News Updates for the Week of December 27

1. U.S. Population Grew 9.7% in the Past Decade to 308,745,538, the Slowest Rate Since The Great Depression
2. Construction Unemployment Rate Jumps to 18.8% - Construction unemployment rate is highest for any industry, roughly double overall rate as federal projects remain only bright spot for hard-hit sector. The construction unemployment rate jumped to 18.8% in November as the sector lost another 5,000 jobs since October, according to an analysis of new federal employment data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). 12/020 EC&M

3. Release of ENERGY STAR Luminaires Final Draft Version 1.0 Specification - Attached is a memo from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announcing the release of the Final Draft Version 1.0 of the ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Luminaires. This specification, also attached, is intended long term to replace the existing Residential Light Fixtures (V4.3) and Solid State Lighting Luminaires (V1.2) specifications. Stakeholders may submit comments on this draft to EPA no later than Friday, January 14, 2011. Comments should be submitted to luminaires@energystar.gov with “ENERGY STAR Luminaires V1.0 Final Draft Comments” in the subject line.

4. Philips Lumileds Leads LED Industry with Mass Production on 150 mm Wafers - Philips Lumileds is the first power LED manufacturer in mass production on 150 mm wafers and is now producing millions of GaN based LEDs weekly on the larger substrates. Each 150 mm wafer produces four times the number of LEDs as the current 3-inch wafers. The transition to a larger wafer size is broadly viewed as a critical path to providing the increasing volume of LEDs required by the lighting industry and ensuring a supportable and secure supply chain. http://www.philipslumileds.com/

5. Rouses Point, NY Promotes Energy Efficiency - In an effort to increase energy efficiency, the Village of Rouses Point is distributing CFL light bulbs to electric customers. The move is a joint effort with other villages across New York state as part of the Independent Energy Efficiency Program http://ieepny.com/ About 260,000 Energy Star-qualified light bulbs have been distributed since November. Any village residents who pay a utility bill qualify for two free bulbs and can pick them up at the Village Office. 12/19 The Press-Republican

6. Energy Projects Planned for Archbald, PA -Traffic lights at five Archbald intersections will switch from incandescent bulbs to light-emitting diodes next year under a regional initiative funded by the Pittston-based Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance http://www.nepa-alliance.org/ Archbald is one of 55 municipalities that will change their traffic lights as part of the project. 12/17 The Times-Tribune

7. HD to Build Energy-Efficient Prototype -The Home Depot has agreed to showcase a high-performance, energy-efficient store built through the Department of Energy’s Commercial Building Partnership, a program dedicated to accelerating energy-saving technologies into standard designs for commercial buildings. The new Home Depot store, slated for Rocklin, CA, will require up to 50% less energy than standard commercial buildings, according to the press release. Funding will come through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Completion is expected in mid-2012. 12/17 HCN

8. Existing-Home Sales Show Improvement - Data released today from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) show sales of existing homes increased 5.6% to a pace of 4.68 million in November. The seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.68 million is the highest since June 2010, which saw a pace of 5.26 million. Compared with November of last year, however, sales are 27.9% down from a 6.49-million pace. The optimistic projections are at the 5-million pace by spring of 2011. 12/22 HCN

9. Lighting Science Group Wins Bid to Relight Washington, D.C. - Lighting Science Group's high-performance PROLIFIC series LED street lights will soon line the streets of Washington, D.C. Compared with traditional high pressure sodium (HPS) street lights, the PROLIFIC LED series street lights are 50% more efficient, provide more uniform light distribution, increase light levels, and will save Washington, D.C. tens of thousands of dollars each year in energy and maintenance costs. The new light fixtures will be paid for from American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds and will begin to be installed in early 2011. http://www.lsgc.com/

News Updates for the Week of December 20th

1. Dot Earth: U.S. Energy Choices and Global Climate Plans - There’s plenty to ponder in the newly released summary of the Annual Energy Outlook 2011 by the Department of Energy. While all such forecasts are implicitly uncertain, this one helps clarify where to focus efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions; reinforces the importance of resolving questions about how to safely expand, while not stopping, extraction of vast domestic reserves of natural gas; and powerfully challenges proponents of accelerated deployment of today’s menu of renewable energy technologies or nuclear power plants to lay out a credible strategy for supplanting coal. http://www.eia.gov/forecasts/aeo/executive_summary.cfm 12/16 New York Times

