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1. DOE Report Characterizes Lighting Market - The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has released a report detailing the characteristics of the U.S. lighting market by technology and sector. The 2010 U.S. Lighting Market Characterization provides comprehensive and detailed estimates of the national inventory of installed lamps as well as their associated energy use and lumen production. It focuses on four sectors: residential buildings, commercial buildings, industrial buildings, and outdoor. The new report is an update to a similar DOE report that modeled the 2001 U.S. lighting market inventory. During the intervening decade, two overarching trends emerged:
- Push toward higher-efficacy lighting. The average system efficacy of installed lighting increased from 45 lumens per watt in 2001 to 58 lumens per watt in 2010, due mainly to a move from incandescent to compact fluorescent lamps in the residential sector, and from T12 to T8 and T5 fluorescent lamps in the commercial and industrial sectors.
- Increased demand for light. The total number of lamps installed in U.S. stationary applications grew from just under 7 billion in 2001 to more than 8 billion in 2010, with most of this growth occurring in the residential sector.
- To download a PDF of the full report, go to www.ssl.energy.gov/tech_reports.html
2. DOE Releases Report on SSL Energy Savings Potential - The U.S. DOE has published a report forecasting the energy savings potential of LED white-light sources compared with conventional white-light sources. Energy Savings Potential of Solid-State Lighting in General Illumination Applications compares the annual lighting energy consumption in the U.S. with and without the further market penetration of LED lighting. Among the highlights:
- LED lighting is expected to represent 36 percent of lumen-hour sales on the general illumination market by 2020, and 74 percent by 2030.
- By 2030, the annual site energy savings from market penetration of LEDs will be approximately 300 terawatt-hours, or the equivalent annual electrical output of about 50 1,000-megawatt power plants. At today's energy prices, that equates to approximately $30 billion in savings in 2030 alone.
- Assuming the same mix of power stations, these savings would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 210 million metric tons of carbon in 2030. The total energy consumption for lighting would decrease by roughly 46 percent relative to a scenario with no additional LEDs on the market – enough electricity to completely power nearly 24 million homes. To download a PDF of the report, go to www.ssl.energy.gov/tech_reports.html
3. 2012 Nonresidential Construction Outlook: A Modest Recovery - In June 2011, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) semi-annual Consensus Construction Forecast projected a 5.6% decrease in nonresidential construction spending in 2011 from 2010, followed by a significant rebound with a projected 6.4% increase in spending in 2012. A weaker than expected economy led to a revision of this forecast in January 2012 projecting 2.1% growth in nonresidential construction spending in 2012 and 6.4% in 2013. In short, a modest recovery in 2012. http://lightingcontrolsassociation.org/2012-nonresidential-construction-forecast-a-modest-recovery/
4. Asheville Boasts First Large-Scale LED Street Light Deployment in North Carolina - The City of Asheville has initiated North Carolina's first large-scale deployment of LED street lights. There are 3,643 LEDway® street lights from Durham-based manufacturer Cree, Inc. being installed, with projected savings of $260,000 annually. 1/23 Market Watch
5. Ameren Missouri Proposes $145 Million Efficiency Plan - The program proposed on Friday would more than double what Ameren Missouri was spending on energy efficiency before the cuts and Ameren wants ratepayers to finance them. From 2013 through the end of 2015, Ameren would collect the cost of implementing the plan through a surcharge on customer bills that would equal a rate increase of a little more than 3 percent. 1/21 St. Louis Post-Dispatch
6. List of Top 10 States for LEED Green Buildings Released - The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) released its 2011 list of top 10 states for LEED-certified commercial and institutional green buildings per capita, based on the U.S. 2010 Census information. http://www.sustainablefacility.com/articles/87590-list-of-top-10-states-for-leed-green-buildings-released
1st) District of Columbia
2nd) Colorado
3rd) Illinois
4th) Virginia
5th) Washington
6th) Maryland
7th) Massachusetts
8th) Texas
9th) California
10th) New York
7. The State of Solid State Lighting by Steve Nadell - Today’s LEDs have come a long way. The issues architects and designers may have had with LEDs in the past—variations in color, effective heat sinking and cost—will eventually become obsolete as electrical technology continues to improve. http://www.sustainablefacility.com/articles/87581-the-state-of-solid-state-lighting
8. IMF Report: Global Economy to Slow Sharply - The world economy is slowing sharply, and the euro region headed for recession this year, the International Monetary Fund predicted Tuesday in a bleak update of global conditions. Overall, the world economy is expected to expand 3.25 percent in 2012 -- down from the 4 percent projected by the IMF in the fall. That figure includes 8.2 percent growth in China, still the world’s most quickly expanding economy, and 7 percent in India. U.S. Growth is forecast at 1.8 percent, the same as the fund projected in the fall. In those cases and for the rest of the world, the IMF said growth was being crimped by what remains the world’s major economic risk--the ongoing financial crisis in the euro zone. In a trio of reports released Tuesday morning, the IMF forecasts a “mild recession” for the 17-nation euro zone this year, and warns that matters could easily worsen. 1/24 Washington Post
