12-23-16

Real Estate Journal — Green Buildings — December 23, 2016 - January 12, 2017 — 23B

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G reen B uildings By Caroline Shelly, CID, LEED AP+BD-C, HF Planners Headache #42: Lighting – Is LED for you?

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t is obvious when light- ing is bad; either there is not enough light, and

sector electricity consumption. Is a LED retrofit the right approach? •Lamp replacement – some lamp fixtures can be retrofitted by simply changing out bulbs. •Retrofit kit – mounts di- rectly into the existing lu- minaire housing. These kits keep the original fixtures and converts them to energy sav- ing LED fixtures. •Fixture Replacement – re- place entire existing fixture with an LED fixture. In short, the payback on using LED lamps can signifi- cantly improve lighting and reduce the bottom line. Be sure to research all options when considering LEDs. n

utilities for Design Lights Con- sortium qualified luminaires. • Energy codes mandate the use of lighting controls in most new institutional and commer- cial buildings. When considering the switch to LED bulbs – here are some things to look for: •Look for quality materials •Seek low toxicity levels – some LED bulbs contain lead, arsenic and other potentially dangerous substances. •Search for environmental adaptability features. •Ask about lamp testing. •Search for valid UL regis- tration numbers. •Look up DLC qualifica- tion. (The DLC is a voluntary

program that applies only to LED/SSL commercial lighting products that are not included in the Energy Star program.) After these considerations have beenmade, here are some tips on deciding which light is best suited for the project: •Simply installing LED lamps does not guarantee a reduction in carbon footprint and lower utility bills. •Not all LEDs are the same – the wrong LEDs may not be capable of providing energy and financial savings. •According to US Energy Infor- mation Administration, lighting accounts for 19% of commercial How to choose the right LEDs

existing buildings have light- ing deficiencies. Once a basic review of the lighting control system has been started, several studies show that Retro-commissioning can: •Optimize performance and energy savings. •Produce a desirable return on investment There are many incentives to switching out old lightbulbs to LEDs – such as: Rebates for LED Lighting: •Financial incentives are commonly available for light- ing renovation projects. New Jersey’s Clean Energy pro- gram has various programs. • Rebates for LED lumi- naires are given by many

it is hard to see, or there is too much light, and can be overpow- ering. Today, the internet i s f l o o d e d with ways to light proper-

Caroline Shelly

ly, but it is easy to glaze over on all the technical data. To help alleviate the headache from all the information on lighting here is an overview: History of the “LED” (Light-emitting diode): •LEDs were invented in the 1960s. •LEDs emerged as a main- stream energy option for com- mercial facilities in the early 2000s. Since then, lighting tech- nology has dramatically seen significant improvements, in- cluding ways to minimize the carbon footprint of buildings, improve efficiency of work, and even ways to save money just by switching light fixtures. For Instance: •Facility managers have taken steps to reduce lighting system energy costs. •Changing out actual fix- tures can bring more savings than changing to a more ef- ficient lamp. •New fixtures can help im- prove both quality, lighting, and efficiency. •The US Department of En- ergy suggests the highest per- forming LED troffers were found to be up to 44% more efficient than fluorescent counterparts. • When LEDs are correctly installed – they help lower: o Operating and energy costs o Replacement time/costs o Heat emittance o Facility cooling loads o Plus LEDs deliver on long life, reduced maintenance re- quirements and helps improve a buildings sustainability. As demand increases for lighting controls due to energy code requirements, so does the opportunity for the facility manager in existing buildings to use retro- commissioning to ensure the installed controls satisfy both the design intent and requirements. A 2009 study found that whole building commissioning produced 13% median energy savings, and 16% in exist- ing buildings. The study also found that more than 1/3 of

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