2. Siemens Said to Weigh Osram Options as Future Brightens for Lighting Unit - Siemens AG, Europe’s largest engineering company, is exploring options for its Osram lighting business, including a possible initial public offering or sale. Siemens, based in Munich, has held preliminary talks with investment banks about the viability of a transaction involving Osram, said the people, who declined to be identified because talks are private. No decision has been made and Siemens may keep the unit, they said. Siemens may consider an IPO or sales process for the first half of next year. Siemens is examining Osram’s future as the IPO market shows signs of thawing and the unit’s earnings surge, rising six-fold in the past fiscal year. Osram, the second-largest lighting company in the world by sales after Royal Philips Electronics NV, has an enterprise value of 6.5 billion euros ($8.7 billion) to 7 billion euros. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-15

3. GE’s Petras Sees Lighting Profit, Sales Up in 2011 - General Electric Co.’s lighting unit expects 2011 profit to rise on increased sales of LED-based products, said Michael Petras, who oversees the division. GE Lighting should increase its $2.6 billion in sales and have “strong double-digit” profit growth next year, Petras told investors at a Bank of America Merrill Lynch conference in New York. The unit, based in Cleveland, plans to raise investment in new products by almost 30 percent next year following increases in 2010. Two-thirds of new product spending at GE Lighting will be directed to LED-based products, he said. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-16/

4. Improvement Seen in Both Current and Expected North American Business Conditions in November - The Electroindustry Business Confidence Index (EBCI) for current North American business conditions climbed 14.5 points in November, rising to 62.5 from 48.0 a month ago. With a reading above 50 indicating more panelists than not reporting better conditions than a month ago, and vice-versa, these results show widespread improvement in the business environment across the electroindustry in November, in contrast to the modest deterioration seen in October. 12/15 EC&M

5. Green Energy Website Launched - Schenectady County has announced the launch of a new website – http://www.gogreenschenectadycounty.com/ -- that will provide county residents with information about energy saving projects and serve as a one-stop location for residents, businesses, and organizations to find rebates, incentives, and grants available to reduce energy costs and conserve resources. 12/15 Times Union

6. EnerPath Strengthens Communities Around the Country With Energy Efficiency Programs - Utility companies across the country are turning to California-based EnerPath to run energy efficiency programs and reduce their electricity demand. Energy efficiency programs are increasing in popularity with utilities across the country. http://www.enerpath.com/

7. DEP Announces Small Business Advantage Grants to Help Improve Energy Efficiency in PA - The Department of Environmental Protection announced that 90 small businesses across the state of Pennsylvania will receive more than $560,000 in grants through the Small Business Advantage program and leverage an additional $1.1 million in private investments to reduce energy use and pollution, enabling them to become more competitive. Examples of eligible projects include HVAC and boiler upgrades, high-efficiency lighting, solvent recovery and waste recycling systems, and auxiliary power units that help large trucks reduce time spent with idling engines. Web Site: http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/ 12/16 PRNewswire

8. Texas Appliance Rebate Program Grows by $8.5 Million - An extra $8.5 million is being pumped into Texas' upcoming appliance rebate program, swelling the total rebates offered to $18.5 million. The program kicks off Monday, the day consumers can begin buying and getting rebates for new appliances that have a federal Energy Star designation signifying high energy efficiency. Rebates range from $40 to $1,000, depending on the appliance. Rebate application forms are available to download and print at www.texaspowerfulsmart.org 12/16 Fort Worth Star-Telegram

9. Housing Starts Are Up, But Not Much - November housing starts, expressed as a seasonally adjusted annual rate, increased to 555,000 in November -- up from 534,000 in October. 12/16 HCN

News Updates for the Week of December 13

1. Rep. Upton Flips a Switch on CFL Bulbs - Three years after he led the charge to require consumers to ditch their comfortable old incandescent lights in favor of those twisty CFL bulbs, Rep. Fred Upton now wants to be the man to help undo that law if he is elected the next chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Federal officials say 272 million CFLs were sold in the U.S. in 2009, and they argue that the environmental and safety fears have been blown out of proportion. For repeal to succeed, legislation would have to pass the House and the Senate and then be signed by President Obama. 12/7 The Washington Times


2. New Buildings Institute Announces ALG Online - An all-in-one information resource covering energy-efficient lighting design, technologies, and applications, a new online edition of Advanced Lighting Guidelines is regularly updated by its editors and contributors. http://www.algonline.org/

3. Keeping Manufacturing in the United States - The U.S. solid-state lighting (SSL) industry sits on the cusp of major technology advances that will revo¬lutionize the industry and greatly accelerate energy efficiency here and around the world. The U.S. lighting industry has lost most, if not all, of its incandescent and compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) manufacturing to Asian countries in the last two decades, as well a substantial share of finished luminaire product and sub-system manufacturing, because it could not match production costs. U.S. com¬panies have made significant financial investments in SSL technology and would like to retain a larger share of this next generation of lighting. http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/publications/pdfs/ssl/ssl_whitepaper_july2010.pdf



