Business owners across Oregon are saving money and energy thanks to a new era of energy-efficient LED lighting products including the High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon. Lighting accounts for 35 percent of a typical commercial building’s electricity use. With Energy Trust support, businesses can cut up to 75 percent of lighting energy costs by installing LED lighting and controls.
Energy Trust provides cash incentives and technical assistance to businesses that upgrade their lighting systems. In 2014 alone, Energy Trust business customers completed 2,000 lighting projects ― and for the first time the majority of projects included LEDs.
“We’re seeing LEDs grow in their appeal for all types of customers. LEDs work well for many uses in all types of businesses like high-bay fixtures in warehouses, lighting for refrigerated spaces, retail and hospitality displays and for outdoor and street lighting, museum exhibitions, car dealerships and more,” said Susan Jowaiszas, Sr. marketing manager. “Energy Trust has seen a big increase in completed projects over the last few years, and this trend continues as more customers see the benefits from the technology.”
In addition to energy savings, LEDs provide numerous other benefits attractive to businesses. They are durable, produce almost no heat, last longer than conventional bulbs, maintain high-quality color and distribute light evenly. According to ENERGY STAR, LEDs can last 25 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs, so businesses that install LEDs can also reduce labor costs associated with replacing failing lamps.
The improved color quality from LEDs creates a more versatile suite of applications that can be appropriate for all types of businesses. As a result, LED lighting can improve the aesthetics of a work space, increase comfort levels and productivity and contribute to improved health and safety.
In the accompanying pages, learn how Oregon businesses are making the switch to energy-efficient lighting with help from Energy Trust.
Light at the Museum
The High Desert Museum is home to thousands of artifacts that showcase the natural and cultural resources of Oregon’s high desert region.
The museum follows strict lighting guidelines and lighting levels to preserve and protect delicate artifacts, as well as to present them in the best light possible to its 160,000 annual visitors.
Museum professionals worked with Energy Trust of Oregon to learn more about the latest in energy-efficient lighting. LED technology offered impressive energy savings, cooler temperatures, low-maintenance repair needs and better light quality. Ultimately the museum swapped its incandescent bulbs with 368 LED lamps. The results: Quality lighting, cooler bulbs and energy savings.
Industrial lighting improvements measure up
Stanley Hydraulics, a Milwaukie, Ore., manufacturer, serves industries making the switch from older pneumatic tools to cleaner, more efficient hydraulic technology. With 120 employees working three shifts, the 115,000-square-foot plant consumes a significant amount of energy.
Recently, Stanley completed a major upgrade to high-bay LED lighting technology throughout the plant, which has already reduced energy use and is estimated to cut the plant’s lighting costs by 77 percent in the first year.
New occupancy sensors dim the lights when they aren’t needed, but turn them back on to full brightness quickly once the sensors detect activity. The upgrades will save an estimated $45,000 in annual energy costs, as well as over 700,000 kilowatt hours.
LED upgrades with savings to spare
When Hanscam’s Bowling Center owner Barry Hanscam decided it was time to replace parts of his lighting system, he discovered that they were so old that they were no longer being made.
With help from Energy Trust, Hanscam chose new LED bulbs that last up to 50 times longer than incandescent bulbs, reducing replacement and maintenance costs. And because they use up to 75 percent less energy, his energy costs would shrink.
To reduce energy use even further, he upgraded the exterior lighting from high pressure sodium lights to CFLs. Overall, the upgrades are expected to save 50,900 kilowatt hours of electricity per year and nearly $4,000 in annual utility costs.
Bakers make bread, while LEDs save dough
Grand Central Baking Company serves up a wide range of breads and pastries, dine-in lunches, catering and wholesale delivery to more than 150 local restaurants.
The 200-employee company’s recipe for success depends on smart approaches to resource management. When company president and co-owner, Ben Davis learned about Energy Trust incentives for energy-efficiency lighting upgrades, “I went from ‘Let’s talk about this’ to ‘I don’t even need to talk, let’s do this.’”
Those incentives ultimately covered about half the cost of replacing older, less efficient incandescent bulbs with 200 long-lasting LEDs in Grand Central’s seven locations. The result: brighter and cooler spaces, improved dining experiences, and reduced energy use and costs.
“Replacing our incandescent lamps with LEDs is the latest step we’ve taken to reduce our carbon footprint,” says Davis. “With a one-year payback, the decision was both economical and ecological.”
Lighting the work from stem to stern
Vigor Industrial has taken steps to upgrade indoor lighting, but it still had more than 60 acres of outdoor facilities at its Swan Island repair yards in Portland.
With around-the-clock ship building and repair operations, safety and productivity was as important as cost-savings.
Working with Energy Trust, the team tackled upgrades to more than 1,200 fixtures of all shapes and sizes on high masts, poles, cranes, dry docks, and more.
The new LEDs create brighter, safer conditions at night for employees while at the same time reducing maintenance requirements. Vigor estimates annual savings of $158,000, and nearly 1,000 tons of carbon emissions reduced.
Ringing up savings
Lighting, heating and cooling make a big dent in Ruch Country Store’s energy use and monthly overhead.
“My energy bill was high, my cases were leaking cold air, and my store was too dark,” says owner Craig Hamm. “Energy Trust helped me put my own money back into my business and make it better.”
With help from Energy Trust, Hamm was able to invest in a custom heating and cooling project and new high performance lighting, custom LED fixtures and lamps, and new LED case lighting.
Adding horizontal night covers helped limit loss of cold air and save energy. These upgrades now save the 8,000 square foot grocery more than 153,000 kilowatt hours of electricity and $23,000 in energy costs each year.
Lights make a deal
With long business hours and large parking lots, lighting is a big-ticket energy cost for most car dealerships. That’s why dealerships around the state are making the switch to energy-efficiency lighting.
Good exterior lighting is one of an auto dealer’s most important sales tools. LED technologies are continually improving for outdoor applications whether in price, efficacy, or color rendering. They are more durable and won’t break like a bulb, and they last longer which reduces maintenance costs. Plus, LEDs achieve full brightness instantly and have no flicker.
With help from Energy Trust, car dealerships throughout Oregon are saving money and reducing energy use.
For more information on Energy Trust lighting incentives and information, visit www.energytrust.org.
Energy Trust of Oregon is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to helping utility customers benefit from saving energy and generating renewable power. Our services, cash incentives and energy solutions have helped participating customers of Portland General Electric, Pacific Power, NW Natural and Cascade Natural Gas save $1.9 billion on energy bills. Our work helps keep energy costs as low as possible, creates jobs and builds a sustainable energy future.
Learn more at www.energytrust.org or call 1-866-368-7878.
