energy efficiency – Page 3 – Energy & Water Conservation Blog

Retrofitting Parking and Canopy HIDs with LED Canopy Light Fixtures

Posted on 04/23/201810/27/2018 by Yaminah Jappah

For many business, indoor lighting is one of the most important decisions to be made. Equally important, however, should be how the outside is illuminated. For potential customers passing the building at night, or walking through the parking garage, the outside will be their first impression of your establishment. While HID lamps have been the standard outdoor lighting option for years, LED canopy light fixtures help provide many options to create a safe and inviting environment while greatly reducing both energy use and lighting costs.

Light Distribution

LED manufacturers made sure to provide many options to address a myriad of commercial lighting needs. The LED fixtures are available in two different types: Parking Garage Distribution and Canopy Distribution. The lamps also come in different shapes (round and square) to make the switch simple. The shapes allow multiple choices for mounting: ceiling, arm, and wall mount to name a few. HID lamps generally emit a somewhat orange light color. Their LED counterparts however, provide a cool white light. This gives them a much brighter appearance, and helps foster feelings of safety and comfort where installed.

Switching and Saving

Regardless of where the new lights are being installed, you’ll want to make sure the old ones are being properly replaced. LED canopy light fixtures are available in 20 to 53 watt options as replacements for the following HID lights:

20W LED – 100W Metal Halide
30W LED – 150W Metal Halide
40W LED – 175W Metal Halide
53W LED – 250W Metal Halide

The LED technology allows these lamps to use such low amounts of energy while still maintaining brightness. This is because the brightness is not dependent on wattage, but lumens. The higher the lumen count on a lamp is, the brighter the light emitted from will be. Further opportunities for savings are realized through dimmable and motion sensing lamps. By installing the LED canopy light fixtures, you’ll be cutting energy usage per fixture by up to 80% and as a result, energy costs.

Does Ballast Compatibility Matter When Choosing LED T8 Lamps?

Posted on 04/12/201810/27/2018 by Yaminah Jappah

Plug and Play LED T8 Traditionally, fluorescent T8 linear lamps have been used as the main light source in commercial buildings such as hospitals, warehouses, schools, and more. LED T8 lamps are quickly replacing their fluorescent counterparts. The LED technology provides higher efficiency, many color and lumen options, and sizes. Advancements in lighting capabilities have also led to more options for installation. When deciding on which lamps to replace your fluorescent T8s with, one of the main things to consider is the ballast type. Knowing the difference between a Plug and Play LED T8 and a Ballast Bypass T8 will make the process of switching even easier.

Type A

Ballast compatibility absolutely matters when the LED lamp you’ve chosen is of the UL Type A variety. The Plug and Play LED T8, also referred to as direct fit, is the easiest of the two types to install. This lamp works directly with the existing ballast to quickly replace the fluorescent T8. While this is the simplest installation method, the LED lamp must be compatible with the ballast of the fluorescent it is replacing in order for the new lamp to work. The makers of the LED T8 typically provide a list of compatible ballasts. Make sure to check out this list before purchasing your replacement lamps.

Type B

LED lamps classified as ballast bypass, direct wire, or UL Type B do have a more involved installation. As a result, it is best to hire an expert electrician to complete the process. The Ballast Bypass T8 does just that. The technology of these lamps works straight from the line voltage that flows through the sockets.The process of retrofitting fluorescent fixtures for this LED type entails the removal of any electrical ballasts as well as verifying non-shunted sockets are in the fixture. The initial installation costs of the lamp is made up for by getting rid of the maintenance costs the ballast would otherwise need.

Both Plug and Play LED T8 and Ballast Bypass T8 options provide as much as 40% more savings in energy use and costs when compared to fluorescent lamps. Having an understanding of how the ballasts impact your fixture, installation process, and overall maintenance can help you better choose which lighting option will work best for you.

Benefits of the High Bay LED Retrofit

Posted on 03/02/201810/27/2018 by Yaminah Jappah

high bay LED retrofit In commercial and industrial buildings, High Intensity Discharge, or HID, light fixtures are commonly found. These are high voltage fixtures that use a mix of metals and gases to create a bright and powerful white light. With each year, and as technology continues to advance, there are far more options for lighting than ever before. Among the most energy efficient options for illuminating any space are LEDs. Naturally, the larger the space, the greater the opportunity for savings. Making the switch from an HID light fixture to a high bay LED retrofit in your facility provides great savings in energy, energy costs, and much more.

