doesn’t mean throw it away
Be careful with demolition notes. These, too, are often vague and nondescript and involve multiple stages of work. Quantify each part of the directed scope. For example, a common fixture demo note found may read: “Remove existing fixture and retrofit with new dimming ballast, clean and relamp. Reinstall after new ceiling is installed.”
This note lists at least four separate tasks, each of which will occur at different stages of the project. What the note doesn’t list is how the replaced fixture will get connected. Does it get a new flex whip? Do you need new circuitry? What about ceiling wires? Supports? There could be a lot of other work required.
What about the “remove” part? If the fixtures are getting “replaced” at a later stage, then they will need to be stored in a safe place. Handling, protecting and storing these fixtures all requires careful labor, so you shouldn’t simply apply five minutes per fixture. Again, check the specifications. “Protect” could require bubble-wrap, palletizing or even special boxing. Not only would this add to the labor, but it could easily add $5 to $10 per fixture.
With multiple stage instructions like this, it is easy to omit material costs and/or labor. Your estimate could be off by $25 and 25 minutes per fixture location. This could be devastating, especially if there are several hundred fixtures.
Don’t forget the labor factor
Lighting retrofits can be labor-heavy jobs, and you don’t want to be too, well, light. It is common for some fixtures to remain in place during the retrofit process. This might seem simpler and faster than having to demo, store and reinstall them, but don’t get too relaxed. The work is still going to be done on a ladder, scaffolding or a lift. This can add a labor factor to a ballast installation. Also, ceiling heights can vary, and the labor factor increases dramatically when you are retrofitting high-bay fixtures in high ceiling areas, such as warehouses.
Estimating lighting retrofit projects can be very difficult to estimate and even more difficult to build. If you are not careful and bid too aggressively, you may find yourself and your profit lost in the dark.
For related articles on this topic, Stan Shook recommends visiting www.ECmag.com and reading his December 2009 article, “Controlling the Light,” and February 2008 article, “Estimating Renovation Work.”
SHOOK is the president and chief estimator for his estimating company, TakeOff 16 Inc. He has worked in the electrical construction industry for more than 23 years.
Redbird LED Offers LED Retrofits at Lower Pricing
The energy savings numbers of using LED lights has been obvious for a number of years but the initial costs have hindered the growth of the LED Retrofit market. That has changed with a new line up of LED Tube Lights from Atlanta based Redbird LED. They have carefully designed and manufactured a superior quality lights that are priced lower than most competitors. For more information please visit their LED Retrofit website.
Published: February 2010
In Electrical Contractor Magazine
Making the most of lighting retrofits
There are different types of lighting retrofit projects: fixture replacement, relocation, repair, ballast retrofit, clean and relamp only, and various other fixture-related tasks; some projects may not even involve working with existing lumminaires. As green building takes an even stronger hold of our industry, the focus of most projects will likely be adding to or enhancing the lighting control systems. So along with swapping out ballasts, replacing fixtures and reconfiguring overhead circuitry, there may be many new switches, sensing devices, signal cabling and control panels with which to deal.
The success or failure of your estimate will depend strongly on how much information you have about the existing fixtures, circuitry and your knowledge of the new control systems. Perhaps most importantly, it will depend on how you labor it all.
Know the complete scope!
This is so critical. You must read every sheet note thoroughly and study the entire specification manual, not just the lighting spec. Engineers love to hide little notes, such as general conditions and wiring devices, deep in other specification sections. And don’t forget to study the Division 01 Scope of Work documents or similar directives, which usually are issued to the general contractors.
Thoroughly study the architectural drawings to learn and/or verify what is happening with the ceilings. If the entire ceiling in an area is getting replaced, it is likely all the fixtures in that area will need to be taken down. However, if the ceiling is a T-bar type, the fixtures might be able to stay in place. Details such as this can have a major effect on your total estimated labor.
The same goes for researching and knowing which walls are getting removed or resurfaced, as there may be lighting fixtures, exit signs and related control devices that need to be removed and replaced. Sometimes, these fixtures and devices are not shown on the electrical drawings. What will you carry if they are not shown?
‘Intercept, connect to existing systems’
This is one of the most vague, nondescript and scary sheet notes. Engineers often use this sheet note because they don’t have a clue as to how this work should be done or if it can be done at all. The bigger problem is neither do you.Unless you are able to spend several hours or days at the job site prior to the bid—combing through the ceiling, opening junction boxes, testing and tracing circuits, and following conduits and cable routings—you will only be able to make a blind guess at what to carry in your bid.
Be very careful with notes like this. Visualize what might be needed if the installation were new; carry some new conduit, wiring and a J-box or two. Add a little extra labor for the time it takes the electrician to work with existing systems.
Demo doesn’t mean throw it away
Be careful with demolition notes. These, too, are often vague and nondescript and involve multiple stages of work. Quantify each part of the directed scope. For example, a common fixture demo note found may read: “Remove existing fixture and retrofit with new dimming ballast, clean and relamp. Reinstall after new ceiling is installed.”
This note lists at least four separate tasks, each of which will occur at different stages of the project. What the note doesn’t list is how the replaced fixture will get connected. Does it get a new flex whip? Do you need new circuitry? What about ceiling wires? Supports? There could be a lot of other work required.
