News Updates for the Week of August 20

1.      NEMA Publishes Best Practices for Operating Fluorescent Lighting Systems - Summarizes information and recommendations found in more detailed NEMA papers on individual topics, as well as additional information and recommendations. The information benefits customers seeking to ensure proper operation of fluorescent systems to maximize system reliability and operational economy. Download it free: http://www.nema.org/standards/pages/best-practices-for-operating-fluorescent-lighting-systems.aspx?

2.      DOE Releases CALiPER Application Summary Report on LED AR111 Lamps - The U.S. Department of Energy has completed Series 17 of testing through the DOE Solid-State Lighting CALiPER program. A summary of the results is now available for download on the DOE SSL website at www.ssl.energy.gov/reports.html Report 17 analyzes the performance of a group of six LED products labeled as AR111 lamps, a niche product. Results indicate that this product category is lagging behind other types of directional LED lamps—the LED lamps tested are unlikely to be effective replacements for halogen AR111 lamps, primarily because of color quality and luminous intensity distribution characteristics. Detailed test results for Series 17 will be available soon through the searchable online CALiPER system: www.ssl.energy.gov/search.html

3.      Nonresidential Construction Spending Expected to Increase Through 2012 with Stronger Growth Projected for 2013 - Even with the myriad of obstacles preventing a full-scale recovery for the overall U.S. economy, the design and construction industry appears to have reasons to be at least modestly optimistic in the coming months and into next year, according to the American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) mid-year Consensus Construction Forecast, a survey of the nation’s leading construction forecasters. http://www.aia.org/practicing/AIAB095480

4.      Lighting Research Center to Host Led Lighting Institute September 18-20, 2012 - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Lighting Research Center (LRC) will hold a three-day, hands-on seminar September 18-20, 2012, to teach industry professionals how to incorporate LEDs into lighting applications. The LED Lighting Institute will include updated technical content based on the latest industry developments. http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/education/outreachEducation/LEDInstitute.asp

5.      Analysis of the North American Lighting Equipment Market - This research service covers the state of the North American lighting equipment market, examining drivers and restraints for growth, and discussing major trends. Following from these, growth for market segments is forecast. In addition, an in-depth analysis of the competitive landscape including vendors' market shares is performed. The base year is 2011, with forecasts running through 2016. Revenue forecasts are provided. The market is divided into four segments: lamps, ballasts and control gear, fixtures, and lighting controls. These segments are further divided into product types and vertical markets, which also are analyzed in detail. http://www.researchandmarkets.com/publication/4qixx8/analysis_of_the_north_american_lighting_equip  

6.     Satco Receives Exception for 700 Series T8 Lamps from U.S. DOE - Satco Products, Inc. received notification last month from the U.S. Department of Energy that their application for relief exception, which would allow Satco to continue the manufacturing and sale of 700 series T8 lamps for an additional two years, was granted. This allows Satco to join Philips, GE, OSI and USHIO to manufacture 700 Series T8 general service lamps until July 14, 2014.

7.      New IES Website for Consumers - www.IESLightLogic.org  Light Logic aims to help consumers learn about residential lighting best practices, design, energy efficiency and all topics regarding lighting a home.  

8.      ASHRAE 90.1 Addendum BH Proposal - Comments by Larry Spielvogel, PE: Do you believe the many proposed changes in LPD both up and down? Are they reasonable and justifiable? For example, the ASHRAE 90.1 Addendum BH proposal reduces the lighting in mechanical/electrical rooms from 0.95 to 0.42 watts per square foot, while a pharmacy area gets four times as much. Can you justify that in a room with detailed electronic equipment controls and 34 kV switchgear with huge potential safety risks? 