Stacking up Savings
While HID light fixtures are the standard, their high voltage and wattage requirements result in high energy consumption. This leads to the cost of energy going up along with it. In contrast, LEDs are powered when a microchip receives an electrical current to create the light. The difference in technology is how a 90-watt high bay LED can replace a 400-watt HID light fixture.

In addition, LEDs contain technology called a heat sink, which absorbs the heat that is created by the light. Heat sink technology allows for up to 20% in air conditioning savings, furthering savings in energy costs. As if this isn’t enough, many of these energy saving lights are also DLC listed. This rating means that many of these fixtures qualify for energy rebates with local utility companies.

Where do they go?
High bay fixtures are designed for use in buildings with ceilings that are typically 20 to 45 feet in height. This makes them ideal for installation in gymnasiums, manufacturing plants, factories, warehouses, and other structures with high ceilings. Spaces such as these require illumination from all sides, and the LEDs provide it. The high bay LED retrofit is not only energy efficient, but long lasting. On average, they last as long as 50,000 hours. The long lifespan reduces the need for frequent replacement, which is ideal given how high up they’re installed!

The focus of LED lighting technology is on their power. They are designed to provide illumination of the highest quality without sacrifice. These energy efficient fixtures deliver brilliant light without affecting the temperature of the building, while saving energy and reducing energy costs from the moment they’re installed.

Fluorescent T5 vs LED Bulb Replacement

Posted on 02/16/201810/27/2018 by Yaminah Jappah

As recently as 2010, the United States Department of Energy found that nearly 80 percent of lamps being used in commercial buildings were fluorescent. These lights are commonly found in large industrial buildings or other commercial edifices, such as hospitals and schools. They provide up to 75 percent more energy savings than their incandescent counterparts. That being said, as LED technology updates and shifts, even more savings can be realized by switching from fluorescent tubes to LED T5 plug and play or LED T5 direct wire lamps.

Power Up
One of the major identifiers of any light is its wattage. This is the main indicator of how much you’re going to save when you switch. For example, a standard 28-watt fluorescent tube can be replaced by a 15-watt LED lamp. Additionally, a 54-watt high output fluorescent tube is easily replaceable by an LED that consumes only 25-watts of energy. With such a difference in the amount of power being used, savings in energy costs quickly follow installation.

Plug and Play
Plug and Play, or direct wire, LED T5 lamps make switching from fluorescent to LED simple. These bulbs are easy and quick to install. Replacing the ballast in your current fixture won’t be necessary, as it plugs directly into the fixture without any rewiring. This also reduces the the cost of labor and reduces maintenance for facility managers.

Bypass the Ballast
Ballast bypass, also known as LED T5 direct wire lights are slightly different from their plug and play counterparts. These lamps cannot be installed without first removing the existing ballast in a fixture. This is because they operate using the line voltage that flows straight to the sockets, essentially doing what its name indicates, bypassing the ballast.

Time is Money
On average, an LED T5 lamp is rated to last as long as 50,000 hours. This is more than double the standard 24,000 hour life of a fluorescent tube. Installing lamps with this long of a lifespan eliminates the need for frequent replacement. Also worth consideration are warranty periods. Standard fluorescent tubes have a warranty period up to 2 years. Conversely, the typical warranty period for LED fluorescent tubes is 5 years.

These lamps are available in cool and daylight white and designed with high lumen outputs. This provides both consistent color and illumination for a seamless switch. With lower power usage, longer lifespan, and a longer warranty, whether you choose an LED T5 plug and play or a ballast bypass lamp, you’re easily looking at saving as much as 45 percent on both energy usage and costs.

Expand Your Business with Touch ‘n Seal’s CPDS

Posted on 10/05/2016 by Conservation Mart

The Touch ‘N Seal CPDS Series 2 Machine combines convenience with efficiency by applying spray foam up to 2.5 times faster than the standard spray foam kit. It is a portable, constant pressure dispensing machine used to install Class I fire-retardant polyurethane foam. The foam is both insulating and sound attenuating. With a minimal investment, the CPDS Series 2 Machine provides a great opportunity for services looking to expand as well as start-up insulation businesses.