What about the “remove” part? If the fixtures are getting “replaced” at a later stage, then they will need to be stored in a safe place. Handling, protecting and storing these fixtures all requires careful labor, so you shouldn’t simply apply five minutes per fixture. Again, check the specifications. “Protect” could require bubble-wrap, palletizing or even special boxing. Not only would this add to the labor, but it could easily add $5 to $10 per fixture.
With multiple stage instructions like this, it is easy to omit material costs and/or labor. Your estimate could be off by $25 and 25 minutes per fixture location. This could be devastating, especially if there are several hundred fixtures.
Don’t forget the labor factor
Lighting retrofits can be labor-heavy jobs, and you don’t want to be too, well, light. It is common for some fixtures to remain in place during the retrofit process. This might seem simpler and faster than having to demo, store and reinstall them, but don’t get too relaxed. The work is still going to be done on a ladder, scaffolding or a lift. This can add a labor factor to a ballast installation. Also, ceiling heights can vary, and the labor factor increases dramatically when you are retrofitting high-bay fixtures in high ceiling areas, such as warehouses.
Estimating lighting retrofit projects can be very difficult to estimate and even more difficult to build. If you are not careful and bid too aggressively, you may find yourself and your profit lost in the dark.
For related articles on this topic, Stan Shook recommends visiting www.ECmag.com and reading his December 2009 article, “Controlling the Light,” and February 2008 article, “Estimating Renovation Work.”
SHOOK is the president and chief estimator for his estimating company, TakeOff 16 Inc. He has worked in the electrical construction industry for more than 23 years.
Redbird LED Offers LED Retrofits at Lower Pricing
The energy savings numbers of using LED lights has been obvious for a number of years but the initial costs have hindered the growth of the LED Retrofit market. That has changed with a new line up of LED Tube Lights from Atlanta based Redbird LED. They have carefully designed and manufactured a superior quality lights that are priced lower than most competitors. For more information please visit their LED Retrofit website.
Launch of United States Green Parking Council
The United States Green Parking Council (USGPC), a nonprofit organization encouraging new, alternative parking practices, formally announced its nominated board of directors at a recent event on May 11th, during the International Parking Institute Conference and Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event marked the launch of the nonprofit’s mission to provide leadership and oversight for the green conversion of parking facilities to sustainable, environmentally responsible assets. The USGPC’s nominated board of directors is comprised of executives from a diverse set of businesses and organizations including:
• Kathy Burnett, Simon Property Group
• Laura Longsworth, Brookfield Properties
• Robin Dean, Macerich
• Watson Collins, Northeast Utilities
• Matt Cahill, Towne Park
• Pamela Brown, Standard Parking
• John Schmid, Propark America
• Kevin Shrier, The Parking Spot
• Alan Lazowski, LAZ Parking
• Dr. Greg Norman, Powder River Holdings
• Brendan Fox, The Law Offices of Jay Malcynsky
• Marc Alt, Marc Alt + Partners
• David Allen, University of Maryland College Park
The businesses represented on the USGPC’s Board of Directors share a commitment to raising awareness regarding the significance of green garage practices. “Through its Certified Green Garage rating system, the USGPC will encourage new, alternative parking practices and an imperative industry transformation,” says Marc Alt, a social innovation strategist, and one of USGPC’s newly appointed board nominees. “As an entrepreneur, I have had the opportunity to participate in a number of projects focusing on clean technology and sustainable design. The Certified Green Garage rating system marks the first nationwide effort to encourage parking garage owners to transition their assets into a strategic part of the new clean energy economy. This certification drastically reduces the parking industry’s carbon footprint through energy efficiency measures, green building innovations and retrofits. It also positions parking garages to stay competitive during the global transition to electric vehicles and other alternate forms of mobility.”
Certified Green Garage is a voluntary rating system for developing and retrofitting sustainable parking facilities. The Green Garage Certification process, in conjunction with the USPGC, provides standards for environmentally sustainable parking operations and services. Parking companies and facilities recognized for their utilization level of the rating system are permitted to display and use the organization’s registered service mark, indicating they have passed the accreditation review as determined by the USGPC.
At a USGPC scheduled corporation meeting on June 10th, nominees will be confirmed to serve on the board of directors for a one-year term beginning July 1st, 2010. Agenda items will include a discussion of a key USGPC objective; to extend the existing electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure to over ten-thousand charging units, in advance of demand. This will provide EV owners with an array of attractive parking destinations and reduce battery range anxiety. The USGPC plans to endorse and encourage free EV charging stations at garage properties nationwide in support of its “Charge Cars, Not People tm” initiative.
“The average consumer is bombarded with dozens of ads, billboards and commercials promoting green initiatives,” says Alt. “It can be difficult, at times, to gauge a company’s level of commitment to the environment. The Green Garage Certification will eliminate uncertainty for commuters seeking an environmentally conscientious parking garage.”
About USGPC:
The United States Green Parking Council (USGPC) is a nonprofit organization providing leadership and oversight for the green conversion of parking facilities to sustainable, environmentally responsible assets. The USGPC is dedicated to expanding green parking practices and environmental services through its Certified Green Garage rating system. The USGPC encourages new, alternative parking practices and exceptional industry transformation through creative thought and ingenuity.
