News Updates for the Week of July 22

1.      Smart Electric Turns to Kickstarter to Fund Its Bright Idea - Smart Electric is proposing a solution to the problem of bedtime jitters and energy inefficiency with its Smart Bulb collection of innovative lighting products. To fund the manufacturing and marketing of this first-ever line of consumer products, the company has launched a Kickstarter campaign. "After generations of using traditional 'dumb' light bulbs that were limited in functionality and hiring electricians for custom installations, our team developed technology that delivers lighting solutions for consumers without the need for expensive remote dimmers and timers," said Smart Electric president and CEO Stan Angelo. 7/12 HCN  http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2000111114/smart-bulb-make-light-do-more

2.      2012 CEE Report Demonstrates Importance of Efficiency - The Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) releases its 2012 Annual Industry Report, painting the most complete picture of energy efficiency and demand response program activity available from a single source. Based on a survey collecting budget, expenditure, and impact data, the report covers both gas and electric demand side management in the United States and Canada. Expenditures and budgets continue to climb, with commensurate growth in savings. Total expenditures for 2011 reached $7.6 billion, growing 17 percent from $6.5 billion in 2010. Budgets in 2012 measured $9.4 billion. http://www.cee1.org/content/growth-trends-energy-efficiency-industry

3.      Are LEDs Safe for Our Eyes? -  To answer it, the DOE has come out with a new Fact Sheet entitled Optical Safety of LEDs, which clarifies what's known about that issue and takes a look at current standards for photobiological safety. Conclusion: LED products are no more hazardous than other lighting technologies that have the same CCT. Furthermore, white-light products used in general lighting service applications are not considered a risk for blue light hazard according to current international standards. http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/publications/pdfs/ssl/opticalsafety_fact-sheet.pdf

4.      Connected Lighting Alliance Taps Zigbee Light Link for Residential Controls - The Connected Lighting Alliance has formally selected ZigBee Light Link as the network and protocol of choice for connecting lighting products and controls in homes. The ZigBee standard isn’t specific to LED-based solid-state lighting (SSL) but such products are especially amenable to controls, and the endorsement by the alliance should help broaden deployment of connected SSL in residential applications. The Connected Lighting Alliance was formed just less than a year ago in August 2012 by GE Lighting, Lutron, Osram, Philips, and Toshiba. The stated mission of the organization is development of an open standard wireless network that supports interoperable products from multiple vendors. http://ledsmagazine.com/news/10/7/12

5.      “Why the Wait?” Campaign to Encourage Action on Energy Bill - NEMA announced “Why the Wait?”—a campaign to encourage swift Senate action on S 761, the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act, introduced by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Rob Portman (R-OH). The bill sailed out of committee in May thanks to overwhelming bipartisan support, but has yet to be brought to the floor. The bill will use a variety of low-cost tools to reduce barriers for private sector energy users and drive adoption of available technologies to reduce energy use and save consumers money. It also will require the federal government—the single largest energy user in the nation—to adopt energy-saving techniques. http://www.nema.org/News/Pages/Why-the-Wait-Campaign-to-Encourage-Action-on-Energy-Bill.aspx

6.      Researchers Work to Bring Cheaper, ‘Greener’ LED Lighting to Market - Organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) hold the promise of being both environmentally friendly and versatile. Though not as efficient as regular LEDs, they offer a wider range of material choices and are more energy efficient than traditional lights. OLEDs can also be applied to flexible surfaces, which may lead to lights or television displays that can be rolled up and stowed in a pocket. A promising line of research involves combining the OLEDs with inorganic quantum dots, tiny semiconductor crystals that emit different colors of light depending on their size. These “hybrid” OLEDs, also called quantum dot LEDs (QD-LEDs), increase the efficiency of the light-emitting devices and also increase the range of colors that can be produced. But commercially manufacturing this promising green technology is still difficult and costly.  http://www.ledjournal.com