4. NEMA-Backed Federal Buildings Personnel Training Act of 2010 Passes Congress - The U.S. House of Representatives has passed S3250, the Federal Buildings Personnel Training Act of 2010, which includes provisions backed by NEMA. Passed by the U.S. Senate in July, S3250 instructs the General Services Administration to develop core competencies for federal building managers to ensure that the buildings are safely maintained and operated at maximum performance levels. Copy of Bill: http://www.nema.org/media/pr/upload/S.3250.pdf

5. Construction Industry Loses More Jobs - The construction unemployment rate rose to 18.8% in November as the sector lost another 5,000 jobs since October, according to the Associated General Contractors of America, which just released an analysis of new federal employment data. The analysis indicates that the construction sector has been the hardest hit of any industry during the economic downturn. The construction industry has lost 2.1 million jobs since employment in the sector peaked in August 2006. 12/3 HCN

6. Solar Market to Double Next Year - Despite the uncertainty of political changes and the unsettled power markets, installations of solar photovoltaic (PV) generation will double next year. That's according to a new report that predicts 2 gigawatts of solar PV will be added in the United States in 2011. http://www.renewablesbiz.com/article/10/12/solar-market-double-next-year

7. Marin County Seeks Contractor to Change Light Bulbs - The county Board of Supervisors this week called for bids on replacing 1,688 high-pressure sodium street lights across Marin with energy-efficient LED fixtures and could cost more than $1 million. 12/3 Marin Independent Journal

8. DOE Releases GATEWAY Report on LED Retrofit Lamps - The DOE has published the final report from a demonstration of LED retrofit lamps installed at the InterContinental Hotel in San Francisco, California. This GATEWAY demonstration report provides an overview of project results including lighting performance, economic performance, and potential energy savings. The complete report is available for download at www.ssl.energy.gov/gatewaydemos_results.html


9. Dec. 14: Free DOE Webinar on the Latest Lighting Solutions - Register now to attend a free webinar presented by the DOE’s Building Technologies Program: “Commercial Lighting Solutions Web Tool: Improve Your Building Efficiency.” The 90-minute webinar will be held at noon Eastern on Tuesday, Dec. 14. The DOE’s Commercial Lighting Solutions interactive Web tool provides best practices lighting solutions for offices and box retail in both new and existing buildings. https://www.mymeetings.com/emeet/rsvp/index.jsp?customHeader=mymeetings&Conference_ID=9366099&passcode=7170033

10. GE LED Replacement Wins DOE's EnergyStar Rating - GE just launched a new 9 watt Energy Smart LED bulb that provides a soft white light (3,000K) and a 77-percent energy savings compared with a 40W incandescent bulb for $50 retail. EnergyStar tests found that the new GE LED bulb produced 471 lumens, a light-output measurement that exceeds the 450 lumens required by EnergyStar to be considered a 40W incandescent replacement. http://www.gelighting.com/na/energysmartLED/home.html

11. Lean and Green: How Sustainable Practices are Changing Retail - More retailers than ever believe that environmentally responsible initiatives are just plain good business sense. Those already winning at the POS believe this the most. But while frustration grows while waiting for consumers to start demanding greener products, Retail Winners are turning their focus to internal, more controllable initiatives. http://www.retailsystemsresearch.com/_document/summary/1209

Something to Think About...

Progress report:

We started the EnergyWatch blog in September this year and the response has been terrific. Check our archives to see what you've been missing.

As I have said in the past and will continue to say, God willing, it has been my pleasure to keep you all current on the energy issues of the day. We will continue to remind you as well when the monthly EnergyWatch newsletter is posted on my website: www.attardimarketing.com/energywatch. It has been twelve (12) glorious years…  

We will continue to post current energy issues to watch weekly or if it is appropriate, when it happens on http://www.energywatchblog.com/. The focus will continue to be energy and specifically energy-efficient lighting when you need to know it. In addition, we are linking with respected industry leaders/writers/educators and organizations to provide you with the best information available. Check it out often for marketing info, training, white papers, energy info, new technologies, energy jobs, and more to come.   

This is an interactive energy reference blog, so we encourage you to comment at any time. Let me know what you think and if you want to play, just let me know. Add it to Your Favorites, check on it frequently and thanks for your many years of friendship and support. wmailto:wattardi@attardimarketing.com.

News Updates for the Week of December 6

1. Green Building Market Grows Despite Construction Slowdown - Despite a deep economic recession, the U.S. green building market has expanded dramatically since 2008 and is projected to double its size by 2015, says a new report by New York-based McGraw-Hill Construction. The value of green construction jumped 50% from $42 billion in 2008 to $71 billion in 2010, when it represented 25% of the all new building activity, and it's expected to reach $135 billion by 2015, according to the firm's Green Outlook 2011 report. http://ecmweb.com/ezone/green-building-market-grows-20101123/?cid=nl_ezone.