• Kathy Burnett, Simon Property Group
• Laura Longsworth, Brookfield Properties
• Robin Dean, Macerich
• Watson Collins, Northeast Utilities
• Matt Cahill, Towne Park
• Pamela Brown, Standard Parking
• John Schmid, Propark America
• Kevin Shrier, The Parking Spot
• Alan Lazowski, LAZ Parking
• Dr. Greg Norman, Powder River Holdings
• Brendan Fox, The Law Offices of Jay Malcynsky
• Marc Alt, Marc Alt + Partners
• David Allen, University of Maryland College Park
The businesses represented on the USGPC’s Board of Directors share a commitment to raising awareness regarding the significance of green garage practices. “Through its Certified Green Garage rating system, the USGPC will encourage new, alternative parking practices and an imperative industry transformation,” says Marc Alt, a social innovation strategist, and one of USGPC’s newly appointed board nominees. “As an entrepreneur, I have had the opportunity to participate in a number of projects focusing on clean technology and sustainable design. The Certified Green Garage rating system marks the first nationwide effort to encourage parking garage owners to transition their assets into a strategic part of the new clean energy economy. This certification drastically reduces the parking industry’s carbon footprint through energy efficiency measures, green building innovations and retrofits. It also positions parking garages to stay competitive during the global transition to electric vehicles and other alternate forms of mobility.”
Certified Green Garage is a voluntary rating system for developing and retrofitting sustainable parking facilities. The Green Garage Certification process, in conjunction with the USPGC, provides standards for environmentally sustainable parking operations and services. Parking companies and facilities recognized for their utilization level of the rating system are permitted to display and use the organization’s registered service mark, indicating they have passed the accreditation review as determined by the USGPC.
At a USGPC scheduled corporation meeting on June 10th, nominees will be confirmed to serve on the board of directors for a one-year term beginning July 1st, 2010. Agenda items will include a discussion of a key USGPC objective; to extend the existing electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure to over ten-thousand charging units, in advance of demand. This will provide EV owners with an array of attractive parking destinations and reduce battery range anxiety. The USGPC plans to endorse and encourage free EV charging stations at garage properties nationwide in support of its “Charge Cars, Not People tm” initiative.
“The average consumer is bombarded with dozens of ads, billboards and commercials promoting green initiatives,” says Alt. “It can be difficult, at times, to gauge a company’s level of commitment to the environment. The Green Garage Certification will eliminate uncertainty for commuters seeking an environmentally conscientious parking garage.”
About USGPC:
The United States Green Parking Council (USGPC) is a nonprofit organization providing leadership and oversight for the green conversion of parking facilities to sustainable, environmentally responsible assets. The USGPC is dedicated to expanding green parking practices and environmental services through its Certified Green Garage rating system. The USGPC encourages new, alternative parking practices and exceptional industry transformation through creative thought and ingenuity.
Redbird LED Linear Lighting Products Receive Important ETL Certification
Redbird LED announces that Intertek has tested their products and awarded their LED linear lights the ETL Mark.
Atlanta, Georgia (June 28, 2010) – Redbird LED, an Atlanta, GA. firm that specializes in the design, manufacturing and distribution of energy efficient LED linear lighting products for industrial and commercial applications announced today that it has received the ETL Listing Mark for their products. The complete family of Cardinal™ brand linear lights, including a variety of lengths, color temperatures, and wattages are now certified to UL standards 1993, 1598, 1598(B), and 8750. These lights have an internal power supply and this listing confirms that the Cardinal™ lights are certified for retrofits of existing fluorescent light tubes. Because Cardinal™ linear lights use the same shape and form factor as fluorescent tubes, old fixtures can updated to LED by simply bypassing the ballast and installing Redbird LED linear lights.
The ETL Mark is an independent certification that Redbird LED products meet all national safety requirements. Moreover, the ETL Mark indicates that Redbird LED’s production facility conforms to tight production standards and will be continually validated with regularly scheduled inspections.
Intertek, the organization that provides the ETL Mark, is an internationally recognized testing laboratory recognized by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to test products to the specifications of applicable product safety standards – such as those from
Underwriters Laboratories (UL™) and other testing organizations. With this ETL listing Redbird LED becomes one of the few U.S. based LED companies with products that are certified to UL standards 1993, 1598, 1598(B), and 8750.
“We are excited that our LED linear lighting products have successfully completed the ETL testing at Intertek,” said Jonathan Eppstein, President of Redbird LED. “Having this certification opens the doors to many new opportunities for our LED linear lighting products and provides an important differentiation between our LED linear products and those of our competitors. This is an important step in our growth to become a leading provider of value priced high performance LED lighting.”
About Redbird LED- Redbird LED Inc. is led by an experienced team of senior executives with strong backgrounds in operations, electrical, optical and mechanical engineering. The Redbird LED team includes licensed Professional Engineers (PEs), LEED accredited professionals, LC certified lighting designers, and an operations team with decades of experience in the design and operation of high volume, automated, electronic device manufacturing. Redbird LED is committed to providing its customers quality LED lighting products and systems for both new construction and retrofits of fluorescents, metal halide and incandescent systems.
