Massachusetts Named in Top 3 Lowest CO2 Emitters per Unit of Economic Output

Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York were named the three lowest emitters of CO2 per unit of economic output this month by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The announcement was made in conjunction with the release by the Environmental Protection Agency of new rules designed to encourage states nationwide to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions related to energy production.

Two other eastern states, New Hampshire and Vermont, were also cited for their clean energy policies. The unusually low emissions by the Northeastern states were credited to a voluntary regional system of cap and trade that eight Northeast and mid-Atlantic states have been experimenting with for several years. Such voluntary compacts are being considered as a model for plans being formulated to lower emissions from power plants nationwide by one third between now and 2030.

Ivy Corset Building in Worcester Increases Energy Efficiency

With lighting costs being a significant percentage of energy costs, it’s important for buildings to update outdated and energy-wasting luminaires. Access Fixtures achieved energy savings for the historical Ivy Corset building in Worcester, Mass by retrofitting six wall packs on the front of the building.

 The renovated brick factory building once housed the Ivy Corset Company. The wall packs on the front of the building were part decorate, part functional—but produced an unattractive yellow light. Previously, the wall packs used 35 watt high pressure sodium lamps and ballasts that totaled 43 watts per pack. By replacing the lamps with energy-efficient A21 style LED lamps, the building was able to maintain the historical elements while reducing energy by 75% and improving visibility.

 According to the press release, the retrofit will save $14.08 per wall pack for a total savings of $84.48 per year. Payback for the initial cost of the LED retrofit is less than 1.5 years including labor. Because the LEDs won’t have to be replaced for 17 years, the LED wall pack retrofit will provide a total energy savings of $1,436 over the lifetime of the LED lamps. Additionally, the longevity of the LEDs reduce maintenance cost needed to frequently replace the lamps.

 It’s important for property managers to understand the value of updating lighting systems. Updated luminaires can cut energy use, save money, and ensure that all areas are safely illuminated. And, lastly, no more ghostly yellow or orange lights.

220% Revenue Increase of Access Fixtures LED Products

LED lighting is continuing to grow. Access Fixtures reports LED products sales are up 220% year over year compared to the first half of 2013.

While the price of LED lighting is decreasing, LEDs are simultaneously advancing in energy efficiency, light output, module life, and versatility. The rapid progression of LED lighting is known as Haitz’s Law. Every decade, the cost per lumen (lumens are the unit of useful light emitted) falls by a factor of ten while the amount of light generated per LED package increases by a factor of twenty. Therefore, LEDs are becoming a reasonable and cost-effective option when considering alternatives to incandescent, HID, and fluorescent light sources.

LED lighting provides a significant return on investment, but its biggest draw is arguably its energy efficiency. For example, today’s ten-watt LED bollard lights can outperform a seventy-watt, high-pressure sodium bollard light. LED wall packs can exceed the performance of 100-watt metal halide wall packs using less than half the energy.

Increased sales are found in products such as LED bollard lights, LED area lights, and LED wall packs. Future sales are expected to maintain the rapid growth in sales of Access Fixtures LED products.