9.      New MDM Report Forecasts Electrical, Electronics Distribution Sector Growth in 2012 - Revenues for wholesale distributors in the electrical and electronics sector were $372.1 billion in 2011, an increase of 7.4% compared to 2012. MDM forecasts that revenue will grow by 6.5% in 2012, according to the newly released 2012 Wholesale Distribution Economic Report published by Modern Distribution Management. This sector represented 8.0% of total wholesale distribution industry revenues in 2011. Total revenues of wholesale distributors grew by 13.2% to $4.7 trillion in 2011, continuing to regain market share after the debilitating recession. The wholesale distribution industry is forecast to grow by 6.8% in 2012. http://www.tedmag.com/news/news-room/distributor-news/New-MDM-report-forecasts-electrical,-electronics-distribution-sector-growth-in-2012.aspx 

10.  Advanced Batteries for Energy Storage Will Represent a Market of Nearly $30 Billion by 2022 -According to a new report from Pike Research, a part of Navigant’s Energy Practice, the market for advanced batteries will roughly double each year over the next 5 years, reaching $7.6 billion in 2017. Over the ensuing half-decade, growth will level off to a still-robust compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 31 percent, and revenues in the sector will reach $29.8 billion in 2022. http://www.pikeresearch.com/research/advanced-batteries-for-utility-scale-energy-storage-applications 

11.  DOE Announces FY 2013 SBIR/STTR Funding Opportunity - The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science announced a funding opportunity on August 13, 2012, for the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs. Under this opportunity (DE-FOA-0000760), DOE seeks applicants for funding directed toward FY13 Phase I and Fast-Track (combined Phase I and Phase II) projects. Topics for this funding opportunity can be found at http://science.energy.gov/sbir and include solid-state lighting. Qualified small businesses with strong research capabilities in science or engineering in any of the research areas sought in the announcement are encouraged to apply.

12.  Combined Heat and Power for Commercial Buildings - Commercial combined heat and power (comCHP) systems, which are small to medium distributed energy generation systems that produce electricity while also capturing heat that would otherwise be treated as waste, are garnering increased interest from policy makers, utilities, and building owners in a growing number of countries. The technologies behind many comCHP products have been under development for more than a decade. Today, the market is beginning to gain momentum and an increasing number of companies are introducing increasingly standardized commercial products. This Pike Research report analyzes the global market potential for comCHP systems for a range of building applications–hospitals, universities, hotels, casinos, airports, etc.–using technologies including internal combustion engines, fuel cells, Stirling engines, and Organic Rankine Cycle. http://www.pikeresearch.com/research/combined-heat-and-power-for-commercial-buildings

13.  A 20-Year Low in U.S. Carbon Emissions - Energy-related carbon dioxide emissions in the United States from January through March were the lowest of any recorded for the first quarter of the year since 1992, the federal Energy Information Administration reports. The agency attributed the decline to a combination of three factors: a mild winter, reduced demand for gasoline and, most significantly, a drop in coal-fired electricity generation because of historically low natural gas prices. 8/19 NY Times

News Updates for the Week of February 20

1.      White Paper: The U.S. Housing Market: Current Conditions and Policy Considerations - House prices for the nation as a whole declined sharply from 2007 to 2009 and remain about 33 percent below their early 2006 peak, according to data from CoreLogic http://www.credco.com/. Restoring the health of the housing market is a necessary part of a broader strategy for economic recovery. The Federal Reserve has written a white paper in an attempt to address the problems faced by the housing market and to provide a framework for thinking about certain issues and trade-offs that policymakers might consider. A copy of the white paper is available at: http://www.federalreserve.gov/publications/other-reports/files/housing-white-paper-20120104.pdf

2.      National Debt Will Be $1 Trillion Higher in a Decade Than Previously Forecast - President Obama on Monday unveiled a $3.8 trillion spending plan that seeks to pump billions of dollars into the economy while raising taxes on the rich to tame a soaring national debt now projected to grow significantly faster than previously forecast.  The new 10-year blueprint shows annual deficits exceeding $600 billion every year except 2018. And the portion of the debt held by outside investors would grow to $18.7 trillion by 2021, or 76.5 percent of the economy—a full $1 trillion higher. 2/13 Washington Post

3.      The Challenge - The Billion Dollar Green Challenge (The Challenge) encourages colleges, universities, and other nonprofit institutions to invest a combined total of one billion dollars in self-managed revolving funds that finance energy efficiency improvements. Participating institutions will achieve reduction in operating expenses and greenhouse gas emissions, while creating regenerating funds for future projects. The Sustainable Endowments Institute, in collaboration with 15 partner organizations http://greenbillion.org/about/#partners has launched The Challenge to help nonprofit institutions achieve sizable energy savings through the use of green revolving funds. Green revolving funds invest in energy efficiency projects to reduce energy consumption on campus and reinvest the money saved in future projects. http://greenbillion.org/about/

