Energy Efficient Lighting – Page 3 – Energy & Water Conservation Blog

EPA’s Successful Energy Star Program

Posted on 02/14/201702/14/2017 by Conservation Mart

In 1992, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) introduced ENERGY STAR as a voluntary labeling program designed to identify and promote energy-efficient products to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They began by labeling computers and monitors and in 1995 expanded the label to include office equipment products and residential heating and cooling equipment.

In 1996, the EPA partnered with the US Department of Energy for major appliances, office equipment, lighting, home electronics, new homes and commercial and industrial buildings and plants.

Today, ENERGY STAR encourages energy efficiency in more than 70 product categories. More than 1.6 million homes and over 25,000 buildings have earned ENERGY STAR certification.

Third party certification process makes sure anything that earns the blue label meets the highest standards. Even an LED bulb must pass dozens of checks to assure quality, performance, and efficiency. Conservation Mart is proud to carry a wide variety of ENERGY STAR bulbs.

Over the years, the ENERGY STAR label has helped save more than $362 billion on utility bills and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by more than 2.4 billion metric tons. EPA’s ENERGY STAR program is the most successful voluntary energy efficiency movement in history. Visit their EPA Energy Star site to learn more about this program and to find information on federal tax credits.

LED Retrofits vs. LED Ready T8 Replacement Fixtures

Posted on 11/29/201601/12/2017 by Conservation Mart

Advantages of LED lights include, energy savings, better quality light, and the ability to respond to intelligent controllers, for even more energy savings. Fluorescent light technology does not work well with dimming controls. In comparison, LED lighting can be controlled by ambient light sensors, either built into the individual light unit or by as part of a lighting zone, which makes it easier to have a planned energy usage system. Now the question is whether to use a LED retrofit orLED ready T8 fixtures to make the switch from fluorescent to LED lighting.

If you don’t want to buy a new fixture, LED retrofits are a good option. LED retrofitting means switching inefficient lighting technologies, such as fluorescent lights, to a new energy-efficient lighting system using the fixtures that are currently in place.

If you are happy with the layout of your existing fixtures, you do not need to pay for new fixtures or a redesign. You just need to purchase an all-in-one retrofit kit which usually includes everything you need for a fast and easy installation, such as, brackets, sockets, wiring, screws and fasteners.

First you will need to remove the existing bulbs, ballast, sockets, and brackets, and then replace them with LED lamps and a wiring harness. You do not need many wiring alterations but you should use a licensed electrician to be sure that you are adhering to your local code and safety requirements.

If however, you are looking to replace your fixtures, LED ready T8 fixtures allow installers to avoid bypassing the ballast and adopt the energy-saving benefits of LED technology. Our selection includes Vapor Tight, Linear Utility Strips , and High Bays.

Either way, the switch to LED lighting has some of the best financial returns on investment of energy efficient installations. For example, a lighting upgrade reduced the energy lighting costs in a manufacturing facility by 40 percent, resulting in a savings of over $50,000 in annual lighting costs.

LED Troffers are Ideal in Office Drop Ceilings

Posted on 11/07/201605/19/2022 by Conservation Mart

Found often in schools, hospitals, offices, retail settings, and for grid ceiling applications, LED troffers are rectangular light fixture that fits into a modular dropped ceiling grid, which are usually 2’x2′ or 2’x’4. Troffer fixtures initially used fluorescent bulbs, such as the T5, T8, or T12. There are LED Troffer retrofits available or if you are putting in new fixtures, high-efficiency LED lay-in troffers and LED Flat Panels are available. These fixtures are available in multiple lumen light outputs, and warmer white (35K), cool white (41K), and bright white (50K) colors.

Many LED panels deliver a polished look with their sleek design and advanced light dispersing. This Paclights 46W 2X4 LED Volumetric Troffer FTB24D46 model runs on 46 watts and generates 5796 lumens.

One of the best advantages of using LED 2×4 Troffers, is that the bulbs generally last 50,000 hours, versus only 30,000 hours for an average T8 LFL. This means less calls to the maintenance department to change bulbs in the facility.

To view Conservation Mart’s wide selection of LED Troffers and Panels, please visit our website.

Stay Safe at Night with LED Night Lights

Posted on 10/19/2016 by Conservation Mart

Whether you have young kids who get up at night, a pet who needs to be let out, or frequent trips to the bathroom, there is a chance that at least someone in your household is walking the hallways at night. An LED night light can prevent waking up others in the household and more importantly, prevent a fall down the stairs.

The advantage of using an LED night light as opposed to an incandescent one is that the LED bulb consumes 90% less energy than incandescent night lights, and it could be years before you would have to replace the bulb.

This LED Night-Light with Photocell technology will automatically turn the light on at dusk, and off at dawn. This is a fantastic feature because then you don’t have to remember to switch the night light on and off since it is automatic.

As you can see by the review below, it is a top rated product and at only $2.40 it is a tremendous value.

Your family and guests will appreciate the extra illumination of your hallways and bathrooms without disrupting their sleep.

night-light-review

Advantages of LED High Bay Fixtures

Posted on 08/30/201610/19/2016 by Conservation Mart

LED Highbay Lighting will help you meet the challenging maintenance, safety, and performance requirements of industrial environments.

Ryan Bailey, Director of Sustainability for The Bailey Company, one of the nation’s largest forklift dealers servicing the Southeast, says, “We’ve been thrilled with our switch to LED high bays. TCP LED High Bay Lighting has been popular in the shop, and the price is great too. We had been looking for an affordable high bay for a long time.”