In addition to manufacturing and selling LED lights and luminaires, Redbird LED provides lighting design services, lighting cost analysis, and has the ability to produce custom luminaires in their in-house fabrication facilities. For more information please call (678) 733-2473 or visit the website www.redbirdled.com. Redbird LED Inc. is located at 1202 Gail Drive NE, Atlanta, GA 30319, in Dekalb County, metropolitan Atlanta.
Atlanta, Georgia (June 28, 2010) – Redbird LED, an Atlanta, GA. firm that specializes in the design, manufacturing and distribution of energy efficient LED linear lighting products for industrial and commercial applications announced today that it has received the ETL Listing Mark for their products. The complete family of Cardinal™ brand linear lights, including a variety of lengths, color temperatures, and wattages are now certified to UL standards 1993, 1598, 1598(B), and 8750. These lights have an internal power supply and this listing confirms that the Cardinal™ lights are certified for retrofits of existing fluorescent light tubes. Because Cardinal™ linear lights use the same shape and form factor as fluorescent tubes, old fixtures can updated to LED by simply bypassing the ballast and installing Redbird LED linear lights.
The ETL Mark is an independent certification that Redbird LED products meet all national safety requirements. Moreover, the ETL Mark indicates that Redbird LED’s production facility conforms to tight production standards and will be continually validated with regularly scheduled inspections.
Intertek, the organization that provides the ETL Mark, is an internationally recognized testing laboratory recognized by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to test products to the specifications of applicable product safety standards – such as those from
Underwriters Laboratories (UL™) and other testing organizations. With this ETL listing Redbird LED becomes one of the few U.S. based LED companies with products that are certified to UL standards 1993, 1598, 1598(B), and 8750.
“We are excited that our LED linear lighting products have successfully completed the ETL testing at Intertek,” said Jonathan Eppstein, President of Redbird LED. “Having this certification opens the doors to many new opportunities for our LED linear lighting products and provides an important differentiation between our LED linear products and those of our competitors. This is an important step in our growth to become a leading provider of value priced high performance LED lighting.”
About Redbird LED- Redbird LED Inc. is led by an experienced team of senior executives with strong backgrounds in operations, electrical, optical and mechanical engineering. The Redbird LED team includes licensed Professional Engineers (PEs), LEED accredited professionals, LC certified lighting designers, and an operations team with decades of experience in the design and operation of high volume, automated, electronic device manufacturing. Redbird LED is committed to providing its customers quality LED lighting products and systems for both new construction and retrofits of fluorescents, metal halide and incandescent systems.
In addition to manufacturing and selling LED lights and luminaires, Redbird LED provides lighting design services, lighting cost analysis, and has the ability to produce custom luminaires in their in-house fabrication facilities. For more information please call (678) 733-2473 or visit the website www.redbirdled.com. Redbird LED Inc. is located at 1202 Gail Drive NE, Atlanta, GA 30319, in Dekalb County, metropolitan Atlanta.
Investors See Great Potential in LED Lighting
As reported on Rueters
The incandescent light bulb has had the global lighting market in its grip for more than 130 years, building into a more than $100 billion industry.But green concerns about efficiency spell an end to the era, and the U.S. technology capital sees light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, as the new king.
"Lighting is going to completely change over the course of this decade," said Alan Salzman, chief executive of Silicon Valley-based venture fund VantagePoint Venture Partners.His firm has $4.5 billion in committed capital in startups across different sectors, but lighting is an area he is very bullish on."The largest sector in terms of companies in our portfolio is lighting," Salzman said.
While many love the look of the light cast by incandescent bulbs, none like the high energy bills. Nations around the world, including the United States, are phasing in efficiency standards that will eliminate the incandescents if no major energy improvements happen.
Investors are betting on other technologies taking hold.
Compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs so far have been the only real alternative to conventional bulbs but they contain mercury and many don't like the quality of the light.
LED lights, on the other hand, contain no mercury, have a long life and are very energy efficient.
LEDs, made of diodes or chips, have come a long way since the first practical LED was a developed in 1962. Its sole color was red. Now developers produce light colors across the spectrum.
They consume only about 20 percent of the energy used by incandescent bulbs. With about 20 percent of the world's electricity used for lighting, switching to LEDs would generate significant energy savings and cut greenhouse gas emissions while nations debate how to price carbon dioxide pollution.
COST CHALLENGE
There is one major hurdle for mass adoption of LEDs -- they cost too much. Experts say that for the market to take off, good quality LED lights need to available under $10. Current bulbs cost many times that.
Investors are betting heavily the cost will fall quickly as LED start-ups achieve scale and the technology advances.
"The market really started shifting in the last 12 months," said Warner Philips, co-founder of LED start-up Lemnis Lighting and great grandson of the founder of Dutch electronics giant Philips Electronics.
Lemnis introduced its first LED bulb, called Pharox, that can go into a standard light socket about four years ago. The latest version can last around 25 years, based on four hours of daily operation, but it costs $25.
The price has halved in a short time. Lemnis had been selling LED bulbs around $50 only about six months ago and Philips expects the price to fall below the crucial $10 level soon.