4.      The End of the T12 Era by Craig Dilouie - On July 14, 2012, Department of Energy (DOE) rules regulating general-service fluorescent lamps will go into effect, eliminating many popular models.  About 30 percent of linear fluorescent lamps sold each year are T12s, servicing an estimated 35–40 percent of fluorescent sockets in industrial/commercial applications as well as 70 percent of fluorescent sockets in residential applications.The T12 phase-out will dramatically accelerate a shift in demand to T8 and T5 lamp/ballast systems. http://www.ecmag.com/index.cfm?fa=article&articleID=13386

5.      Energy-Saving Lighting Specifications for Commercial Buildings - The DOE has announced new voluntary energy-saving specifications for lighting troffers–rectangular overhead fixtures used in commercial buildings–as well as parking lot and parking structure lighting. The new performance criteria were developed by the DOE's Commercial Building Energy Alliances (CBEAs), which bring together major U.S. companies from a wide range of sectors to identify and implement successful energy efficiency and cost-saving practices. Building operators can voluntarily adopt these specifications for new buildings or building upgrades to reduce their energy bills and carbon emissions. http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/alliances/events.html

6.      Lighting Rebate Update by Jim Lucy, Chief Editor – Lighting rebates are back in the spotlight these days, as electric utilities tweak their existing programs to maximize energy saving for residential, business and institutional customers with a mix of standard and custom rebates. Some of these programs are now blending in newer lighting technologies like LEDs and digital lighting control systems. If you want to get a quick read on trends in lighting rebate programs: www.dsireusa.org  http://ewweb.com/greenbiz/electric_lighting_rebate_update/

7.      NEMA Supports Smart Energy Act - Important provisions of the Smart Energy Act include:

• a federal loan program for energy-efficiency upgrades in commercial, multifamily residential, industrial, municipal, government, school and hospital buildings;
• enabling the federal government to use energy savings performance contracts in support of its deployment of electric vehicles or electric vehicle supply equipment;
• requiring that federal agencies participate in demand response programs, where available, to reduce agencies’ energy costs; and
• an analysis of best practices in federal buildings for the advanced metering of energy use, including recommendations on standard requirements or guidelines for automated energy management systems.

http://bass.house.gov/images/stories/Bass_-_Smart_Energy_Act._HR_4017.pdf

8.      LEED Volume Program for Operations & Maintenance - The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)’s LEED Volume Program for Operations & Maintenance is available for existing green building projects. The LEED Volume Program streamlines the certification process for high-volume property owners and managers of existing buildings and new construction projects. Utilizing a prototype-based approach, the program enables large-scale builders, owners, and managers to achieve consistency in green building improvements, allowing them to earn LEED certification faster and at a lower cost than would be possible with individual building reviews. http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=2278

9.      Duquesne Light Marks 2 Millionth Bulb Sold - Duquesne Light, PA said it sold its 2 millionth CFL bulb last month. Bulbs are sold with instant rebates through the utility's Watt Choices program at 137 stores in Allegheny and Beaver counties, Duquesne Light's service territory. www.WattChoices.com

10.  Philips NA CEO on Improving Energy Efficiency - Philips North America CEO Greg Sabasky stops by The News Hub to discuss how consumers and businesses can reduce their global footprint and improve their energy efficiency from the latest generation of lighting products. Video at: http://online.wsj.com/video/philips-na-ceo-on-improving-energy-efficiency/C8C3D7CF-D932-43D1-89B6-95863F3ADA4B.html