2. NEMA Third-Quarter 2010 Lighting Systems Index Improves - Third-quarter 2010 performance beat the second quarter’s by 0.9% and was 5.6% ahead of third-quarter 2009’s. http://www.nlb.org/index.cfm?cdid=10452&pid=10226. 

3. Incandescent Lamp Index Declines to Record Low During Third Quarter of 2010 - NEMA’s index for incandescent lamps declined 17.2 percent for the third quarter, registering a record low reading of 46.5. The index showed a year-over-year decline of nearly 19.0 percent. Shipments of compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) waned as well, with the index dipping 18.2 percent to 168.8—a level not seen since 2006. Moreover, CFL shipments decreased 12.7 percent on a year-over-year basis. http://www.nema.org/media/pr/20101202a.cfm.

4. Shipments of Metal Halide Lamps Remain Solid During the Third Quarter - Mercury vapor lamps carved out a 5.4 percent share of the HID lamp market, an increase of 1.3 percentage points over the previous quarter. Market shares for metal halide and sodium vapor HID lamps moved in opposing directions during the quarter. Metal halide lamps improved 2.8 percentage points to 63.3 percent of total shipments while the market share of sodium vapor lamps contracted to 31.3 percent—a decline of 4.1 percentage points. http://www.nema.org/media/pr/20101203b.cfm. 

5. Secretary Chu Announces Nearly $21 Million in Technical Assistance Projects to Improve Energy Use in Commercial Buildings - During a live online chat at the White House, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced that 24 projects are receiving a total of $21 million in technical assistance to dramatically reduce the energy used in their commercial buildings. http://www.energy.gov/news/9838.htm. Learn more about Commercial Building Partnerships and other projects that are part of DOE's Building Technologies Program.

6. CO State Launches Green Loan Programs for Business - Businesses looking to invest in energy efficiency upgrades could benefit from two loan programs that were announced Tuesday. The Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA) will oversee both programs, one aimed at retrofits and projects below $100,000, the other at retrofits and renewable energy projects above that threshold. Both are funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Interested businesses can find more information at www.chfainfo.com. 12/1 The Gazette

7. CA Energy Commission Awards Nearly $3 Million for Energy Research - Demonstrating the importance of funding innovation, the California Energy Commission on 12/3/10 approved $2,868,787 for four energy research projects including solutions for retrofitting lighting in commercial buildings. The research projects are funded by the Energy Commission's Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) program. For more information, visit www.energy.ca.gov/research.
 

8. AL Loan Program Helps Businesses Be More Energy-Efficient - Starting 12/1 /10, Alabama businesses wanting to become more energy-efficient will have an easier time finding the money to make those changes. The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs has started a $60 million revolving loan program called AlabamaSAVES (Sustainable and Verifiable Energy Savings). Alabama industrial and commercial business owners will be able to apply for 2 percent interest loans of between $250,000 and $4 million to finance energy-saving improvements to their facilities. The loans can be used to upgrade heating and air-conditioning systems, windows and doors, electrical systems, water heating systems, energy management systems, lighting and insulation. http://www.alabamasaves.com.

9. Tampa Electric Gets Florida Public Service Commission Approval to Expand Energy-Efficiency Programs and Incentives - Tampa Electric received approval from the Florida Public Service Commission (FPSC) to expand its current lineup of energy efficiency programs for customers. In addition to the new programs and enhancements to existing programs, $1.5 million in incentives will be offered by Tampa Electric each year for five years to help customers install renewable technologies. The new programs should be available to customers in the first quarter of 2011. The availability of these incentives is limited and will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations will be accepted online at www.tampaelectric.com. 12/1 BUSINESS WIRE

10. Lighting Fixtures - Global Strategic Business Report - This report analyzes the worldwide markets for Lighting Fixtures. Annual estimates and forecasts are provided for each region for the period 2007 through 2015. Also, a seven-year historic analysis is provided for these markets. For more information: http://www.researchandmarkets.com/product/7b103a/lighting_fixtures_global_strategic_business.

Total Companies Profiled: 746 (including Divisions/Subsidiaries - 838) 

Region/Country Players	Region/Country Players
The United States: 82	Italy: 63
Canada: 13	Spain: 30
Japan: 13	Rest of Europe: 157
Europe: 462	Asia-Pacific: 219
France: 32	Latin America: 16
Germany: 101	Africa: 16
The United Kingdom: 79	Middle East: 17

Monthly Special Feature

Check out Fueleconomy.gov's Top Ten EPA-Rated Fuel Sippers for 2011: http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/topten.jsp.