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Energy Efficiency Notes

A Watt Saved is a Watt Earned

  • "There’s no cheaper, cleaner power than the power that you don’t have to produce” –Gary Zarker

Efficiencies

  • Fuel cell: 60%
  • Steam turbine: 45%
  • Human body: 20-25%
  • Fluorescent light: 22%
  • Internal combustion engine (gasoline): 10%
  • Incandescent light: 5%

Energy Efficiency

  • 43% of energy in the US is wasted unnecessarily.
  • Incandescent bulb: 5% efficient
  • Fluorescent bulb: 20% efficient
  • LED bulb: 60% efficient
  • Auto fleet standards = CAFE Standards (Corporate Average Fuel Economy)
    • 12.9 mpg in 1974
    • 29.9 mpg today
    • 40 mpg CAFE standard would cut gas use by 50%

Energy Star Program

  • ENERGY STAR Homes exceed the Model Energy Code by at least 30%.
    • Tighter construction/advanced windows/sealed ducts
    • Improved heating and cooling equipment
  • Incentives:
    • Financing by ENERGY STAR mortgages
    • Small increase in mortgage offset by lower utility bills

ENERGY STAR Labeled Equipment

  • Lighting products
  • TV's and DVD/Blueray
  • Clothes washers and dryers
  • Refrigerators
  • Room and central air conditioners
  • Boilers and thermostats
  • Heat pumps

Buildings (commercial and industrial)

  • Focuses on all profitable energy-related investments
  • Uses proven technology
  • Typically cut energy costs by 30%
  • 5-Stage approach to energy upgrades

The Energy Star 5 Stages

  1. Lighting
  2. Tune-up
  3. Load Reductions
  4. Ventilation Upgrades
  5. HVAC Improvements

Integrated Process

  • Lighting
  • Other Load Reductions
  • Building Tune-Up
  • Fan System Upgrades
  • Heating & Cooling System Upgrades

Stage 1 Lighting: Importance

  • Lighting energy costs can be reduced by 40 - 70%
  • Cooling loads are reduced
  • Savings are verifiable
  • Improved lighting quality can improve employee productivity or improve home lighting

Stage 1 Lighting: Three Principles of Lighting Upgrades

  • Meet target light levels
  • Efficiently produce and deliver light
  • Automatically control lighting operation

Stage 1 Lighting Technologies

  • LED Lights
  • Compact Florescent Bulbs and Fixtures
  • Electronic Ballasts
  • Occupancy Sensors and Timers
  • Re-lamping
  • Metal Halides and Sodium replacing Mercury Vapor Fixtures

Light Bulb Efficiency Over Time

  • Graph depicting the efficiency of different lighting technologies from 1800 to 2050, including kerosene, incandescent, fluorescent, light-emitting diode, and high-intensity discharge lamps.

Light Bulb Comparison Chart

  • LED
    • 10-Year Cost: 40
    • Pros:
      • Saves 85% in energy costs
      • Longest lasting bulb on the market (10+ years)
      • Dimmable from 10%-100%
      • Not sensitive to colder temperatures
      • Instant-on
      • Mercury Free
    • Cons:
      • Greater upfront cost
      • 100W brightness equivalent pending
  • CFL
    • 10-Year Cost: 43
    • Pros:
      • Saves 75% in energy costs
      • Lasts 8 times as long as the incandescent
      • Comparable cost to the incandescent
    • Cons:
      • Sensitive to colder temperatures
      • Lesser dimmable range of 20%-90%
      • Contains mercury-recycling required
  • Halogen
    • 10-Year Cost: 110
    • Pros:
      • Same color quality as incandescent
      • Mercury Free
      • Comparable cost to the incandescent
      • Saves 30% in energy costs
    • Cons:
      • Short life span like the incandescent
  • Incandescent
    • 10-Year Cost: 160
      *Note: Non-residential energy rates are generally lower than residential.

How to Read a Lighting Facts Label

  • New labels meet Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requirements.
  • Labels are on all light bulbs (incandescents, halogens, LEDs).
  • Consumers can compare products based on brightness (lumens), cost, life span, hue, and energy usage.
  • Brightness:
    • Measured in lumens, not wattage.
    • Higher the number, the brighter the light.
  • Life:
    • Product's life in years.
    • Based on 3 hours per day usage.
  • Light Appearance:
    • Indicates the hue of the color emitted.
    • Warm/Soft White (around 2700 Kelvin) creates an inviting, comfortable, and relaxing atmosphere.
    • Cool/Daylight bulbs (closer to 6500 Kelvin) create a bright, clean, and lively mood.
  • Energy Used:
    • Energy the bulb consumes (in watts).
    • Lower wattage means less energy used and lower electricity costs.