7.      Energy Department Invests to Save Small Buildings Money by Saving Energy - The Energy Department announced an award of $10 million for six projects to help small commercial buildings save money by saving energy. These small commercial buildings are less than 50,000 square feet in size and include schools, churches, strip malls, restaurants and grocery stores. The six projects are aimed at developing user-friendly tools and resources that can be easily deployed at any small building. The Energy Department’s $10 million investment across these six projects will be matched by at least $14 million in private sector funding. http://energy.gov/articles/energy-department-invests-save-small-buildings-money-saving-energy

News Updates for the Week of July 1

1.      Energy Department Launches New Database on Residential and Commercial Building Energy Performance - The Energy Department launched a new Buildings Performance Database, the largest free, publicly available database of residential and commercial building energy performance information. Currently, commercial and residential buildings account for approximately 70% of the electricity consumption in the nation. The database strengthens the Department's commitment to provide U.S. industry, state and local governments, and researchers with innovative energy data tools that can help cut energy waste and save money. This database will allow users to access energy performance data and perform statistical analyses on more than 60,000 commercial and residential buildings across the country.

2.      Advanced Lighting Control Options That Can Be Used to Achieve Energy + Atmosphere Points for LEED V.4. by Craig DiLouie - Version 4 of the popular Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system is expected to be released at Greenbuild in November 2013.  Final balloting to approve the new LEED version is expected to occur in June, so we don’t know exactly what will be contained in the new rating system. One thing is almost certain, which is that the prerequisite for the Energy + Atmosphere section will change from the 2007 to the 2010 version of the ASHRAE/IES 90.1 energy standard, which is the national energy reference standard. This standard is expected to be tough to beat in terms of both lighting power densities and controls. http://www.lightnowblog.com/2013/06/lighting-controls-association-publishes-whitepaper-on-advanced-lighting-control-options-for-leed-v-4/

3.      A Number of Key SSL Standards and Test Methods are Still in Development - One of these is IES TM-28, "Prediction of Lumen Maintenance of LED Lamps and Luminaires," which is comparable to TM-21 but at a fixture level and is intended to lighten the testing burden on manufacturers by enabling them to use LM-80 data from the LEDs to help predict the lumen maintenance of complete lamps and luminaires. Another is ANSLG/ANSI C82.XX1, "LED Drivers Reliability," which helps address the reliability of the key driver element in a lamp or luminaire. Still another is a revision of UL 1598C, "Light-Emitting Diode (LED) Retrofit Luminaire Conversion Kits," a product safety standard that addresses LED linear replacement lamps. http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/ssl/

4.      $3 Million in Solar Rebates Still Available This Year in Pennsylvania - Under the agency's Sunshine Solar Program, homeowners and small business owners are eligible for rebates of up to $7,500 and $52,500 for solar electric projects, respectively, until the program ends on Dec. 31 or when funds run out. Solar hot water projects can be reimbursed for up to $5,000 and $50,000, respectively. 6/26 HCN

5.      MaineDOT Installs High-Mast LEDs - The Maine Department of Transportation selected Acuity Brands' Holophane HMAO luminaires to improve the lighting for driver safety and to reduce energy costs at light towers along Interstate 295. High-mast lighting has largely remained the domain of HID sources because of the high levels of light required. The HMAO fixtures take a modular approach to the challenge of delivering the high light levels. http://ledsmagazine.com/news/10/6/17

6.      Construction Projects Getting 'Green' Light - Big city projects aren't the only ones going green--energy efficiency also is going mainstream in commercial construction throughout the state as tenants demand it and developers reap the benefits. With many communities adopting the state's so-called Stretch Energy Code, most new construction must demonstrate entry-level LEED certified energy efficiency before projects can be permitted. Every community doesn't have a green energy code such as Boston's that requires LEED certification for city projects, but the stretch code is moving all construction in a green direction. 6/21 Boston Herald

7.      Eden Prairie Joins Growing List of Minnesota Cities Switching to LED Streetlights - Eden Prairie is the latest city to illuminate its streets with brighter, whiter LED lights, joining a growing trend of metro cities turning to LED to save money and conserve energy as the technology improves. Last year, Robbinsdale retrofitted about 40 downtown streetlights with LED. Plymouth has replaced park building lights and parking lots with LED lights. And Xcel Energy, which is hired by many Minnesota cities to handle street lighting, has installed more than 500 LED streetlights in West St. Paul as a two-year test. 6/26 Star Tribune