"That will be probably be in the first half of next year," he said.
BULLISH GROWTH PROJECTIONS
LEDs by 2020 will account for nearly half of the $4.4 billion U.S. market for lamps in the commercial, industrial and outdoor stationary sectors, predicted Pike Research, which tracks the market.
Even at the current high price, some commercial establishments and retailers are switching.
Late last year, retail giant Wal-Mart said it would install LEDs in 650 of its stores and picked Cree Inc, one of the few public companies in this space, to supply the lights.
Other companies switching to LEDs include coffee retailer Starbucks Corp, Red Robin restaurants and Yum! Brands Inc.
Cree's shares hit an all-time high of $83.38 this April, rising almost 49 percent from the start of the year, partly due to bullish expectations on the LED market. The global economic slowdown has ratcheted back expectations, though, and sent shares down toward $65.
In the first quarter of 2010, venture capitalists invested $100 million in 14 LED lighting companies, up from $14 million in the same quarter a year ago, according to Cleantech Group.
California's Bridgelux, which makes high-power LED chips specifically for the lighting industry, is in the process of opening a Silicon Valley plant and investors are eager to join in.
Bridgelux raised $80 million earlier this year and turned away some would-be investors.
"We had a lot of people pounding on our doors," said Chief Executive Bill Watkins.
(Reporting by Poornima Gupta, editing by Anthony Barker)
LED Lighting Retrofits
A good practice for businesses looking to reduce energy expenses is to consider an LED lighting retrofit. Lighting retrofits replace lighting with newer technology such as LED linear lighting to save on energy costs and maintenance costs. Many building experts recommend a lighting retrofit as the first step to reducing energy costs. Redbird LED is an Atlanta based manufacturer and designer of Premium LED lights at value price points. For more information please visit their LED Retrofit website or call ( 678) 733-2473
The incandescent light bulb has had the global lighting market in its grip for more than 130 years, building into a more than $100 billion industry.But green concerns about efficiency spell an end to the era, and the U.S. technology capital sees light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, as the new king.
"Lighting is going to completely change over the course of this decade," said Alan Salzman, chief executive of Silicon Valley-based venture fund VantagePoint Venture Partners.His firm has $4.5 billion in committed capital in startups across different sectors, but lighting is an area he is very bullish on."The largest sector in terms of companies in our portfolio is lighting," Salzman said.
While many love the look of the light cast by incandescent bulbs, none like the high energy bills. Nations around the world, including the United States, are phasing in efficiency standards that will eliminate the incandescents if no major energy improvements happen.
Investors are betting on other technologies taking hold.
Compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs so far have been the only real alternative to conventional bulbs but they contain mercury and many don't like the quality of the light.
LED lights, on the other hand, contain no mercury, have a long life and are very energy efficient.
LEDs, made of diodes or chips, have come a long way since the first practical LED was a developed in 1962. Its sole color was red. Now developers produce light colors across the spectrum.
They consume only about 20 percent of the energy used by incandescent bulbs. With about 20 percent of the world's electricity used for lighting, switching to LEDs would generate significant energy savings and cut greenhouse gas emissions while nations debate how to price carbon dioxide pollution.
COST CHALLENGE
There is one major hurdle for mass adoption of LEDs -- they cost too much. Experts say that for the market to take off, good quality LED lights need to available under $10. Current bulbs cost many times that.
Investors are betting heavily the cost will fall quickly as LED start-ups achieve scale and the technology advances.
"The market really started shifting in the last 12 months," said Warner Philips, co-founder of LED start-up Lemnis Lighting and great grandson of the founder of Dutch electronics giant Philips Electronics.
Lemnis introduced its first LED bulb, called Pharox, that can go into a standard light socket about four years ago. The latest version can last around 25 years, based on four hours of daily operation, but it costs $25.
The price has halved in a short time. Lemnis had been selling LED bulbs around $50 only about six months ago and Philips expects the price to fall below the crucial $10 level soon.
"That will be probably be in the first half of next year," he said.
BULLISH GROWTH PROJECTIONS
LEDs by 2020 will account for nearly half of the $4.4 billion U.S. market for lamps in the commercial, industrial and outdoor stationary sectors, predicted Pike Research, which tracks the market.
Even at the current high price, some commercial establishments and retailers are switching.
Late last year, retail giant Wal-Mart said it would install LEDs in 650 of its stores and picked Cree Inc, one of the few public companies in this space, to supply the lights.
Other companies switching to LEDs include coffee retailer Starbucks Corp, Red Robin restaurants and Yum! Brands Inc.
Cree's shares hit an all-time high of $83.38 this April, rising almost 49 percent from the start of the year, partly due to bullish expectations on the LED market. The global economic slowdown has ratcheted back expectations, though, and sent shares down toward $65.
In the first quarter of 2010, venture capitalists invested $100 million in 14 LED lighting companies, up from $14 million in the same quarter a year ago, according to Cleantech Group.
California's Bridgelux, which makes high-power LED chips specifically for the lighting industry, is in the process of opening a Silicon Valley plant and investors are eager to join in.
Bridgelux raised $80 million earlier this year and turned away some would-be investors.
"We had a lot of people pounding on our doors," said Chief Executive Bill Watkins.
