Did you know???

Nuclear power may be poised to make a comeback as past opponents are becoming supporters in the wake of the apparent danger posed by carbon. The drawbacks associated with this form of energy are now considered less environmentally-damaging that other traditional methods such as coal and oil.

Tip of the Week 12/17/09

Computer peripherals (such as printers and monitors) can account for 10 percent or more of a work station's energy use. Ensuring that these devices are not consuming power when not being used can yield tremendous savings!

Why is now the time to start thinking green?

With all the confusion in the world today about what, how and just why to start thinking and green, the question of WHEN can get lost in all of the madness. Even from a purely financial standpoint, "when" is a perfectly reasonable question to ask about saving energy. When is it reasonable to start making 'green' initiatives? When can I expect a return on my investment if I 'go green' now? When can I make an impact on my business or home if I start going green now? These are all valid questions, and the answer is that there's never been a better time than right now to start!

Whether your great interest is doing your part to preserve the environment, save a few dollars, or just reduce your personal or commercial carbon-footprint, there are myriad benefits in starting your green transformation sooner than later. Governments of all levels and the energy industry are helping now, more than ever, in reducing the initial negative impacts of beginning green initiatives. The cost of starting this process can now be offset and financed in a number of helpful ways. Check your local energy companies for financing and discounts. Local, state and federal government programs are often available to offer tax credits and grants to those who are adopting systems designed around energy reduction. You may be surprised to find that the money involved is less than you might have imagined.

Couple this with the fact that the return on investment for these types of programs is shortening every day, and you'll find that you may actually be SAVING money in just a matter of months. There are countless ways that you can begin the process of moving toward a more environment-friendly operation, but more and more, the cost of these changes pay for themselves in surprisingly little time. After you cross that threshold, you're actually saving money AND helping out the environment! Without diving into the specifics of when you can expect certain products or programs to pay for themselves, do some checking around into the products and services available in your area to find out when and how many green initiatives can pay for themselves.

The impact on your business or home begins as soon as you install a product or begin a service. Just putting in compact flourescent or LED bulbs as replacements to incandescents can yield tremendous immediate benefits. A programmable thermostat and control system can both improve your comfort level and reduce your energy bill the moment they're installed. The fact of the matter is that you don't have to wait to start enjoying the great things that going green can do for you.

If the question you find yourself wondering is "WHEN should I start thinking green?", it's clear there's no time like the present. Considering that anyone can do simple things to both help the environment AND put money back in their pockets, it's pretty hard to find a reason not to. The ways to start saving are countless and there are many professionals to help guide those who would like a helping hand. When? How about today?

Tip of the Week: 12/3/09

Turning your thermostat down by 3 degrees can save up to 10% on your heating bill. Using a programmable thermostat and control system to manage the temperature while you're away will yield even bigger benefits!

Did you know??? 12/3/09

The average compact flourescent (CFL) bulb will use only about 20 - 25% of the energy of a comparable standard incandescent lightbulb? And an LED will use only about 1/2 as much as the CFL!!!

ESP Concept: A team of Tradespeople focused on energy efficiency

It takes a team to solve energy efficiency problems. And the team members must be focused on energy efficiency so they have the products, knowledge, experience and interest to offer energy efficient products and services. Most tradespeople working today were trained to install products in the most cost effective way without consideration for long-term operating costs. But energy efficiency is all about long-term operating costs. So, if you and your tradesperson are just focused on his bill, you'll miss the big picture. The cheapest approach today may be the most costly in the long run.

And your electrician probably isn't an HVAC or computer networking expert. But technology advances are integrating building systems together to act as one system. And they offer remote access and control which requires some IT networking expertise. So, if you're thinking that it must be a challenge to find a team of tradespeople who are all focused on energy efficiency and are versed in the very latest technology and are willing to work together on a shared project; you're not alone. Energy Smart Partners is just that team. They are bringing together all of the team members needed to really approach energy efficiency holistically. LEED Architects, HVAC experts, plumbing contractors, electrical contractors and IT networking gurus are all working together to create integrated solutions.

Parking Lot Lights are Energy Wasters

Parking Lot Lights should be controlled better. Have you noticed how many parking lots are fully lit even when they are empty because the stores or offices are closed? And have you noticed how many parking lot lights are on at 5pm in the Fall when it is still daylight. These are obvious inefficiencies that can be solved by applying some thinking and technology.

Old manual timers that don't know about sunrise or sunset times or daylight savings time are often set during the Winter. So, they have to come on too early the rest of the year. To work properly in the Summer, they must be manually reset, which often doesn't happen. They also must be reset whenever there is a power outage. This effort also requires building managers to keep track of the lights and visit the buildings to reset them. Technology can solve this problem by using digital controllers that can be programmed for sunrise/sunset and even store hours.

Parking lot lights are also usually wired together in large groups and turned on/off together at a circuit breaker. So, an entire section of lights must be left on even after hours. Technology can solve this problem too. By controlling individual light poles, outlying lights can be selectively turned off after normal business hours. Even when some employees work late, they can park in brightly lit areas while the other parking areas are more dimly lit. Since parking lot lights are big users of electricity, these are huge savings. Technology can offer other benefits too. Property managers can control the lights remotely with their smartphones, for instance. Energy Smart Partners can analyze a buildings' parking requirements and offer an energy efficient lighting plan. There are incentives offered by Utilities that make these changes very cost effective. ROI's are usually less than one year.

the Building's Empty but the Lights are On

Since many offices are unoccupied for up to 14 hours a day, why are their lights still on at 11pm on a Saturday night? They are serving no purpose for anyone at that hour – so why are they still burning bright? When you are out in the evening, notice how many offices are brightly lit when the parking lots are empty. Notice that the parking lots are still fully lit too; but that's the subject for another post. Back to the lit building....Some people try to explain it by telling me "Those are Night Lights". But, they should be called “Occupancy Lights”. The real purpose of these lights is to provide for basic lighting when the building is occupied. They provide basic fill lighting and light hallways to exits. So, again, why are they still on when the building is empty? This is so obviously silly; you can't help but wonder why. Why are we so blatantly wasteful? Is this waste really intentional or are we just en mass forgetful? Maybe we all just can't remember to turn the lights out. OK, I'm having a little fun here, but seriously folks?

Well, as usual, energy efficiency is not always that simple. Until recently, when a building was being built, the construction cost was the most important consideration at the time. Buildings that have control systems and meet the latest code requirements for lighting are supposed to know when the building is not occupied. But often, even they are not programmed properly. Operating efficiency hasn't been important until very recently. So, most existing buildings are prime candidates for retrofits to improve their energy efficiency. Technology is available to solve the problem; it just requires thought and some money. Energy Smart Partners can offer alternatives for turning the lights off and ensuring that they are turned back on when someone enters. The savings are substantial and the cost is readily recovered by the electrical cost savings. Utilities even have programs to help pay for the costs. AEP, for example, will pay for up to 50% of the cost. So, for building owners who want to address the problem, the payback is just a little over a year. For the low cost to control a tenant occupied space, there is really no reason not to. Have you thought about the energy that your building uses lately?