8.      Bel Air Lighting Recalls Chandeliers - Bel Air Lighting, of Valencia, Calif., has issued a recall of its Portfolio and Transglobe nine-light chandeliers due to several reports of falling fixtures. The mounting loop that secures the chandelier to the ceiling is prone to breakage and poses a personal injury risk. The chandeliers were sold at Lowe's under the Portfolio brand (item No. 256047) and as Transglobe at lighting stores across the nation (Transglobe item No. 2579 EBG). The recall affects approximately 20,500 units sold. 6/26 HCN

9.      LG Strengthens Its Energy Star Muscle - LG Electronics USA has augmented its commitment to the Energy Star certification program. More than 60 of its products have already earned the 2013 Energy Star Most Efficient designation this year, which is more than the company earned throughout the entirety of 2012. The company earned the most points for its televisions, 51 of which earned the Most Efficient label this year. Its next strongest category was refrigerators, seven of which have been recognized so far. 6/27 HCN

10.  Legrand Adorne Under-Cabinet Lighting - The Legrand® adorne™ Under-Cabinet Lighting System is a fully customizable, modular solution for eliminating kitchen clutter. Because it's modular, it's compatible with any kitchen layout and can be hard-wired or plugged into any home wiring configuration. While the adorne Under-Cabinet Lighting System was designed for kitchens in mind, it can also be used in offices, hospitality and healthcare applications. See video: http://www.brazill.com/product/adorne-under-cabinet-lighting/

11.  Congratulations to Bill Warren Recognized by IESNY with "Brilliance Award" - Last Thursday night at the IESNY Section's "Lumen Award" dinner, attended by over 600 IES members and guests, Willard Warren, who has been writing the "Energy Advisor" column for LD&A magazine for the last 16 years, was presented with the 2013 Brilliance Award by the NY Section. The IESNYC proudly recognizes annually members who make the New York City Section shine! Congratulations my friend.

News Updates for the Week of May 20

1.      Senate Unanimously Confirms Energy Nominee Ernest Moniz - Physicist Ernest Moniz won unanimous Senate confirmation Thursday to be the nation’s new energy secretary.  Moniz, 68, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, replaces Steven Chu. Moniz served as an energy undersecretary in the Clinton administration.  Moniz, who heads an energy initiative at MIT, is widely seen as sympathetic to the natural gas industry and will soon decide whether to approve a major expansion of U.S. natural gas exports that could create thousands of jobs, spur economic growth and help offset the nation’s enormous trade deficit. 5/16 AP

2.      2013 DOE Solid-State Lighting Manufacturing R&D Workshop June 5–6, 2013 • Boston, MA - The fifth annual DOE SSL Manufacturing R&D Workshop represents a meeting of the minds, bringing together varied perspectives from the entire SSL industry supply chain—plus other industries—to focus on a common goal. How do we work together to reduce SSL manufacturing costs, improve quality, increase volumes—and foster a greater U.S. role in SSL manufacturing? http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/ssl/boston2013.html

3.      Energy Department Publishes Protocols for Determining Energy Efficiency Savings - The Energy Department has published a new series of protocols for determining savings from energy efficiency upgrades in homes, commercial buildings, and industrial facilities. Using consistent methods to calculate energy savings will improve the credibility and demonstrate the impact of energy efficiency programs that help businesses and families reduce their energy bills.

http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/progress_alerts.cfm/pa_id=883

4.      DOE Reports Track Progress in LED Lighting Technology - The industry’s shift to LEDs continues to be one of the most dynamic areas of product development and market realignment in the electrical industry. This transition has been getting substantial support from the U.S. DOE which offers programs for performance testing and standardized methods for reporting performance characteristics, with an eye toward assisting market acceptance. According to a recent DOE forecast, LED lighting will represent 74% of sales in the U.S. general illumination market by 2030 and will save about 2,700 terawatt-hours and $250 billion over a 20-year period. Navigant Research, in a report released this week, estimated that worldwide shipments of LED lamps will grow from 68 million units in 2013 to 1.28 billion units annually by 2021, and that the markets for every other lighting technology will contract over that period. DOE released two reports over the past few weeks on areas where there is still some distance to close before LEDs can be considered better than established light sources­—recessed troffer applications and environmental impact from end-of-life disposal. http://ewweb.com/news-watch/doe-reports-track-progress-led-lighting-technology

