News Updates for the Week of April 9

1.      New World Trade Center Serves as Model for Urban Energy Efficiency - In the wake of the terrorist attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center (WTC) on Sept. 11, 2001, New York City officials and building planners set out to rebuild the complex to greater heights–and greater energy efficiency. The new World Trade Center complex will feature a stunning array of energy-efficient design techniques and America’s most innovative, energy-efficient technologies. The towers were all designed to meet LEED Gold certification. 4/02 ASE

2.      Strategies Unlimited Projects $3.7 Billion LED Retrofit Lamp Market in 2016 - Strategies Unlimited has published a new report entitled "LED replacement lamp market analysis and forecast" that projects a global LED-retrofit-lamp market that exceeds $3.7 billion by 2016. The growth in solid-state lighting (SSL) products intended for existing sockets is from a $2.2 billion base in 2011, and the firm projects an annual 30% growth in the number of units sold. According to the report, there were 39.9 million SSL A19-lamps sold globally in 2011. Japan led the way in consuming LED A-lamps with 24.7 million of the global total. http://www.ledsmagazine.com/news/9/4/1

3.      Verification Testing Guidance for Luminaires - The ENERGY STAR specification for luminaires is now effective and certified luminaires will start being subject to verification testing administered by EPA-recognized certification bodies (CBs). In preparation for that testing, the U.S. EPA is planning to issue to CBs the attached guidance that provides additional direction for conducting verification testing of luminaires. This guidance limits the verification testing to core performance criteria and also establishes the sample sizes needed to verify product performance. EPA plans to finalize this guidance on April 16, 2012. If you have concerns or questions about this guidance, notify EPA via Certification@energystar.gov as soon as possible with "Luminaires Verification Testing" in the subject line.

4.      NEMA Publishes NEMA WD 7 Occupancy Motion Sensors Standard - Previously published as a guide and not a standard, WD 7 promotes uniformity for the definition and measurement of characteristics relevant to the use and application of occupancy motion sensors. This standard covers the definition and measurement of field of view and coverage characteristics relevant to the use and application of vacancy and occupancy sensors using individual or any combination of passive infrared, ultrasonic, or microwave technology. These sensors are used in systems for control of lighting, heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC), and other devices.  WD 7 may be downloaded at no cost http://www.nema.org/stds/wd7.cfm

5.      Siemens Osram Light Unit Said to Plan First China LED Plant - Siemens AG  which is seeking to sell shares in its lighting subsidiary Osram this year, is drafting plans for its first production plant for light-emitting diodes in China. Osram has given the go-ahead for the project and is negotiating which parts of LEDs and related components it will produce in the country.The facility would fill a gap for Osram in China, the world’s largest lighting market at $10.6 billion. Osram now only has production sites for the semiconductor-based technology in Regensburg, Germany and Penang, Malaysia. 4/03 Bloomberg

6.      Energy Savings Version 2.0 - From water heater jackets to programmable thermostats and LED lighting, the number of home improvement products that fall under the energy-efficient umbrella is ever expanding. Many dealers and manufacturers say that lighting products have amplified this movement.  3/30 HCN

7.      $54M Big Dig Light Fix Called ‘Permanent Solution’ - A $54 million proposal to replace the more than 25,000 fixtures in the Big Dig tunnels is being touted by MassDOT officials as a “permanent solution” to fix the corroded lights inside the problem-plagued underground highway and ramp system. The project, slated to begin this time next year pending the MassDOT board’s approval of a bid, would replace the corroding fluorescent fixtures that crashed into the spotlight in February 2011 after a 110-pound fixture fell in the Thomas P. O’Neill Jr. Tunnel with a complete overhaul to energy-saving LED lights. 4/05 Boston Herald

8.      Cree Aeroblades Luminaires Combine Cutting-Edge Technology with High-Design - Cree, Inc. introduces the Aeroblades™ series of luminaires www.cree.com/aeroblades  demonstrating the continued evolution of outdoor LED lighting. Based on Cree’s BetaLED® Technology with NanoOptic® lighting control, Aeroblades luminaires represent the intersection of industry-leading LED innovation and high design. Designed and engineered with Speirs + Major, one of the world’s leading lighting design firms, the Aeroblades luminaire series takes a bold approach to architectural street, area and security lighting. Aeroblades luminaires redefine exterior lighting by enabling LED implementation while optimizing thermal management, light control, efficiency, longevity and payback. http://www.ledsmagazine.com/products/34680

9.      Johns Manville Publishes 2011 Sustainability Report - Johns Manville (JM), a global manufacturer of energy-efficient building products and engineered specialty materials, today announced the publication of We Build Environments, its 2011 Sustainability Report. The publication can be viewed as a PDF file on the company's website at www.jm.com/sustainability

10.  Become a Building Efficiency Expert with BOC - Building Operator Certification (BOC®) is a nationally recognized, competency-based training and certification program that offers facilities personnel the improved job skills and knowledge to transform workplaces to be more comfortable, energy-efficient and environmentally friendly.  The BOC credential is recognized by employers across the country as a sign of the value and contributions certified facilities management personnel can bring to their organizations. http://www.theboc.info/h-training-locations.html