(Reporting by Poornima Gupta, editing by Anthony Barker)
LED Lighting Retrofits
A good practice for businesses looking to reduce energy expenses is to consider an LED lighting retrofit. Lighting retrofits replace lighting with newer technology such as LED linear lighting to save on energy costs and maintenance costs. Many building experts recommend a lighting retrofit as the first step to reducing energy costs. Redbird LED is an Atlanta based manufacturer and designer of Premium LED lights at value price points. For more information please visit their LED Retrofit website or call ( 678) 733-2473
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Financing Programs for LED Retrofits
The pace of innovation in solar and other energy efficiency technology has historically outstripped the ability of government and the private sector to come up with creative ways to finance solar retrofit and other green technology improvements in a way that pencils out financially for commercial landlords and homeowners.
Florida State House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, R-Delray Beach, hopes to change that in the Sunshine State, along with others who are working in California and several other states to change the basic financing paradigm for clean technology retrofits in existing commercial buildings through a financial tool called PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) bonds. Hasner co-sponsored a measure to implement PACE in Florida, and Gov. Charlie Crist signed it into law May 27.
In simple terms, PACE programs create local bond financing districts, which then lend back capital to building and home owners to fund energy retrofit projects. Owners repay the loan through their property tax bills, typically over a 15- to 20-year term.
The concept potentially helps commercial property owners overcome the hurdle of the high upfront cost of energy upgrades. While the industry has come to agree that retrofits can sharply reduce energy costs and consumption and offset greenhouse gas emissions, private owners have struggled to finance such improvements due to capital constraints, especially in today’s economy.
Aggressive NOI goals and the need to split the benefits of tax credits and other incentives with tenants present other barriers for owners. PACE financing has emerged as a promising, albeit untested, tool for commercial owners.
“The opportunities are really tremendous from an energy retrofit perspective,” Hasner tells CoStar. “A lot of the hesitation from building owners comes from the upstream expenses and not wanting to make those expenditures. This type of financing can help alleviate some of those concerns and convince owners to make these types of investments, which are going to be cost effective as well as energy efficient in the long run.”
Hasner serves as an advisor to Clean Fund, a California-based merchant bank for clean technology. Clean Fund CEO John Kinney, a Marin County, CA, entrepreneur, said he is involved in fairly deep discussions with major property owners, including executives of some of the nation’s largest publicly traded REITs, in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
The Bay Area in particular is home to progressive and environmentally conscious real estate companies - owners that don’t need to be convinced of the potential value of retrofits and energy efficiency to their bottom lines, tenants and the environment.
“They’re trying to differentiate themselves by taking a leadership role,” Kinney said. “At the same time, tenants are shifting toward buildings that are environmentally responsible and have lower energy costs.”
PACE was launched as a demonstration project in 2007 in the Bay Area city of Berkeley. Based on its early success, states soon began passing bills enabling local cities and counties to create their own programs. At least 19 states have passed the legislation, including Arizona, California, Florida, Colorado, New York, Maryland, Massachusetts, Texas and Maine.
It works like this. A municipality establishes a PACE program, creating a special assessment district utilizing a voluntary tax lien on private property to secure financing for retrofits on existing buildings for energy efficiency, solar and other renewable energy projects, and sometimes water conservation. The liens are paid off over terms ranging from 5 to 20 years, most commonly through annual property tax bills.
Using the lien as security opens several financing options. But in most programs to date, PACE bonds are issued by special municipal finance districts or finance companies, or funding is borrowed from the municipality’s general fund, to fund loans to owners for commercial and residential retrofit projects. In some programs, each large commercial project secures its own third-party financing such as an additional loan from the primary mortgage lender.
The approach is entirely market based and each property owner in the district can voluntarily opt into the program.
A new study by Pike Research, a market research and consulting firm on the clean technology industry, has fueled the latest wave of interest in - and also questions about - the fledgling PACE programs. According to Pike, PACE will continue to grow in popularity in the U.S., with investment in PACE financing for commercial buildings totaling a projected $2.5 billion annually by 2015.
Commercial owners who are initially most likely to be candidates for the program include those with modestly sized buildings burdened by high energy bills - owners who plan to keep their property for a while and have accumulated 10% or more in equity. Initial applications will probably include office buildings of less than six stories, select service hotels, small malls with central HVAC, and grocery stores. “Until now, private buildings such as these have had minimal access to financing for energy retrofits,” the Pike report said.
The Pike report also addresses several concerns and barriers to implementation for the programs, mostly centered on the fact that they are untested in the marketplace.
Potential buyers and lending institutions may be wary of existing PACE liens, with first-mortgage holders concerned about how the liens would be transferred in an ownership change, and whether they would hold a senior position to lenders’ own loans, Pike said.
Also, it’s yet unclear whether a voluntary PACE lien will be treated under generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) as a loan or as a lien on a company’s balance sheet -- an important distinction in evaluating a company’s debt position. Unlike assessment liens such as school district assessments, loans count against a business’s debt capacity.
The question of who is held accountable in the event of default is already being tested, at least on the residential side. Government-sponsored mortgage-finance entities Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, in letters sent to lenders in May, expressed concern about how the agencies will be repaid if homeowners participating in PACE later default on their mortgages. At least one municipality, Boulder County, CO., this week canceled its PACE program for residential, although its commercial program is still active.