5.      GSA Advised to Keep LEED - The Green Building Advisory Committee, set up to advise facilities management agency the General Services Administration, concluded by a 10-6 vote that LEED was the best standard to help the government comply with the Energy Independence and Security Act.  The act requires federal agencies to use a green building certification system for new construction and major renovations. The GSA has required new buildings under its jurisdiction to be LEED Gold certified since 2010. There are more than 4,000 LEED-certified government projects, and another 8,000 pursuing certification, according to USGBC. http://www.energyvortex.com/pages/headlinedetails.cfm?id=6293

6.      Advanced Control Options for LEED v.4 - Version 4 of the popular Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system is expected to be released at Greenbuild in November 2013. Final balloting to approve the new LEED version is expected to occur in June. One thing is almost certain, which is that the prerequisite for the Energy + Atmosphere section will change from the 2007 to the 2010 version of the ASHRAE/IES 90.1 energy standard. This is because the 2010 version of 90.1 is now the national energy standard. By October 2013, all states in the country must put in place a commercial building energy code at least as stringent as ASHRAE/IES 90.1-2010 or justify why they can’t comply.  http://lightingcontrolsassociation.org/

7.      Call for Submissions for 2013 IES Progress Report - The Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES) recently announced a call for submissions to the 2013 IES Progress Report. This program offers organizations in lighting an opportunity to present important new products, research, publications, and design tools. All lighting products must be introduced commercially and all research, publications and design tools must be completed between August 1, 2012 and July 31, 2013. Submissions are open May 17 through July 19, 2013. http://www.ies.org/progress/

8.    LED Supply Chain Dynamics - Now that the rise of the LED has begun, the repercussions are rippling up and down the LED supply chain. One effect is consolidation in this sector, driven by a desire for vertical integration among the larger lighting companies, which in turn is being driven by the relentless demand for lower prices and higher quality. While the total number of vendors involved in the LED supply chain will likely shrink, other factors–including the expiration of existing patents, new interchangeability standards, new technologies, and an expected upsurge in creative product designs will create opportunities for new entrants at each level of the supply chain. Navigant Research forecasts that annual worldwide revenue from LED lamps will grow from just over $1.5 billion in 2013 to more than $8.5 billion in 2021. http://www.navigantresearch.com/research/led-supply-chain-dynamics

9.      MA Officials, Activists Tout Energy Savings Plan - Article 19 asks voters to borrow $4,049,027 to pay for a variety of energy-conserving measures in schools and other town-owned buildings. These will include more efficient heating systems and lighting as well as an energy management system. 5/13 The Eagle-Tribune

10.  Osram Leads Research on LED-Based Adaptive Headlamps for Autos - Focused on increased safety for drivers and passengers, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (FMER) is sponsoring a research project on adaptive forward lighting systems (AFS) for autos, and Osram Opto Semiconductors is serving as the project coordinator. The project will seek to combine microelectronics and optoelectronics technologies to enable autonomous camera-based control of LED headlamps with no mechanical actuators. The AFS concept includes both optimum lighting for the driver and supplementary traffic safety functions. The goal is glare-free high-beam lighting, and low beams that adjust to the speed of the vehicle.  http://ledsmagazine.com/news/10/5/7

11.  Pumped Up For Profits: Electrical Supplies in the Oil Patch by Jim Lucy - In an era of sluggish growth in the electrical market, the sales opportunities popping up in the oil and gas market in some regions of the country for distributors, reps and manufacturers stick out like a solitary pump jack on the northern prairie.  New horizontal drilling technologies combined with what’s called  “oil fracking” is now allowing drilling companies to access deposits of oil and natural gas that previously couldn’t be extracted profitably, often in regions of the country where the oil and gas business had more or less been dormant for years. http://ewweb.com/ewweb/2013-05-01