9. LED Lighting Gets More Versatile - Acuity Brands expanded its LED indoor ambient lighting portfolio with the launch of the Z Series LED striplight by Lithonia Lighting. The Z Series luminaires are compact, low-profile solid-state strips that deliver long maintenance-free performance in a wide range of retrofit and new construction applications, including uplight and downlight in commercial, retail, manufacturing, warehouse, cove and display. The Z Series luminaires are available in both T5 and T8 lengths. They join the portfolio of Lithonia Lighting LED indoor ambient lighting products. http://www.acuitybrands.com/LEDlighting.aspx
10. Building Energy Management Systems - Commercial buildings are high energy consumers on a global basis, and as such are receiving much attention with regard to the potential savings that can be achieved with new technologies that are being utilized to monitor and control their energy use. Given the challenging business and economic environment of recent years, governments, building owners, building tenants, and companies in general are looking for ways to become more efficient both fiscally and environmentally. Building energy management systems (BEMS) are one key mechanism for achieving these efficiencies. At a higher level, attaining higher commercial building energy performance has been identified as a key component for governments around the world to achieve greater energy security for their countries. New report published by Pike Research: http://www.pikeresearch.com/research/building-energy-management-systems
11. Development of OLED Lighting for Car Roof Presented for the First Time - BASF and Philips have successfully developed the approach of incorporating OLED technology in car roofs. These OLEDs generate light inside the vehicle when turned on. When it is turned off, it becomes transparent and provides a clear view outside the vehicle. http://www.azooptics.com/News.aspx?newsID=14977
12. 2012 PAR Survey Now Underway - NAED’s annual Performance Analysis Report revealed the typical electrical distributor generated $50.6 million in 2010 sales. The 2012 PAR survey now underway. Stocked with intelligence on gross margins, returns on investment, employee productivity, inventory turns and much more, the PAR offers a comprehensive look at the distribution landscape, helping managers plan and prepare for the year ahead. The cost to participate is $300 for member companies. Deadline for participating in the survey is March 31. For more information, contact NAED Member Services at 888-791-2512 or memberservices@naed.org
13. For Stakeholder Review: Updated ENERGY STAR Vision and Guiding Principles Document - The U.S. EPA is launching a process to engage partners in an update of the Vision and Guiding Principles document, consistent with the evolution of the program since the original document was developed in 2003. Stakeholders interested in providing input on the ENERGY STAR Vision and Guiding Principles document are encouraged to contact and/or submit comments or questions to EnergystarProducts@energystar.gov no later than Feb. 22, 2012.
14. Assessment of China's Market for Intelligent Lighting Systems - This report is comprised of data and analysis of the China Intelligent Lighting System market. It focuses on four product categories: Switch Modules, Light Dimming Modules, Central Control Systems and other products including LEDs. The report is based on a study of the production, sales, distribution and application of hotel, business office, residential house, municipal engineering, government project, gyms/amusements industry factories. Included is a quantitative and qualitative assessment of the market's size, trends, development, key participants and opportunities. For more information, click on: http://www.researchandmarkets.com/product/e26e47/assessment_of_chinas_market_for_intelligent
15. Ace Hardware Lightens the Load for TX Military Families - In December, Ace Hardware, the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the industry, provided military families on the Fort Hood Army Base in Texas, the largest active-duty military installation in the United States, with more than 72,000 energy-efficient light bulbs. http://lighting.com/ace-energy-efficient-light/
16. U.S. Economy Grew at 2.8 Percent Rate in Fourth Quarter - The U.S. economy grew at a modest 2.8 percent rate in the final three months of last year, the fastest growth in 2011. Americans spent more on cars and trucks, and companies built up their stockpiles. But growth in the October-December quarter—and all of 2011—was held back by the biggest annual government spending cuts in four decades. The Commerce Department says the economy grew just 1.7 percent last year, roughly half of the growth in 2010 and the worst since the recession. 1/27 Washington Post
17. World's First Light Bulb Recycling Machine Debuts at IKEA - Revend Recycling Limited, a UK distributor and operator of reverse vending machines, has launched an innovative machine for the collection and recycling of domestic light bulbs and domestic batteries. Revend Recycling will sell and market unique reverse vending recycling machines throughout Europe, USA, & worldwide under its brand name Revend. http://lighting.com/light-bulb-recycling-machine/
18. Santa Cruz, CA Looks to Retrofit Two-Thirds of Streetlights - Using grants and special financing from PG&E, the city hopes within a few months to have replaced about two-thirds of streetlights with higher-efficiency, brighter LED bulbs to increase safety and cut energy use. The city hopes to tap $180,000 in federal Housing and Urban Development funding and also wants to enter into a $250,000 financing agreement with PG&E to replace 500 other lights around town, with the loan to be repaid through future energy savings. 1/25 Santa Cruz Sentinel
19. Philips Lumileds Introduces LUXEON M for Outdoor and Industrial LED Lighting Solutions - Utilizing Philips Lumileds’ latest die and phosphor technologies, LUXEON M will deliver the industry’s best lumen/$ that can be realized using low cost, readily available drivers, optics and boards for design simplicity. Initial specifications for LUXEON M include:
- More than 900 lumens at 700 mA and 85°C junction temperature
- Efficacy greater than 120 lm/W at 350 mA and 85°C junction temperature
- 12 Volt / 8 Watt package on AIN substrate