Although PACE improvement projects can be fully financed under property tax bills and passed to future property buyers, some experts say most PACE programs are currently financed at relatively uncompetitive rates, which can present its own challenges.
“It will take time to educate people,” Florida’s Hasner acknowledged. “We’re still early in the first quarter of a four-quarter game. Everyone is very quick to recognize the innovations in technology in energy efficiency and new technologies. But PACE is really about an innovation in financing. It can be a very useful financial tool for commercial property owners to complete energy efficiency projects that will help them save money.”
CoStar Group Director of Analytics Norm Miller co-authored an influential study in 2008 with CoStar CEO Andrew Florance and Senior Director of Research and Analytics Jay Spivey that found strong evidence of both significant office rent premiums, faster absorption of space, lower cap rates and higher prices per square foot for green buildings bearing either an Energy Star or LEED certification. A retrofit program could potentially extend those premiums to a greater number of owners of existing properties.
“If PACE could offer lower financing rates, we would see more interest,” Miller said. “The mechanism makes sense. Many third-party vendors are pushing the program to cover new lighting, solar cells, improved water heating systems, HVACs, window glazing, reflective roofs and other improvements, all of which qualify. In concert with other incentives and federal rebates, these investments generally have payback within 10 to 12 years, and PACE programs can be utilized for up to 20 years.”
Because PACE assessments hold superior lien positions, lenders may one day restrict the ability to tack significant energy projects onto the property tax bill, especially when the total debt and improvement cost of a project exceeds a loan-to-value threshold deemed reasonable by the mortgagee, Miller said.
Kinney agrees that said PACE projects will require lender approval and cooperation to move forward due to the complexity of commercial mortgage loan covenants. However, PACE can be used in concert with tax credits and other incentives to reduce the cost of capital and shrink the total cost of a retrofit project.
“The lower the cost, the easier it is to justify, and in a commercial situation, projects aren’t going to get done just to improve the environment -- they will get done because they are cost justifiable,” Kinney said.
The fact that the property owner needs to cooperate with their mortgagee is “in some cases a different paradigm than property owners are used to,” especially in times of economic distress when relations between between lenders and owners are often strained, Kinney said.
Kinney said he is even talking with owners of distressed properties that are underwater and their lenders, who are intrigued by the PACE approach because of the possibility of making energy improvements, adding value and possibly recovering their costs in distressed assets -- without having to spend a lot of money on a building that might be lost to foreclosure.
"The steps that property owners take to retrofit are easy to justify financially," Kinney said. "Frankly, taking an inefficient building and making it more efficient is much more valuable than taking a new building that is already highly efficient and simply certifying that it is in fact, highly efficient."
Redbird LED Offers LED Retrofits at Lower Pricing
The energy savings numbers of using LED lights has been obvious for a number of years but the initial costs have hindered the growth of the LED Retrofit market. That has changed with a new line up of LED Tube Lights from Atlanta based Redbird LED. They have carefully designed and manufactured a superior quality lights that is priced lower than most competitors. For more information please visit their LED Retrofit website.
Florida State House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, R-Delray Beach, hopes to change that in the Sunshine State, along with others who are working in California and several other states to change the basic financing paradigm for clean technology retrofits in existing commercial buildings through a financial tool called PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) bonds. Hasner co-sponsored a measure to implement PACE in Florida, and Gov. Charlie Crist signed it into law May 27.
In simple terms, PACE programs create local bond financing districts, which then lend back capital to building and home owners to fund energy retrofit projects. Owners repay the loan through their property tax bills, typically over a 15- to 20-year term.
The concept potentially helps commercial property owners overcome the hurdle of the high upfront cost of energy upgrades. While the industry has come to agree that retrofits can sharply reduce energy costs and consumption and offset greenhouse gas emissions, private owners have struggled to finance such improvements due to capital constraints, especially in today’s economy.
Aggressive NOI goals and the need to split the benefits of tax credits and other incentives with tenants present other barriers for owners. PACE financing has emerged as a promising, albeit untested, tool for commercial owners.
“The opportunities are really tremendous from an energy retrofit perspective,” Hasner tells CoStar. “A lot of the hesitation from building owners comes from the upstream expenses and not wanting to make those expenditures. This type of financing can help alleviate some of those concerns and convince owners to make these types of investments, which are going to be cost effective as well as energy efficient in the long run.”
Hasner serves as an advisor to Clean Fund, a California-based merchant bank for clean technology. Clean Fund CEO John Kinney, a Marin County, CA, entrepreneur, said he is involved in fairly deep discussions with major property owners, including executives of some of the nation’s largest publicly traded REITs, in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
The Bay Area in particular is home to progressive and environmentally conscious real estate companies - owners that don’t need to be convinced of the potential value of retrofits and energy efficiency to their bottom lines, tenants and the environment.
“They’re trying to differentiate themselves by taking a leadership role,” Kinney said. “At the same time, tenants are shifting toward buildings that are environmentally responsible and have lower energy costs.”
