Green building. Energy efficiency. Sustainability. These are some of the biggest buzzwords in the construction industry today, reflecting issues that have moved to the forefront of community concerns and will likely remain top priorities for many years.

Figures from the U.S. Green Building Council show why these buzzwords have become so prevalent. In the United States, buildings account for 36% of total energy usage, including 65% of electricity consumption. They also account for 30% of greenhouse gas emissions, 30% of raw materials use, 30% of waste output, and 12% of potable water consumption.

In short, buildings have a profound impact on our natural environment, economy, health, and productivity.

The good news is that these negative impacts can be minimized by taking advantage of breakthroughs in building science, technology, and operations. Builders, designers, and property owners who make use of green products and techniques can protect the environment; improve human comfort, productivity, and quality of life; and reap economic benefits by reducing operating costs, enhancing asset value, and optimizing performance.

The concept of green building incorporates a broad range of issues from building location to waste reduction. One of the biggest issues is energy efficiency.

That’s where EDI can help.

As a supporter of the U.S. Green Building Council, EDI is committed to the principles of green building. We not only carry a broad range of energy-efficient electrical products, but also have in-house expertise to demonstrate the environmental and economic benefits of these products.

 

Show me the money

When it comes to return on investment, lighting products provide a more tangible and immediate return than almost any other building enhancement.

“By upgrading a lighting system, you’re not only helping the environment by reducing energy consumption, you’re also saving money by reducing your power bill,” said Chris Studney, EDI’s manager of business development. “Most of the jobs we do have a payback of less than three years—and some are under 12 months.”

As if saving money by reducing energy consumption wasn’t enough, there are numerous other incentives to encourage and reward energy-efficiency projects. The Energy Policy Act of 2005, or EPAct, provides tax incentives to contractors, homebuilders, and building owners, and sets standards for a number of specific lighting technologies. Many local, state, and federal building projects now require LEED certification (the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design green building rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council). Energy-efficient products allow your customers to increase their LEED point counts. EDI’s LEED-certified personnel can help you navigate the electrical components of a LEED initiative.

Lenders are the latest group to jump on the green bandwagon by pushing mortgage products with discounts and credits for energy-efficient upgrades. For example, Citigroup and Bank of America recently launched programs offering $1,000 off home closing costs if energy-efficiency requirements are met. These companies are also committed to making their own facilities more energy efficient.

The greatest potential for energy savings lies in lighting.

By some estimates, 85% of the lighting fixtures in the United States were installed before 1986. That means there’s a huge opportunity to convert old fixtures to energy-efficient ones.

The potential savings and payback time for a lighting retrofit in a customer’s building can be calculated by using the price per kilowatt hour, the number of hours the lights are on, and the total input wattage of the existing fixtures versus the efficient new ones.

 “We recently submitted an energy savings proposal to a customer that would reduce their energy bill by more then $25,000 a year,” Studney said. “In this particular case, we also recommended occupancy sensors so the lighting fixtures were only on when employees were occupying the space. You can save a lot of money when you reduce the amount of time your lights are on.”

Turn off the lights

In addition to energy-efficient lighting fixtures and lamps, EDI has a broad range of other energy-saving electrical products, such as lighting controls, switches, sensors, timers, dimmers, and power usage monitors.

Occupancy sensors and other lighting controls play a key role in achieving energy efficiency goals in a lighting system. Used and installed correctly, lighting controls can typically reduce a utility bill by 15%–20%. Contractors should understand installation and calibration, and be able to explain how to use the controls to customers.

One of the most popular lighting upgrades today is replacing high-intensity discharge high-bay lighting with fluorescent lights in warehouses, retail stores, factories, and athletic facilities, said Jeromy Rumfelt, EDI’s lighting specialist.

Compared with HID fixtures, the new fluorescent fixtures designed for high-bay applications use less energy, last longer, can be used with dimmers and occupancy sensors, provide superior light quality, and have faster startup and restrike. The fluorescent fixtures have another advantage in that they have four to six lamps per fixture; if one goes out, it’s not necessary to immediately replace it, thus reducing the time spent on re-lamping.

Other popular energy-efficiency upgrades on the commercial side are low-voltage lighting control panels, occupancy sensors, and daylight-harvesting systems, Rumfelt said. On the residential side, compact fluorescent lamps and wall dimmers are the most popular upgrades.

“We’re committed to green building and a sustainable environment,” Studney said. “We partner with our vendors to promote energy-efficient lighting and lighting control products. We believe that our combined expertise will allow us to help anyone with inefficient lighting, saving them money while improving their workspace and the environment. We can also provide recycling services for customers that need to dispose of old ballasts and lamps.”

To learn more about EDI’s green building products and services, contact your EDI account manager or Chris Studney at cstudney@edi-nc.com or 704.372.3040, ext. 353.