This machine offers high profit with little maintenance, and eliminates the need for use of a bulk system with a mid-sized project (rehabs & renovations, repairs, room additions and “call backs”). Its yield is 20% greater than with the standard disposable polyurethane foam kits. This machine is also a more economical choice, with the cost for each board foot is less than that of the standard spray foam kit. Replacement parts for this machine are available.

This spray foam equipment comes ready to use. All that is needed are the “A” and “B” polyurethane foam tanks. Included with the CPDS Series 2 are the tools necessary for application: a 30′ chemical delivery hose set, 50 disposable spray nozzles, 2 foam applicators, an operational DVD, and a set of manuals for operation and manuals. Chemical foam cylinders are available for both 1.75 pcf and 1.00 pcf Class 1, Fire Retardant polyurethane spray foam.

The CPDS Series 2 is easily handled and transported by a single individual. It is ideal for those situations where a rig or bulk system is too much or disposable kits are too little.

In this video, Joel Few with Carolina Aire and Mold Solutions discusses how he expanded his business with Touch ‘n Seal’s Constant Pressure Dispensing System (CPDS). The CPDS has made his business profitable and at the same time he is able to provide his customers with an air sealing solution that saves them money and increases home comfort level.

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Practice What You Teach: Sustainability on College Campuses

Posted on 05/13/2016 by Conservation Mart

Colleges and universities are ranked on a variety of criteria; from class size, retention and graduation rates to whether or not they are a top party school or have a successful athletic program.

In recent years, colleges and universities are also being judged by their “green” initiatives. Princeton Review’s Top List of Green Colleges and Sierra Club’s list of America’s Greenest Universities ranks campus sustainability practices. The categories that are examined are: Energy, Investments, Food, Innovation, Academics, Planning, Purchasing, Transport, Waste, and Water.

Sustainability measures often save a significant amount of money, and they also demonstrate that colleges are practicing what they teach.

Of the categories listed above, water and energy have an immediate financial payoff. By making the switch to energy efficient lighting and water saving devices colleges can save millions!

Boston College’s energy-efficiency efforts have resulted in annual energy savings of more than 4 million kWh, and cost savings of $650,000. The multiple conservation measures implemented on campus include more than 1.4 million square feet in lighting upgrades. Campus lighting upgrades include motion sensing, daylight harvesting, and ballast replacements. In addition, they distributed 7000 12.5 Watt LED bulbs to students.

Assumption College in Massachusetts installed toilet flush valves and water-saving shower heads in 22 buildings, which should save nearly three million gallons of water per year.

Students at American University measured the flow rate of water fixtures on campus and realized that AU could be more efficient with its water use. They shared their findings with Office of Sustainability staff members who then estimated that once all the aerators are replaced, the university will save 570,000 gallons of water, enough to fill AU’s swimming pools and almost $10,000 per year.

For other ideas on how to make your school more green and to connect with other sustainability departments you may want to visit the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.

Conservation Mart has a wide selection of energy and water saving devices and would love to help your campus go green!

Historic Earth Day

Posted on 04/20/201604/20/2016 by Conservation Mart

We have seen many changes since opening our doors in 2008. We went from people just beginning to hear about climate change and the many questions that followed: Do humans play a role in climate change? Is there was anything we could do to change it, and if so would it hurt the economy?

Eight years later, 155 nations plan to sign the Paris climate agreement this Friday on Earth Day. A record number of nations are pledging to take steps to reduce global warming pollutants.

Not only that, according to the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) preliminary analysis of 2015 data, for the second year in a row, the amount of carbon emitted from the world’s power sector stayed level at 32.1 billion tons and renewables “accounted for roughly 90 percent of new electricity generation in 2015,” with wind alone producing more than half of that new power.

At the same time, the global economy grew more than 3 percent. The IEA declared that the “decoupling of global emissions and economic growth” has been officially “confirmed.”

Conservation measures will always be a significant part of the overall plan to curb emissions. With our wide selection of Energy Star, DLC listed, and Water Sense products, Conservation Mart is proud to provide the latest in energy and water efficiency technologies to homeowners, businesses, contractors, utilities, weatherization agencies, and state and local governments. We are grateful to our many customers for taking the steps to be a part of the climate solution and also realizing savings for themselves in the process. We are honored to play a role in the shift towards a clean, green, and sustainable future! Happy Earth Day!