11.  Mild Winter May Have Artificially Inflated Jobs Data, Economists Fear - Economists say the mild winter has artificially inflated job growth. February alone stole as many as 72,000 positions from March and future months, according to Macroeconomic Advisers. Translation: The surge in hiring early in the year may not be as strong as it appeared. On Friday, the Labor Department reported that the job market slowed in March as employers expanded payrolls by 120,000 jobs, falling short of expectations.  Forecasts for the nation’s gross domestic product during the first quarter hover around 2 percent.  However, economists seem to agree that the fundamentals of the recovery are solid, yet slow. 4/07 Washington Post

12.  NAESCO MIDWEST REGIONAL MEETING - June 7, 2012 at The Pfister Hotel, 24 E. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI. NAESCO will explore the role of energy efficiency in the region against the backdrop of competing energy resource options including the sizable area oil and gas deposits. The meeting will examine existing regional energy efficiency mandates and investment levels and address the impact of the economic downturn on the pursuit of aggressive energy efficiency policies and programs. http://www.naesco.org/events/meetings/midwest/2012/registration.htm

13.  China Lighting Source Industry Report, 2011-2012 - In 2011, China lighting appliance industry produced 19.61 billion electric light sources (up 4.0% year on year), including 4.17 billion incandescent light bulbs (a 3.8% yr-on-yr rise) and 3.32 billion fluorescent lamps (down 1.40% from a year earlier). By output, Jiangsu, Guangdong, Zhejiang, Shandong and Henan ranked the top 5 in 2011, with their output totaling 14.98 billion units, accounting for 76.39% of the national total. http://www.researchandmarkets.com/product/a8830c/china_lighting_source_industry_report_20112  

14.  The 2012 Northeast Energy Efficiency Summit is the region's premier venue for bringing together thought leaders in public policy, business, and consumer and environmental advocacy to advance energy efficiency as a solution to the challenges of reliable, affordable and clean energy.

Something to Think About

8 Qualities of Remarkable Employees by Jeff Haden  

1. They ignore job descriptions. The smaller the company, the more important it is that employees can think on their feet, adapt quickly to shifting priorities, and do whatever it takes, regardless of role or position, to get things done. Remarkable employees know without being told there's a problem and jump in without being asked.

2. They’re eccentric... The best employees are often a little different: quirky, sometimes irreverent, even delighted to be unusual. Unusual personalities shake things up. People who aren't afraid to be different naturally stretch boundaries and challenge the status quo, and they often come up with the best ideas.

3. But they know when to dial it back. An unusual personality is a lot of fun... until it isn't. When a major challenge pops up or a situation gets stressful, the best employees stop expressing their individuality and fit seamlessly into the team.  Remarkable employees know when to play and when to be serious; when to be irreverent and when to conform; and when to challenge and when to back off. It’s a tough balance to strike, but a rare few can walk that fine line with ease.

4. They publicly praise... Praise from a boss feels good. Praise from a peer feels awesome, especially when you look up to that person. Remarkable employees recognize the contributions of others, especially in group settings where the impact of their words is even greater.

5. And they privately complain. We all want employees to bring issues forward, but some problems are better handled in private. Remarkable employees come to you before or after a meeting to discuss a sensitive issue, knowing that bringing it up in a group setting could set off a firestorm.

6. They speak when others won’t. Remarkable employees have an innate feel for the issues and concerns of those around them, and step up to ask questions or raise important issues when others hesitate. 

7. They like to prove others wrong. Self-motivation often springs from a desire to show that doubters are wrong. Education, intelligence, talent, and skill are important, but drive is critical. Remarkable employees are driven by something deeper and more personal than just the desire to do a good job.

8. They’re always fiddling. Some people are rarely satisfied and are constantly tinkering with something. Remarkable employees find ways to make those processes even better, not only because they are expected to… but because they just can't help it. http://twitter.com/#!/jeff_haden

News Updates for the Week of April 2

1.     PAR Deadline Extended to April 15 - NAED members now have two extra weeks to return their surveys 2012 NAED Performance Analysis Report. Last year, the NAED PAR revealed the typical electrical distributor generated $50.6 million in 2010 sales. http://www.naed.org/PAR/

2.      Webcast: Commercial Building Energy Alliances High-Efficiency Troffer Lighting Specification - On April 19 at 1:00 p.m. ET, the U.S. DOE will host a 90-minute live webcast on a new lighting specification that sets performance requirements for high-efficiency LED and fluorescent troffer products in 2'x4', 2'x2', and 1'x4' configurations. Developed by DOE's Commercial Building Energy Alliances (CBEAs), High-Efficiency Troffer Lighting Specification v3.0 was released in February and expands on an earlier version that only addressed 2'x2' troffers. For more information, or to register, visit: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/alliances/cbea_events.html

