Starting July 2012, most T12 lamps will be phased out of production.
Are T8s the new T12s? According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s fluorescent lighting mandate they should be. Starting last year on July 1, 2010, the magnetic ballasts that operate T12 lamps were no longer produced for commercial or industrial applications. Since then, there have been progressively fewer T12 ballasts available for purchase and production has focused on the T8 and T5 systems.
Starting July 14, 2012, most T12 lamps will also be phased out of production, including the following[1]:
Most F40 and F34T12 lamps and almost all FB40 and FB34T12 U-lamps
All 75W F96T12 lamps
All 60W F96T12/ES lamps, with the exception of a few 700/SP and 800/SPX lamps
All conventional 110W F96T12 HO lamps that deliver fewer than 10,120 lumens
All 95W F96T12/ES/HO, unless they can provide at least 8,740 lumens
It’s definitely a good time to get on board with the more efficient T8 and T5s. These lamps have lower mercury levels, longer lives, contribute to LEED points and are at least 30% more efficient. Compared to the T12 system, switching to a T8 system can save $7.20 a year and a T5 can save up to $13.60.[2] If commercial and industrial owners make the switch there will be significant energy and money savings.
Speaking of savings, the Energy Independence Act of 2007 (EISA) has extended the tax deduction for qualifying projects that will be completed before January 1, 2014. By recognizing the availability of incentives and rebates currently offered, commercial customers can save on retrofits if they act fast. Once all the DOE mandates are in effect, removing less efficient T12 systems will become a regular practice and the only option for customers with the inefficient lighting system. Rebate and incentive programs will likely disappear when this happens, so retrofitting sooner may have its added benefits.
Efficiency standards for light bulbs will go into effect next year.
Next year, under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), increased energy efficiency standards for light bulbs will go into effect. This mandate will gradually increase the required efficiency of bulbs over the next few years. Starting in January 2012, the 100 watt bulb will be required to drop 30% so that it emits the same amount of light while utilizing only 72 watts. The increased bulb efficiency requirements will continue in 2013 with the 75 watt bulb and in 2014 with the 60 and 40 watt bulbs.
These EISA standards will produce huge energy cost savings while eliminating wasteful products from the market. The U.S. Department of Energy estimated that this new standard could save nearly $6 billion in 2015 alone. By significantly reducing the amount of electricity required to light America’s homes and businesses, mostly generated from coal-fired power plants, the standards will also reduce harmful emissions from those coal plants including emissions of mercury, arsenic and greenhouse gases.[1]
New labels for light bulb packaging, designed by the Federal Trade Commission, will also take effect in January and will highlight bulb measurements in lumens. While watts tell us how much energy the light bulb uses, lumens measure the brightness. These labels, similar to nutrition labels found on grocery items, will also include the bulbs’ energy costs, life expectancy, mercury levels (if any) and the lights’ appearance ranging from warm to cool.[2]
So what do these bulb changes mean for the commercial consumer? Simply put, customers will be able to save energy and money without losing the amount of light displayed. Since light bulb purchases will focus on brightness, ambiance and life length, the new labels will allow consumers to purchase the most efficient bulbs for their specific office, business and industry needs. With the new label it will also be easy to estimate the yearly cost of specific bulbs, letting commercial customers manage their budgets and make practical choices about which bulbs are the most cost-effective.
Despite the energy and cost saving benefits, many people are still skeptical about the changes. Will the market of incandescent bulbs be overtaken by compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and light emitting diodes (LEDs)? Certainly some incandescent bulbs currently on the market won’t make the cut, but they will not be banned, they will only need to be reinvented. By utilizing a halogen technology with the incandescent bulb, lighting companies can reach the new standards, which are currently available in the standard bulb shape.[3] Since this efficient technology is already accessible, and means savings for most customers, bulbs will most likely transition to these new standards even if the mandate wasn’t set to take effect.
Let us know what you think about the new bulb standards.
With the new year well underway, now is a great time to review the state of green building in California. The good news is that California is closing in on the important “50% of Class A office space being green” mark. The not-so-good news is that there is still a long way to go in order to improve the sustainability of Class B and C office buildings.
As of November 2010, 48% of Class A office space in California was certified green (i.e., EnergySTAR® and/or LEED certified—equating to approximately 100 million square feet of office space, and a nearly 100% increase from the 26% of Class A office space that was certified green when we introduced our barometers in October 2008.
Unfortunately, the adoption of green building practices for Class B and C office buildings is markedly lower, at least in terms of such practices being recognized through certification. As of November 2010, 7.4% of Class B office space was certified green as compared to just 2.7% in 2008. Similarly, green Class C space has more than tripled from 0.2% in 2008 to its current level of 0.8% . However, despite this growth, the green base still remains small, and more needs to be done to promote the type of initiatives that allow lower-class buildings to earn green certification.
Differences between Class A, B & C office buildings are due to multiple factors including:
Many Class A buildings are built to higher specifications, with advanced levels of design and systems that are inherently more energy efficient
Potential lessees of Class A space are more frequently looking for green space
Class A space owners and property managers have better access to capital for investments
Ownership of many Class B and C buildings is generally split among many investors
Investors in Class B and C buildings typically have shorter investment time horizons
Finally, for higher-end buildings, the reductions in utility costs resulting from green improvements are more likely to make a significant impact on building operating expenses.
Looking back, it is rewarding to see significant increases in the proportion of certified green space occurring during a time period with historically high vacancy rates and a severe economic recession. With the economic situation improving, we can now look forward to many further advances in the greening of commercial buildings.
Ocean friendly gardens are a more sustainable gardening practice reducing outdoor water use.
