Greenville Magazine - June 2008 - (Page 29)

Advertorial Green Reaches a Tipping Point T Oil prices are more than $100 a barrel, and a weaker US dollar doesn’t help. Today, saving energy has a more significant impact on the bottom line than ever before. In the past green initiatives were seen as the right thing to do - but costly, so they were slow to get traction. Today however, high energy costs have reached that critical tipping point at which energy efficiency saves money first, and is good for the environment second. Tell almost any local business owner that you can save him thousands of dollars a year in energy savings and return his investment this year or next and you’ll have his attention. Show him that his annual energy savings will continue to grow each year with the cost of energy and he’ll buy you lunch. he economy is sluggish. A Light Green Opportunity According to the US Department of Energy, 80 percent of the existing buildings in the U.S. have lighting systems that are 20 years old or older. That is 1980s lighting technology at best and quite inefficient compared to today’s lighting systems. Those older lighting systems account for approximately 30 to 50 percent of the average building’s total energy consumption. For residential homes and commercial businesses alike, a significant energysaving opportunity lies in upgrading those old lighting systems to today’s efficient standards,saving building owners thousands of dollars annually in energy costs. In fact most commercial lighting upgrades can pay for themselves in energy savings in less than two years. After that the annual energy savings is money in their pockets. Add federal tax incentives and energy company rebates to the equation and the return on investment gets even better. Energy efficient lighting doesn’t mean lowering light levels. The objective is to lower the lighting power density (lighting watts per square foot) while maintaining light level requirements established by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA). Energy efficient lighting can take many forms. Lamp efficiency and fixture design play significant parts. Today’s newest solid state lighting technologies also present opportunities to lower energy consumption, and daylight harvesting is an intelligent system that senses the available daylight and dims the electric lighting accordingly. Payback At The Speed Of Light The New Buildings Institute has independently verified that buildings meeting US Green Building Council’s minimum requirements for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification save an average of 25% in total annual energy use when compared to traditional buildings of the same size and scope. LEED Silver rated buildings save 35%, and those buildings that achieve USGBC’s LEED Gold or Platinum rating save an average of 45% in annual energy use. As if long term energy savings isn’t enough, the Energy-Efficient Commercial Buildings Tax Deduction, created by the EPAct 2005 legislation, can give commercial building owners an immediate (or at least in this tax year) incentive to upgrade to an energy efficient interior lighting system. The EPAct 2005 law allows commercial building owners to deduct the total cost of an interior lighting upgrade, up to $0.60 per square foot. Greenville-based Hubbell Lighting, one of North America’s largest lighting manufacturers, and a leader in energy efficient lighting, offers a broad range of energy efficient lighting products from all of its 16 brands, including Progress Lighting, the largest residential lighting brand in the world. At home and at work, upgrading to today’s newest energy efficient lighting technology can quickly pay for itself in energy savings. And as energy costs continue to escalate, the annual savings will also continue to rise. Going green has a green light. may/june 2008 | Greenville maGazine 29 http://www.hubbelllighting.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Greenville Magazine - June 2008

Greenville Magazine - June 2008 Contents From the Publisher My Greenville Everyday Heroes Tackling Diversity Greenville’s Gone Global In The Lead From the Pros Anderson Suburban Sprawl Wellness The REAL State of Real Estate Something to Bark About Minority-owned Business A Look Back 1-Tank Trips Private School Resource Guide After Hours The Bulletin Around Town Viewpoints

Greenville Magazine - June 2008

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