LED high bay lights use smaller watts of power than other lights and save up to 80% of energy, which can be seen in electric bills when used in conjunction with sensors and a lighting management system. These fixtures are more durable, withstand the test of time, and do not heat up when they are on which can result in a decreased need for air conditioning by as much as 20%.

Tim Dawe from Par 4 Plastics, Tyler Manufacturing & Par 4 Tooling has seen the energy savings fist hand. Dawe confirms, “Switching to TCP LED Sky Bay has helped us improve light output and quality and at the same time have reduced our utility bills.”

LED High Bay fixtures are DLC Listed, so they may qualify for energy rebates by your local utility which can significantly reduce the cost of ownership.

Save

LED Emergency Lights and Exit Signs are a Win-Win!

Posted on 07/31/201610/04/2016 by Conservation Mart

During an emergency, the power often goes out and standard exit signs do not give off enough light to enable people to see down hallways or stairwells. LED emergency lights and exit sign combinations are a cost effective way to comply with building codes and help people safely exit a building.

Emergency signs are illuminated 24 hours a day. Incandescent emergency lights use about 40 watts of power compared to 5 watts used by LED signs. Multiply this amount by the number of exit signs in your facility, and you can calculate a considerable amount of savings which you will see on your monthly bill.

Another advantage of LED bulbs is that they usually last for at least 10 years. Incandescent and fluorescent lights on the other hand, only last for an average five months or one year respectively. This means that your maintenance costs will also decrease, as you won’t need to replace bulbs very often.

Easy to install, LED emergency exit signs are a fast and inexpensive way to make your building more safe and energy efficient.

Save

LED T8 U-Bend Lamps

Posted on 06/28/201612/07/2016 by Conservation Mart

If you are looking for a bright, energy-efficient light that can be used in a commercial or residential space, LED T8 U-bend lamps are a great solution.

A U-bend lamp is a linear tube that has been shaped into a U. LED T8 U-bend lamps operate off a fixture’s existing ballast, without any extra labor or rewiring. It is a plug-and-play replacement for fluorescent tubes that works straight out of the box, and is suitable for use in a totally enclosed, bi-pin socketed luminaires.

Designed to deliver over 1800 lumens, these energy-saving LED lamps are quick, easy, and safe to install.

Save

Best Value in LED Lighting

Posted on 06/09/201601/26/2017 by Conservation Mart

A gas station needs bright and welcoming light to draw in customers. Inyo Shell knew that with ongoing construction on the station, they needed new canopy lights with a stress-free install. The previous LSI Scottsdale* metal halide fixtures were replaced with LED Gas Station Canopy Lights.

A retrofitting cover plate neatly closes the top of the ballast box and the Jarvis SCRT’s LED panel replaces the previously installed glass lens. By using the original housing already secured in the canopy, the SCRT-320 offers a clean, updated LED look with none of the hassle involved in removing original fixtures.

A quick installation allowed Inyo Shell to be open for business during the rest of the construction project.

In addition to the improved light output, they expect to save 16,882 kWh a year and won’t have to change them out for up to 100,000 hours – which is over 11 years of continuous use!

The Jarvis Corp SCRT-320 offers the fastest installation in the industry. Many of the LED Gas Station Canopy Lights are ETL listed for wet locations, and DesignLights Consortium® Qualified, making them eligible for rebates in most areas.

LED Canopy Lights are a simple and cost-effective solution for upgrading existing lights to LED technology.

* Scottsdale is a registered trademark of LSI Industries, Inc.

Save

LED Corn Lights: Energy Efficient and Wildlife Lighting Certified

Posted on 05/10/201604/25/2022 by Conservation Mart

Named after their resemblance to an ear of corn, LED corn lights are comprised of small LED light bulbs that create an intense, omnidirectional light which allows you to see more clearly. They are ideal for many different indoor and outdoor installations including High Intensity Discharge (HID) lighting, high bay lights, low bay lights, outdoor post top lighting fixtures, streetlights, parking lots, security lighting and many more. The corn lights available at Conservation Mart range from 18 watts to 120 watts and last for 50,000 hours.

The LED corn lights have an IP65 ingress rating which makes them suitable for damp locations, such as streetlights and wall packs.

LED corn lights operate without a ballast and are 75% more efficient than their HID equivalent.

Bright artificial lighting confuses female turtles and new hatchlings, drawing them away from the ocean towards threats from predators, traffic and starvation. LED amber lights help to diminish the light pollution, allowing the turtles to stay safe in their natural habitats.

Change a Bulb, Change Your Footprint

Posted on 03/18/2016 by Conservation Mart

Earth hour, which this year is March 19, 8:30-9:30 local time, is an initiative to encourage individuals, businesses and governments around the world to take accountability for their ecological footprint and engage in dialogue and resource exchange that provides real solutions to our environmental challenges. Participation in Earth Hour symbolizes a commitment to change beyond the hour.

One of the ways that we can easily and cost-effectively change our ecological footprint, which is “the impact of a person or community on the environment, expressed as the amount of land required to sustain their use of natural resources,” is to transition to energy-efficient lighting.

If a million people changed a single lamp at home to an LED bulb, it would be the equivalent of taking 6,700 cars off the road or planting 17 million trees!

Signup for Exclusive Promotions