Stage 1 Lighting: T-8s

  • Replace older fluorescent lamps and ballasts with T-8 lamps and electronic ballasts
  • Cost: 50-$100 per fixture (lamp and ballast)
  • Benefits:
    • over 30% energy savings per fixture can be achieved
    • improved light quality
    • noise and “flicker” eliminated
    • simple payback often 5 years or less
  • Using vintage 1940's lighting technology if not using T-8 lamps and electronic ballasts in fluorescent fixtures

Stage 1 Lighting: What to Look for when You Shop for Light Bulbs

  • Used to look for Watts (energy)
  • Now look for Lumens (brightness)
  • Estimates based on typical incandescent bulbs
    • 150 w -> 2600 lm
    • 100 w -> 1600 lm
    • 75 W -> 1100 lm
    • 60 w -> 800 lm
    • 40 w -> 450 lm
  • If you're looking to buy a bulb that will give you the amount of light you used to get from a 60-watt bulb, you'll now look for 800 lumens.

Stage 1 Lighting: Controls

  • Use occupancy sensors to turn off lights when they are not needed
  • Cost: 25-$80 (ultrasonic or infrared)
  • Additional sensors to consider
    • photocells (for exterior lighting)
    • motion sensors (for security lighting)
    • automatic dimming systems (to utilize daylighting)
  • Application Energy Savings
    • Offices (private) 25-50%
    • Offices (open spaces) 20-25%
    • Rest rooms 30-75%
    • Corridors 30-40%
    • Storage areas 45-65%
    • Meeting rooms 45-65%
    • Conference rooms 45-65%
    • Warehouses 50-75%

Stage 2 Building Tuneup

  • Buildings and equipment can benefit from a tuneup in the same way that cars do
  • Building tuneups offer modest energy savings at a low cost -- and can extend the life of your investment
  • Start by reviewing your energy bills

Stage 2 Building Tuneup: HVAC Equipment Maintenance

  • Filter Changes
  • Coil Cleaning
  • Charging Refrigerant

Stage 2 Building Tuneup: Duct Leakage and Duct System Modifications

  • Seal Leaks
  • Insulate Ducts
  • Increase Return Air Size
  • Provide Relief to Return Air

Stage 2 Building Tuneup: Controls

  • Timers
  • Setup/Setback Thermostats

Stage 3 Load Reductions

  • Addresses other wasted energy in buildings
  • Reduces the capital cost of HVAC upgrades
  • Allows distribution and HVAC plant rightsizing
  • Increases comfort
  • Lowers energy costs

Stage 3 Load Reductions: Shading and Reflectance

  • Awnings and Overhangs
  • Roof Coatings
  • Reflective Window Treatments

Stage 3 Load Reductions: Building Envelope Improvements

  • Insulate Attic
  • Insulate Walls
  • Improve Windows
  • Insulate Foundation

Stage 3 Load Reductions: Other Load Reductions

  • Windows —Films, caulking/weather stripping
  • Roofs —Reflective coloring, insulation
  • Walls —Insulation, caulking, weather stripping

Stage 3 Load Reductions: Other Load Reductions (continued)

  • Domestic Hot Water —Flow restrictions, dedicated units
  • Kitchens —Heat pump water heaters —Exhaust hood upgrades
  • Laundries —Waste heat recovery

Stage 4: Fan & Minor System Upgrades

  • Rightsize fans to meet load requirements
  • Change out pulleys
  • Adjust operating pressure
  • Install smaller, energy efficient motors
  • Install variable speed drives (VSDs)
  • Convert systems to variable air volume (VAV)
  • Heat Pump water heater

Stage 5: Heating & Cooling Plant Improvements

  • Rightsize HVAC equipment
  • Upgrade to high-efficiency equipment
  • Auxiliary equipment
  • CFC and equipment age issues a factor

Stage 5: Heating & Cooling Replacement HVAC Equipment

  • High Efficiency Heating
  • High Efficiency Hot Water
  • High Efficiency Air Conditioning and Heat Pumps
  • Heat Recovery Ventilation

Annual Return on Investment

  • Average return on investment for the 10 measures shown here -16%
  • Stock market Dow Jones Industrials 1990-1997-14%
  • 30-year bond - 4.2%
  • Money market account-3.5%
  • Dividend on common stocks - 1.5%
  • Energy Efficiency investments:
    • Fluorescent lamps & fixtures
    • Clothes washer
    • Water heater
    • Heat pump tank wrap
    • Air sealing to 0.5 air changes per hour
    • ENERGY STAR appliances
    • Duct sealing
    • Programmable thermostat
    • Refrigerator
    • Dishwasher
    • Increase wall and attic Insulation

Systematically Stage and Improve Your Upgrades

  • Lighting
  • Other Load Reductions
  • Building Tune-Up
  • Integrated Process
  • Fan System Upgrades
  • Heating & Cooling System Upgrades