The Unsung Heroes of Insulation

Posted on 03/30/201604/13/2016 by Conservation Mart

Light switches and electrical outlets are small but significant sources of air leaks which may often cause an increase in the cost of energy.

The easiest way to reduce heating and cooling costs within your home is to insulate your electrical outlets. The gasket sealants work by sealing off the wall cavity behind outlets and switch areas from the living space which prevent drafts from coming through. By retaining the heating and cooling of your home, electrical outlet insulation can ultimately save you 20% on your heating and cooling bill. The price of electrical outlet insulation is also inexpensive, so installing it is very cost effective.

All that is required to install gasket sealants are the outlet insulation and a screwdriver. You must first start off by making sure that the power in the area you are working is turned off. To install, remove the cover plate, line up the holes of the electrical outlet gaskets to the electrical outlet, and then carefully reattach the electrical outlet cover. In a few easy steps, you will prevent air leaks and conserve energy.

LED Lights Replace Halogens in Kitchen Update

Posted on 12/15/2015 by Conservation Mart

For the 10 years that we have lived in our house, we had functional, but not very stylish troffer lights in our kitchen. They are great for work spaces and schools, but not always the first choice in homes.

However, when they both started to come loose and need repairs and new bulbs, we figured it was time to update to track lighting.

While the fixture looked great, the five 35W halogen lights gave off no where near the brightness of the fluorescent tubes. It created a nice ambiance, but it made food preparation difficult. Also, the bulbs gave off a lot of heat and I was worried that the 175 watts were using too much energy throughout the day.

Our problems were solved when I found the TCP 7W, 4100K, 50W halogen replacement bulb.

After turning the halogen bulbs counter clockwise, they slipped out easily and then the new ones clicked right in. The 4100K color temperature brought out more of a white light which works better in kitchens. Because it was a 50W equivalent rather than 35W, it was also brighter, but used only a fraction of the energy. We went from 175W to 35W total, and improved the quality and brightness of light.

As you can see from the pictures, the new TCP bulbs brighten up the space and reach into the corners so there are no more shadows.

Switching to energy efficient lighting is not a sacrifice; it is a win-win in terms of both quality and long-term savings.

How is the WaterSense Label on Showerheads Useful?

Posted on 08/26/201510/13/2016 by Conservation Mart

WaterSense, a program by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, uses its labels and certifications to protect the future of our nation’s water supply by offering people a simple way to use less water with water-efficient products, new homes, and services. The goal of the program is to help consumers make smarter choices with the water they use that save money and maintain high environmental standards. WaterSense labeled products and/or services are certified to be at least 20 percent more efficient without sacrificing performance. These products have the potential to help our country save billions of gallons of water annually.

When it comes to showerheads, water efficiency usually has to do with features such as low-flow and restricted-flow. Showering accounts for approximately 17% of residential indoor water use, proving to be one of the leading ways we use water in the home. For the average family, that becomes nearly 40 gallons per day of water usage which is close to 1.2 trillion gallons of water used annually in the United States just for showering.

Standard showerheads use 2.5 gallons of water per minute (gpm). WaterSense labeled showerheads use no more than 2.0 gpm and ensures that these products still provide a satisfactory shower that is equal to or better than conventional showerheads on the market. The savings that come with simply switching to WaterSense labeled showerheads are absolutely worthwhile. An average family could save 2,900 gallons per year by installing WaterSense labeled showerheads. Because these savings simultaneously reduce demands on water heaters, they also save energy. An average family could save more than 370 kilowatt hours of electricity annually by using WaterSense products. To further put this into scale, if every home in the United States installed WaterSense labeled showerheads, we could save more than $2.2 billion in water utility bills and more than 260 billion gallons of water annually. Furthermore, we could avoid about $2.6 billion in energy costs for heating water.

Whether you are replacing an older, inefficient showerhead or looking for ways to reduce water use and utility bills in your home, look for WaterSense labeled showerheads along with faucets, faucet accessories, and toilets to help you identify models that save water and perform well.

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