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?