Energy + Environment

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Sustainable construction represents about 10% of the current commercial and institutional building market, according to McGraw-Hill, which predicts that demand will increase to 20-25% by 2013, or $96-140 billion. LEED has provided focus to the sustainable design movement and, to a significant extent, put a face on it. LEED 3.0, the latest version of LEED, [...]

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Thomas has published a good wrap up and analysis of the Department of Energy’s 2010 Energy Outlook here.

The Obama Administration is authorized to play a more active and supportive role in encouraging and progressing the energy efficiency and sustainability of America’s multifamily and commercial building stock, according to a report released by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and other leading organizations in energy, housing, environment and real estate. The legal analysis, [...]

Energy Focus, Inc. has announced that its turnkey lighting retrofit division, Stones River Companies, LLC was recently awarded five additional lighting energy services contracts totaling $2.5 million, bringing to a total of $19 million contracts awarded to Energy Focus’ new business unit. Two contracts are to upgrade the lighting at two universities, which will involve [...]

In the May 2009 issue of Buildings Magazine, David R. Laybourn, director of marketing and sales for Lime Energy in Glendora, CA, offered some good advice in an article titled, “Prevent 17 Common Lighting Mistakes.” Ten of these costly mistakes are paraphrased here: 1. Working with the wrong people: Choose experienced partners. 2. Conflicts in [...]

California new Title 20 standards, which went into effect January 1, 2010, created new energy efficiency standards for 150-500W metal halide light fixtures used in indoor and outdoor applications. These fixtures may not be manufactured in the State of California unless they meet the new standards. For the most part, the fixture will have to [...]

Office buildings: According to the 2009 Buildings Energy Data Book published by DOE, the average large office building (>25,000 square feet) has a lighting power density (LPD) of 1.3-1.8 watts/sq.ft. (based on 2006 data), while the average small office building has a lighting power density of 1.7-2.2W/sq.ft. If these buildings were relighted to simply comply [...]