3.      IES Publishes LM-82 for LED Light Engines and Lamps at Temperature - IES has published LM-82-12, the approved method for “Characterization of LED Light Engines and LED Lamps for Electrical and Photometric Properties as a Function of Temperature.” The new standard is designed to establish consistent methods of testing and data presentation to assist luminaire manufacturers in selecting LED light engines and integrated lamps for their luminaire products. The LM-82-12 publication is available at the IES website

4.   Share Your ESCO Insights - As the popularity of energy efficiency upgrades continues to rise, NAED members are crossing paths with ESCOs more often. NAED seeks your insights for a new study, probing the opportunities and weaknesses of the distributor-ESCO relationship. Your feedback in this short survey will help them identify best practices and new opportunities for working with these players in the energy-management arena. Sponsored by the NAED Education & Research Foundation’s Channel Advantage Partnership https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NAED12

5.      LEDucation Achieves Record Breaking Year with a 20% Increase in Attendees – Hey Retailers, do you want your products to “wink” at your customers? With LED accent lighting that what it does.  That’s what I learned at LEDucation. The Designers Lighting Forum of New York announced that LEDucation 6 accomplished its most successful event to date with a record breaking crowd of over 2,000 attendees.  With extended exhibitor hours and an expanded exhibit hall, LEDucation 6 provided attendees the opportunity to view the latest innovations, technology and products from a sold out exhibit hall of 92+ leading manufacturers from across the world. Attendees enjoyed seminars from industry leading professionals as well. For more information: www.leducation.org

6.      DesignLights™ Consortium Qualified Products List - The DLC www.designlights.org/ qualified products list is a resource for program administrators, to help them decide which solid state lighting products to include in their energy efficiency promotions. Their primary reference tool for SSLs is ENERGY STAR, however the regional list fills in gaps in categories which ENERGY STAR does not include. DOE’s ENERGY STAR team is working in cooperation with DLC to develop the Qualified Products List (QPL) and procedures. The Members expect the products from their QPL will eventually be incorporated into the ENERGY STAR list once corresponding categories are added.  Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) www.neep.org manages their website. http://www.designlights.org/documents/DLCQPLApplicationInstructions10_04_30.pdf

 

      7.      NLB Offers Residential Lighting Design Guide - The comprehensive Residential Lighting Design Guide is now available free from the National Lighting Bureau. Developed by the UC Davis California Lighting Technology Center (CLTC), the guide is a resource of best practices and lighting designs applicable nationwide. It provides a technology overview of high-efficacy luminaires, switching controls, sensors, and dimmers and also includes diagrams of several spaces found in typical U.S. homes. http://www.nlb.org/index.cfm?cdid=10863&pid=10225

8.      Global Energy-Efficient Lighting Technology Market by Correlated Color Temperature (CCT), Application and Geography (2011- 2016) - The field of lighting has witnessed remarkable technology improvements in the past few years, especially in the area of CFL and solid state lighting. A Research and Markets report covers the key energy-efficient lighting technologies and the in-depth energy-efficiency lighting market on the basis of correlated color temperature (CCT). The report also covers all the major products, applications, ingredients, and submarkets under each of these technologies. They have conducted an exhaustively geographic analysis for the major regional markets, viz. the U.S, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World (ROW). For more information:  http://www.researchandmarkets.com/product/6c74a7/global_energy_efficient_lighting_technology_m

9.     Johnson Controls Helps Miller Park Earn LEED Certification - Miller Park, home of the Milwaukee Brewers since 2001, has been recognized as the first stadium with a retractable roof and the third Major League Baseball stadium overall to become LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified in the category of Existing Building Operations and Maintenance. Johnson Controls is the facility manager for the stadium and coordinated the LEED process. 3/29 PRNewswire via COMTEX

10. $30 Million in Incentives Available for Energy Efficiency Projects - Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) www.socalgas.com/energyefficiency announced today that more than $30 million in rebates and incentives are available this year to business customers for qualifying energy-efficiency projects. The announcement was made at SoCalGas' annual Business Expo in Pomona, Calif., where over 300 business representatives learned how they could save energy and money through the utility's programs and latest green technologies. 3/29 /PRNewswire

11. Bulb Maker TCP Plans Initial Public Offering - An initial public offering is in the works for Shanghai, China-based TCP International Holdings. The company hopes to raise $100 million through an offering of its common stock, according to a TCP filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. TCP sales were $281 million in 2011, a decline of 2%. 3/27 HCN

Monthly Special Feature

DOE Report Characterizes Lighting Market - http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/publications/pdfs/ssl/2010-lmc-final-jan-2012.pdf

U.S. installed lighting base in the residential building sector. Incandescent lighting predominates. U.S. installed lighting base in the commercial building sector. Linear fluorescent lighting predominates.

U.S. installed lighting base in the industrial building sector. Linear fluorescent lighting predominates. U.S. installed lighting base in the outdoor sector. High-pressure sodium lighting predominates.

Relative share of lamps, energy consumption and light production for the residential, commercial, industrial and outdoor sectors. The residential sector includes the greatest number of lamps, but the commercial sector consumes the largest share of energy and light. Estimated lamp efficacy by sector and as a national average. Average efficacy has been improving across all sectors.