News Updates for the Week of September 26

1.      Amid Paeans to Energy Efficiency, the World Is Getting Less Efficient - A new analysis by the Worldwatch Institute shows that global energy intensity—the amount of energy needed to produce a given unit of economic output—actually increased by 1.35% in 2010. The report notes that worldwide energy efficiency had been increasing steadily until recently. Between 2004 and 2008, global energy intensity experienced its sharpest decline in 30 years, with an average annual rate of decrease of 1.87 percent. Starting in 2008–09, however, energy intensity rose again, experiencing the first rise in three decades. This may just be a short-term bump in the road to a more efficient economy, due to the drop in energy and other commodity prices in the immediate wake of the 2008-09 global downturn.  In the U.S. and other developed countries, energy intensity has kept declining, in part because more mature economies have shifted from high-energy manufacturing to less energy-intensive service and digital industries. Still, Worldwatch believes that energy intensity on a global scale is likely to continue rising over the next few years, if only because of the amount of post-recession infrastructure development underway. In the U.S., we called it the stimulus. Building roads and bridges and airports is very energy-intensive in the short run, though it pays off later. 9/22 Time

2.      Two Million or More U.S. Buildings Could Benefit from Lighting-System Upgrades – More than 2.2 million of the nation’s 2.7 million older (pre-1980) commercial buildings have been using the same lighting for the past three decades, the National Lighting Bureau reports, citing data published by the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Energy Information Administration (EIA). The Bureau estimates that 3 million or more commercial and other nonresidential buildings are candidates for money- and energy-saving lighting-system upgrades. www.nlb.org

3.      Tax Plan to Turn Old Buildings ‘Green’ Finds Favor - A business consortium that includes Lockheed Martin and Barclays bank plans to invest as much as $650 million over the next few years to slash the energy consumption of buildings in the Miami and Sacramento areas. It is the most ambitious effort yet to jump-start a national market for energy upgrades that many people believe could eventually be worth billions. Focusing mainly on commercial property at first, the group plans to exploit a new tax arrangement that allows property owners to upgrade their buildings at no upfront cost, typically cutting their energy use and their utility bills by a third. The building owners would pay for the upgrades over five to 20 years through surcharges on their property-tax bills, but that would be less than the savings. The consortium is led by a company called Ygrene Energy Fund of Santa Rosa, CA. 9/19 NY Times

4.      Rebate and Incentive Programs Span the US - Buildings in thousands of municipalities across the US are now eligible for rebates, incentives and grants from state organizations and local utilities. These programs provide customers with incentives to upgrade inefficient lighting systems which significantly reduces the initial cost. Although there are programs in all 50 states, that doesn't mean all areas are covered by a rebate. Currently, incentives for energy efficient commercial lighting cover 79% of the US. http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Sept11-1.html

5.      Existing-Home Sales Increased in August - About 25 hours after the release of a disappointing housing starts report, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) said existing-home sales for August increased 7.7% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.03 million. The August figure is 18.6% higher than the 4.24 million pace recorded in August 2010. 9/21 HCN

6.      August Housing Starts Slip, Again - The latest tally from the U.S. Department of Commerce showed housing starts in August at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 571,000.The disappointing August rate -- analysts were expecting a pace of about 590,000 -- was 5% below July's downwardly revised figure, and 5.8% below the August 2010 rate of 606,000. On an unadjusted basis, there were 53,000 housing starts in August, and 38,300 single-family starts. Both are down from last month and last year. On the bright side, building permits in August were up 3.2% to a SAAR of 620,000. Compared with a year ago, building permits were up 7.8%. 9/20 HCN

7.      Rebates for Equipment Affected by Legislation - Rebates currently exist for many of the possible upgrades from the older inefficient lamps. As in the past, the incentive levels for the replacement products may fall or stop completely once the old technologies are phased out. http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Sept11-2.html

8.      DOE Releases GATEWAY Report on LED Retrofit Lamp Museum Demonstration - The U.S. DOE has published the final evaluation report from a retrofit of track lighting used to illuminate a special gallery exhibition at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art in Eugene, Oregon. During the demonstration, 12W LED PAR38 lamps replaced 90W halogen PAR38 130V narrow flood lamps used for accent lighting, and a separate side-by-side comparison of three different LED PAR38 replacement lamps against the museum's standard halogen lamp was also staged. This GATEWAY demonstration report describes the process for the demonstration, the energy and economic results, and survey results from the PAR38 lamp comparison:  www.ssl.energy.gov/gatewaydemos_results.html