Approximately half of all residential water use in California is for outdoor purposes—and, of that, the majority is used for watering lawns and gardens. In total approximately 1,300,000 acre feet of water is used for watering lawns and gardens; enough to cover the entire County of Los Angeles with six inches of water. Producing, transporting, treating and delivering that water requires a significant amount of energy. In a state that had below-normal precipitation in 8 of the last 10 years (including a 3-year drought), can using such significant amounts of water (and related energy) in this manner be considered sustainable?
Ocean friendly gardens utilize drought resistant California native plants in plots that are designed to capture home stormwater runoff. They require little, if any, irrigation. Water is supplied to the gardens by rerouting downspouts that would normally send rainwater to the streets or sewer systems—water that would otherwise wash pollutants such as fertilizers, pesticides and oil into California’s rivers and ultimately pollute our oceans and beaches. Ocean friendly gardens are specially designed to retain the influx of storm water and achieve near-zero runoff. Contours and dry creek beds built into the landscapes retain water, allowing it to percolate into the ground.
An increased number of these gardens and landscapes would help alleviate water supply stresses and flash flooding problems in Southern California. A significant portion of Southern California’s water supply, imported from 450 miles away at a very high cost, has been under stress in recent years due to shortages. Meanwhile, in many Southern California urban areas, elaborate storm drain systems are used to drain any rainfall cities do receive into the ocean. During large storms, these drainage systems can be overwhelmed, resulting in flash floods. During the heavy rains this past December, for example, the volume of water washed off of Los Angeles’ streets and into the ocean was enough to supply water to 130,000 Southern California homes for a year. Using this local source would help alleviate local water supply problems while decreasing the amount of pollution washed out to sea.
While ocean friendly gardens are a great benefit to homeowners, water utilities, and the environment, they are still few in number. Many water agencies support ocean friendly gardening, offering multiple resources to their customers. These include “Cash for Grass” incentives as well as demonstration gardens. However, barriers to adoption still exist, including a lack of awareness of ocean friendly garden design, a lack of understanding of the significant amount of water currently used to irrigate lawns and gardens, and a lack of understanding of the cost of current watering practices (ranging from $200 to $400 per year for a typical house). Innovative community outreach programs are needed to shift California’s outdoor landscaping paradigm.
Organizations like the Green Gardens Group – which is currently partnering with the Surfrider Foundation – have facilitated hands on workshops for local communities to spread the word about ocean friendly gardening in Southern California. These workshops are typically held at local homes where volunteers (usually friends and neighbors of the homeowner) are taught how to evaluate the home’s existing landscape and convert it into an ocean friendly garden. The volunteers then return to the same location one month later to construct the newly designed garden. The result: a garden that not only reduces water use by 60-80%, but also educates and empowers the local community. Volunteers leave with the knowledge necessary to design and build their own ocean friendly gardens.
This community involvement model is not new. The Home Energy Efficiency Team (HEET) organizes “barn raisings” in Cambridge, MA where a similar approach is used to teach homeowners how to weatherize their homes in order to make them more energy efficient.
These gatherings are more like a block party than a lecture or work camp. Food and drink are aplenty, neighbors meet and help each other, and new friendships are formed. Often when the work is complete, there is live music to entertain the volunteers. If saving water and energy is as easy as inviting your friends and neighbors over for a party, why aren’t we all doing it?
Hydroelectric generators – just one of the many links between water and energy in California.
It’s no secret that California’s energy and water resources are inextricably linked. While electricity generation itself requires substantial amounts of water, the water infrastructure consumes 7.7% of the state’s electricity to transport, treat, distribute and recycle water.
California’s “water-energy nexus” is complex and subject to many external stresses. During times of drought, surface water supplies dwindle, and we inevitably tap more energy intensive supplies such as groundwater and imported water which increases our electricity demand on the already constrained power grid. To exacerbate the problem, droughts decrease the generation of hydroelectric power which normally provides 20% of the state’s electricity. These problems will only get worse as climate change threatens to alter precipitation patterns in California. As we search for the answers to these problems, a 2005 report by the California Energy Commission reminds us:
“[A] major portion of the solution is closer coordination between the energy and water sectors. A meaningful solution cannot be reached in the current regulatory environment where water utilities value only the cost of acquisition, conveyance, treatment, and delivery; wastewater utilities value only the cost of collection, treatment, and disposal; electric utilities value only saved electricity; and natural gas utilities value only saved natural gas.”
To foster the goal of greater coordination and understanding, the Alliance has updated and re-launched the Water-Energy Program content of its website with new information regarding the critical relationship between water and energy in California. The new content highlights the opportunities California has for reducing the energy intensity of the state’s water use cycle, identifies key measures for both water agencies and end users to reduce their water-related energy use, and discusses the regulatory challenges facing water providers striving to save energy as well as high priority policy strategies for overcoming them.
The Alliance’s Water-Energy Advisory Committee has come to the consensus that like energy efficiency, “water conservation is the most cost-effective and environmentally preferred action to save energy and water.” A second major opportunity, detailed in a recent report by the Alliance, is the expansion of the use of recycled water to safely displace the use of potable water for non-potable uses such as toilet flushing, landscape irrigation, commercial car washing, and fire protection.
The bottom line is that saving water saves energy and saving energy saves water. Meeting California’s aggressive goals to reduce both energy and water-use will therefore require utility mangers, regulators, and policymakers alike to align their efforts.
We hope this new content will provide the public with better information and support a greater understanding and collaboration between water and energy managers as they work to ensure California has a sustainable water and energy supply for years to come.
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