News Updates for the Week of February 6

1.      Audi’s LED Headlights Are Key Feature in Super Bowl Ad - Audi has released a portion of its latest advertisement that demonstrates the distinct LED headlight design used on its automobiles. The full ad aired during the first quarter of the Super Bowl football game on Sunday. The video shows an outdoor party of teen vampires and a fellow vampire who attempts to join the party as he drives up in the new Audi S7, only to have the LED headlights, which mimic daylight, zap the party-goers into thin air. http://www.ledsmagazine.com/news/9/2/4

2.      U.S. Economy Adds 243,000 Jobs in January; Unemployment Rate Falls to 8.3 Percent - The unemployment rate fell for the fifth straight month after a surge of January hiring, a promising shift in the nation’s outlook for job growth. The Labor Department says employers added 243,000 jobs in January, the most in nine months. The unemployment rate dropped to 8.3 percent from 8.5 percent in December. That’s the lowest in nearly three years. There are still 12.8 million people out of work, though that is the fewest since the recession ended. An additional 11 million are either working part-time but would prefer full-time work, or have stopped searching for jobs. When all those groups are combined, nearly 24 million (15.1%) are considered “underemployed. 2/03 Washington Post

3.      Energy Efficiency Global Forum 2012, March 27-29 in Orlando, Florida - This will be the fifth EE Global, and the first to be held in Orlando, Florida. The international forum has been held twice in Washington, D.C., and also in Paris, France and Brussels, Belgium. Over 70% of attendees at EE Global identify as Director-level or above, making it the most concentrated gathering of influential energy efficiency professionals worldwide. The Peabody Resort, one of Orlando's most luxurious hotels, is the location of this year's event, and just happens to be minutes away from famed amusement parks, Disney World, Universal Studios Orlando, and Sea World.  http://eeglobalforum.org/registration.html 

4.      DOE Releases GATEWAY Report on NYC Roadway Lighting Demonstration - The U.S. DOE has published the final evaluation report from a GATEWAY demonstration on Franklin D. Roosevelt Drive, a heavily traveled New York City freeway with elevated portions. Four different types of LED roadway luminaires—each from a different manufacturer—were purchased in 2009 and compared with the incumbent high-pressure sodium (HPS) luminaires. The report is available for download at www.ssl.energy.gov/gatewaydemos_results.html

5.      SDG&E Unveils Energy Innovation Center in San Diego - San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) introduced its new Energy Innovation Center (the Center), a showcase facility where residential and business customers can learn about energy efficiency, alternative fuel transportation, Smart Grid and clean generation. The Center offers an array of seminars on energy efficiency; classes in the food service demonstration kitchen; tours of the Smart Home full of energy-saving technology; information in the resource library, and guided tours of the water-wise walkway which showcases drought tolerant plants that saves water and energy. The Center showcases different examples of highly efficient lighting, HVAC units and leading technologies to demonstrate the choices available for businesses and design professionals to incorporate into their buildings. http://sdge.com/innovationcenter

6.      Oregon School Energy Audits Find $40 Million in Upgrades - Energy audit companies have taken a close look at 100 mostly small and rural school districts around Oregon to determine upgrades that are needed, how much energy can be saved, and what it might cost. Those audits show a potential savings of $3.6 million a year if the full complement of $40 million worth of improvements is done. With grants and other incentives, the cost to schools would total $36 million, and the state is offering low-interest loans to pay for it. Success will depend on the confidence schools have in the potential savings, their willingness to take on new debt during tough economic times, and whether they were already planning improvements. 1/28 AP

      7.      Collaboration Agreement - DOE/BCAP/REEOs - On Nov. 9 and 10, BCAP met with representatives from DOE, PNNL and the Regional Energy Efficiency Organizations (REEOs) to discuss how all the groups can better work together. With the common goal of advancing building energy codes across the country and continuing adoption support, the meeting centered around developing a collaboration agreement that will help all stakeholders understand their roles and ensure that communication between all organizations remains fluid and prompt. www.ase.org

8.      LED Products Make Up 18% of Lighting Sales at Philips - Philips has revealed that sales in its lighting business were EUR 2.072 billion for the fourth quarter of 2011, (from total company sales of EUR 6.7 billion). The company said that its LED-based sales (including all types of products, from packaged LEDs to lamps and luminaires) grew 37% compared to Q4 2010: LED products now represent 18% of total lighting sales (or EUR 373 million for the quarter). http://www.ledsmagazine.com

9.      SMUD Incentives Promote Money-Saving Lighting Control Systems - The Sacramento Municipal Utility District is offering incentives of up to $100,000 to help owners of small and medium-sized buildings install advanced lighting control systems. The pilot rebate program kicks off today and runs through February 2013, or until the budgeted $1 million runs out. 2/01 Sacramento Bee

     10.  2012 Construction Outlook – (Feature Story) Leading construction experts and economists are certain about one thing in construction right now: The future is mostly uncertain because consumers are scared, and too many Americans are unemployed. Economists see 2012 as a big question mark because of the risk of a double-dip recession. The projections from previous years are out the window, as unemployment continues to hover around 9 percent and the economy has been dragging. This article analyzes the construction data and economic forecasts from industry leaders to help Electrical Contractor readers better understand why most construction markets are mired in a slump and what hope, if any, lies ahead.1/’12 Electrical Contractor