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 February 13

1.      LED Lighting Experienced Strong Growth Surge in 2011 - Despite a decline in the overall market for lighting products in 2011, the LED lighting market (including both LED lamps and LED luminaires) had an exceptionally good year in 2011, growing by 69% year-on-year. The total revenue from the LED lighting market was $5.5 billion in 2010 and $9.4 billion in 2011. Moreover, the LED lighting market is predicted to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20% from 2011 to 2016. Commercial and industrial lighting was the biggest growth sector. http://www.ledsmagazine.com/news/9/2/9

2.      LED Market Grew Almost 10% In 2011, With 44% Growth in Lighting - The worldwide high-brightness LED market grew from $11.3 billion in 2010 to $12.5 billion in 2011, a growth rate of 9.8%, according to market-research firm Strategies Unlimited. Demand for LED components (i.e. packaged LEDs) in the lighting market grew 44%, from $1.2 billion to $1.8 billion.

• Leading LED Suppliers for 2011 - On the supply side, 10 companies accounted for more than 68% of the LED market in 2011. The rank order of the top 10 suppliers in the LED market for 2011, by revenue of packaged LED components, is:

1. Nichia
2. Samsung LED
3. Osram Opto Semiconductors
4. LG Innotek
5. Seoul Semiconductor
6. Cree
7. Philips Lumileds
8. Sharp
9. Toyoda Gosei
10. Everlight

• LED Supply by Region - Geographically, Taiwanese and Chinese suppliers gained market share at the expense of the other regions. China’s improvement in product quality, coupled with gains in the domestic market, fueled the growth from 2% market share to 6% in one year. Korean companies lost share in the slowing market, even though they were the most aggressive in increasing capacity during the ramp-up in 2010. The expansion by Philips Lumileds, Cree and Osram Opto into 6-inch substrates slowed as there was a great deal of excess capacity in their existing 4-inch lines. The Japanese LED business has trended down or flat. However, Nichia and TG are major beneficiaries of the boom in tablet computers. Osram Opto gained a major design win, which propelled its visible LED component business to more than $1 billion.
• Lighting - The same supply conditions that reduced the price of LEDs increased the demand for packaged LEDs in lighting applications from $1.2 billion in 2010 to $1.8 billion in 2011. System efficacy, rather than LED efficacy, was the gating factor in 2011. The LED luminaire and replacment lamp market was $9.3 billion in 2011, an increase of 45% over 2010. The market for LEDs in lighting is expected to demonstate substantial unit growth over the next five years, but revenue growth will be much lower due to pricing pressure. http://www.ledsmagazine.com/news/9/2/6

3.      ENERGY STAR TM-21 Calculator Now Available - The ENERGY STAR TM-21 Calculator is based on the Illuminating Engineering Society’s TM-21-11: Projecting Long Term Lumen Maintenance of LED Light Sources, referenced in the ENERGY STAR Luminaires V1.1 specification and in Draft 1 of the ENERGY STAR Lamps V1.0 specification. The Calculator is available for download on the ENERGY STAR website at www.energystar.gov/TM-21calculator

4.      New DOE Consortium Financial Tool Figures Impact of Switching to LED Street Lighting - The U.S. Department of Energy's Municipal Solid-State Street Lighting Consortium has released an economic cost-benefit analysis tool to help cities, utilities, and other organizations estimate the costs and impacts of switching to street lighting that uses light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The Excel-based Retrofit Financial Analysis Tool was developed in collaboration with the Clinton Climate Initiative. Users input data on the relevant variables for their particular application to get a detailed analysis that includes annualized energy-cost savings, maintenance savings, greenhouse gas reductions, and simple payback. To download the tool see www.ssl.energy.gov/financial-tool.html. To learn more about the Consortium, visit www.ssl.energy.gov/consortium.html

5.      Top R&D Achievements in Energy-Saving Lighting Honored at DOE Workshop - The Energy Department recognized six research and development project teams at "Transformations in Lighting," its ninth annual Solid-State Lighting R&D Workshop, held this year in Atlanta. The following organizations were recognized by DOE:

• Cree, Inc., was recognized for developing a novel LED that enables a new, high-efficiency driver (i.e., power supply) architecture to improve overall lighting system efficacy. 
• Osram Sylvania was recognized for its work developing an LED replacement for 2'x2' fluorescent fixtures (i.e., troffers) that has achieved extremely high energy efficiency. 
• Philips Lighting was recognized for its efforts to develop a family of LED drivers that are smaller, lower-cost and more efficient. 
• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute was recognized for its efforts to close the "green gap" by improving the color rendering of LEDs. 
• Universal Display Corporation was recognized for completing two pre-prototype undercabinet phosphorescent OLED systems that have achieved high efficiency levels. 
• White Optics was recognized for developing a composite coating to optimize the light output of SSL systems by maximizing reflection. http://www.energyvortex.com/pages/headlinedetails.cfm?id=5433

6.      Economic Confidence Remains Very Low - The latest Gallup polls show that almost every state is tracking economic confidence at lower levels than in 2010. The average was -28 and in 2011 it slumped further to -37. There was not one state or region that showed positive numbers, the closest was Washington D.C. with a -4 reading.

7.      Employment Rise Little Help to Construction Workers - The recent national upturn in job growth has not reached the construction industry, where unemployment rose from 16% in December to 17.7% in January. Those looking for work outpaced the 21,000 new construction jobs created, according to a statement released by the Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA). 2/07 HCN

8.      A-D Announces 2011 Sales Results - Affiliated Distributors (AD), Wayne, Pa., released their Electrical Divisions’ year-end results with US sales having grown 19% to $11.2 billion and Canadian sales having grown 10% to $852 million, respectively. AD Affiliates also set new records for both net distributions and return on remittances. http://livewire.electricalmarketing.com/

9.      Excellence in Energy Efficiency Act Promises $1 Billion Prize for 100 MPG Car - H.R. 3872 – the Excellence in Energy Efficiency Act of 2012 – was just introduced by Representative Dan Lungren (R) of California's 3rd Congressional District. If passed, the legislation would have the Secretary of Energy "establish a program to award a prize in the amount of $1,000,000,000 to the first automobile manufacturer incorporated in the USA to manufacture and sell in the USA 60,000 mid-sized sedan automobiles which operate on gasoline and can travel 100 miles per gallon." 2/06 AutoBlog

10.   LEDucation 6 Is Expected to Draw More Than 1,800 Lighting and Design Professionals - LEDucation 6 will be held at the Hotel Pennsylvania on March 21st, 2012 in New York located between 32nd & 33rd Streets – across from Madison Square Garden.  Exhibit Hours have been extended and open at 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. with LED presentations beginning at 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Online Registration at: www.leducation.org

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