PACE was launched as a demonstration project in 2007 in the Bay Area city of Berkeley. Based on its early success, states soon began passing bills enabling local cities and counties to create their own programs. At least 19 states have passed the legislation, including Arizona, California, Florida, Colorado, New York, Maryland, Massachusetts, Texas and Maine.
It works like this. A municipality establishes a PACE program, creating a special assessment district utilizing a voluntary tax lien on private property to secure financing for retrofits on existing buildings for energy efficiency, solar and other renewable energy projects, and sometimes water conservation. The liens are paid off over terms ranging from 5 to 20 years, most commonly through annual property tax bills.
Using the lien as security opens several financing options. But in most programs to date, PACE bonds are issued by special municipal finance districts or finance companies, or funding is borrowed from the municipality’s general fund, to fund loans to owners for commercial and residential retrofit projects. In some programs, each large commercial project secures its own third-party financing such as an additional loan from the primary mortgage lender.
The approach is entirely market based and each property owner in the district can voluntarily opt into the program.
A new study by Pike Research, a market research and consulting firm on the clean technology industry, has fueled the latest wave of interest in - and also questions about - the fledgling PACE programs. According to Pike, PACE will continue to grow in popularity in the U.S., with investment in PACE financing for commercial buildings totaling a projected $2.5 billion annually by 2015.
Commercial owners who are initially most likely to be candidates for the program include those with modestly sized buildings burdened by high energy bills - owners who plan to keep their property for a while and have accumulated 10% or more in equity. Initial applications will probably include office buildings of less than six stories, select service hotels, small malls with central HVAC, and grocery stores. “Until now, private buildings such as these have had minimal access to financing for energy retrofits,” the Pike report said.
The Pike report also addresses several concerns and barriers to implementation for the programs, mostly centered on the fact that they are untested in the marketplace.
Potential buyers and lending institutions may be wary of existing PACE liens, with first-mortgage holders concerned about how the liens would be transferred in an ownership change, and whether they would hold a senior position to lenders’ own loans, Pike said.
Also, it’s yet unclear whether a voluntary PACE lien will be treated under generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) as a loan or as a lien on a company’s balance sheet -- an important distinction in evaluating a company’s debt position. Unlike assessment liens such as school district assessments, loans count against a business’s debt capacity.
The question of who is held accountable in the event of default is already being tested, at least on the residential side. Government-sponsored mortgage-finance entities Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, in letters sent to lenders in May, expressed concern about how the agencies will be repaid if homeowners participating in PACE later default on their mortgages. At least one municipality, Boulder County, CO., this week canceled its PACE program for residential, although its commercial program is still active.
Although PACE improvement projects can be fully financed under property tax bills and passed to future property buyers, some experts say most PACE programs are currently financed at relatively uncompetitive rates, which can present its own challenges.
“It will take time to educate people,” Florida’s Hasner acknowledged. “We’re still early in the first quarter of a four-quarter game. Everyone is very quick to recognize the innovations in technology in energy efficiency and new technologies. But PACE is really about an innovation in financing. It can be a very useful financial tool for commercial property owners to complete energy efficiency projects that will help them save money.”
CoStar Group Director of Analytics Norm Miller co-authored an influential study in 2008 with CoStar CEO Andrew Florance and Senior Director of Research and Analytics Jay Spivey that found strong evidence of both significant office rent premiums, faster absorption of space, lower cap rates and higher prices per square foot for green buildings bearing either an Energy Star or LEED certification. A retrofit program could potentially extend those premiums to a greater number of owners of existing properties.
“If PACE could offer lower financing rates, we would see more interest,” Miller said. “The mechanism makes sense. Many third-party vendors are pushing the program to cover new lighting, solar cells, improved water heating systems, HVACs, window glazing, reflective roofs and other improvements, all of which qualify. In concert with other incentives and federal rebates, these investments generally have payback within 10 to 12 years, and PACE programs can be utilized for up to 20 years.”
Because PACE assessments hold superior lien positions, lenders may one day restrict the ability to tack significant energy projects onto the property tax bill, especially when the total debt and improvement cost of a project exceeds a loan-to-value threshold deemed reasonable by the mortgagee, Miller said.
Kinney agrees that said PACE projects will require lender approval and cooperation to move forward due to the complexity of commercial mortgage loan covenants. However, PACE can be used in concert with tax credits and other incentives to reduce the cost of capital and shrink the total cost of a retrofit project.
“The lower the cost, the easier it is to justify, and in a commercial situation, projects aren’t going to get done just to improve the environment -- they will get done because they are cost justifiable,” Kinney said.
The fact that the property owner needs to cooperate with their mortgagee is “in some cases a different paradigm than property owners are used to,” especially in times of economic distress when relations between between lenders and owners are often strained, Kinney said.
Kinney said he is even talking with owners of distressed properties that are underwater and their lenders, who are intrigued by the PACE approach because of the possibility of making energy improvements, adding value and possibly recovering their costs in distressed assets -- without having to spend a lot of money on a building that might be lost to foreclosure.
"The steps that property owners take to retrofit are easy to justify financially," Kinney said. "Frankly, taking an inefficient building and making it more efficient is much more valuable than taking a new building that is already highly efficient and simply certifying that it is in fact, highly efficient."
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