9.      Corporate and Institutional Procurement of Electricity - Electricity is a $360 billion per year market in the United States, with the vast majority of power sales still conducted through traditional regulated electric utilities.  Despite the failure of deregulation to take hold throughout the industry, as was expected in the 1990s, the past decade has seen tremendous growth in competitive electricity procurement by commercial, industrial and institutional purchasers in 20 states and jurisdictions that allow retail access to open markets. This Pike Research report examines the critical role that electricity plays in commercial and industrial operations, explores the motivations for seeking non-utility and green power among a variety of business types, and identifies existing policies that promote competition.  http://www.pikeresearch.com/research/corporate-and-institutional-procurement-of-electricity

10.  Investors to Spend Millions 'Greening' Commercial Buildings in Sacramento and Miami - Sacramento is one of two U.S. cities set to participate in a massive energy-efficiency project assembled by British business tycoon Richard Branson.  The plan would pour an estimated $100 million into retrofitting commercial buildings in Sacramento. The company running the project is Ygrene Energy Fund of Santa Rosa. The other participating city is Miami, which is in line for $550 million in improvements. The plan relies on AB 811, a three-year-old state law that sets up a funding mechanism called PACE to retrofit homes and businesses. In this new effort, private dollars provided by investors would generate upfront cash for the retrofits, with building owners paying the improvements over 20 years through a special assessment on their property taxes.  9/20 The Sacramento Bee

11.  WattStopper Publishes Best Practice Guide for Schools - WattStopper has published a set of best practice solutions for classrooms to help specifiers and facility managers quickly identify and implement energy-saving lighting control solutions for these high-value spaces, which account for approximately $8 billion in energy costs annually in the U.S. The new online tool offers users a range of design options to meet different energy-savings goals, and provides a wealth of detailed information from wiring diagrams to equipment schedules. Solutions feature WattStopper’s Digital Lighting Management controls, which offer superior flexibility in installation and performance. www.wattstopper.com

12.  Panasonic to Debut a New LED Lighting - Panasonic Electric Works Co. will debut a slew of new LED lights, starting Oct. 21. The subsidiary of Panasonic Corp. will increase its offerings 50% to 2,000 items this fiscal year, aiming to double LED lighting sales to about $650 million.

13.  U.S. General Services Administration Chooses Seesmart, Inc. for Massive Lighting Retrofit - GSA has selected the products of Seesmart, Inc. of Simi Valley, CA, www.seesmartled.com (a division of Seesmart Holdings, Inc., Frankfurt, Germany) for a $1.2 million order in LED tube lights. The order constitutes the single largest purchase of LED tube lights ever made by the GSA, whose latest lighting retrofit project will span 18 buildings across 2 U.S. States. In 3 years, Seesmart has delivered over 100,000 of their LED tube lights to the Administration. 9/7 BUSINESS WIRE

14.  Philips Hits the Road with 10-City LED Light Experience  -  Philips Lighting will be demonstrating to consumers what LED light can do for their homes and utility bills at the Philips LED Light Experience. A fun, educational and free interactive mobile exhibit, the tour will visit 10 U.S. cities with 24 tour stops this fall. The Philips LED Light Experience will make stops at retailers, trade shows, festivals and other events throughout the U.S. For a complete listing of dates and locations in your area or to register for the Home Lightover Sweepstakes, visit www.ledlightover.com

15.  RAB Lighting Introduces Affordable New 18 Watt LED Floodlight with Innovative Heatsink Design - RAB Lighting announced the company's introduction of an new 18 Watt LED Floodlight incorporating RAB's innovative heatsink technology. Designed to replace the 70 Watt metal halide floods found on many commercial building exteriors, RAB’s highly-efficient new "LFLOOD18" delivers an unprecedented combination of quality, long life, and affordability to a broad range of outdoor commercial LED lighting applications.

16. “Public Goods” Fee for State Energy Program to End - The California Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) program that has generated billions of dollars in funding for energy efficiency and renewable energy research over the past 14 years is set to expire at the end of the year after lawmakers refused to renew it, and now state leaders are trying to find a way to replace it. The program is funded by a "public goods" fee that appears on the utility bills of most Californians and raises $356 million each year to provide rebates to customers who buy energy-efficient appliances and to contribute to renewable energy research, among other things. 9/23 San Francisco Chronicle