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Tag: <span>energy efficient lighting</span>

Kirby ElectricBlogenergy efficient lighting
20 Jan 2017
0 Comments By seo@bigfin.com Commercial Buildings, Commercial Lighting, Lighting Retrofits , ,

Energy Saving Solutions for Commercial Buildings

It is no secret that energy bills for commercial buildings can run rather high. Moreover, businesses may find it rather difficult to find efficient solutions to reduce them. According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, 20% of the energy consumed nationwide is from commercial buildings. Explore our blog for the top 4 energy saving solutions to help your commercial building reduce energy bills today.

Incorporate Efficient Lighting

One of the easiest and economical ways to reduce energy bills is installing energy efficient lighting solutions. LED technologies continue to improve and advance, which makes energy solutions vaster than ever before. Options include re-lamping, retrofitting, incorporating replacement products, and more for commercial buildings to accomplish substantial savings through efficient lighting.

Implement Reduction Strategies

Two main ways to save money on energy bills are:

  1. Figuring out how to pay for less energy = supply side savings
  2. Figuring out how to use less energy = demand side savings

Shifting energy usage habits will provide great results. Meaning, reducing top demand with more energy efficient lighting, pumps and vital strategic solutions will aide in energy bill savings. The lower the top demand and/or capacity, the less you pay for power.

Energy Usage Analysis

In order to figure out how a commercial building consumes energy, it is imperative to understand the power usage patterns. Understanding where and how energy is consumed can result in reduced energy costs and consumption overall.

Energy Products

Nowadays, one top trend for businesses is to meet sustainability initiatives. For example, implementing wind technology or solar panels are great technologies that reduce energy usage and will help businesses become less dependent on utility companies. For inside, LED light bulbs (light emitting diode) for lamps and other utilities that require light bulbs are beneficial for energy efficiency as well. In comparison, incandescent bulbs cost approximately 5-10 times the initial price of the bulb alone. LED light bulbs will last up to 10 times as long as compact fluorescents and the cost of the bulbs. Overall, smart energy products are efficient ones.

About Kirby Electric

Kirby Electric, Inc. is a premier electrical contractor specializing in commercial and industrial electrical construction. Our dedicated and knowledgeable team of electricians, low voltage technicians and office staff are led by senior leadership whose core philosophy is consistently delivering exceptional service. Kirby Electric offers a wide array of services to meet the needs of our customers and ensure a smooth operation of their facilities. Learn more about our services by calling 253-859-2000.

14 May 2015
0 Comments By dev@bigfin.com Lighting Retrofits, Services , ,

5 Summer Energy-Saving Solutions

Simply creating air movement can make an area more comfortable
Simply creating air movement can make an area more comfortable

Just when the heating bills have begun to lower, a new season of potential energy costs starts up. While longer days call for less use of TVs, light switches, and even ovens, the costs of maintaining a comfortable indoor temperature can add up. How do you enjoy the season and avoid steep bills? Try these summer energy-saving solutions in your home or business.

1. Circulate

Whether you’re trying to find ways to keep cool without an AC unit, or you have one and simply want to down usage costs, try this tip from the California Energy Commission: ceiling fans make the temperature feel at least four degrees cooler.

2. Insulate

Insulation is just as important in the summer, when you want to trap cool air indoors. While an air leakage might be easier to spot in the winter, you can still identify gaps or other compromised areas around places like windows and doors that allow for air to transfer. Inspect your house thoroughly. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends using a flashlight at night to identify possible problem areas. They also suggest rattling doors and windows; an unsecure opening can be an opportunity for air flow.

3. Stock Up

This tip works equally well for offices and homes. The California Energy Commission advises that a filled refrigerator actually helps your appliance run more efficiently. When a refrigerator is less full, it takes more effort to maintain the temperature. So instead of throwing out food immediately, consider that keeping shelves stocked can actually help reduce energy needed.

4. Cover Up

An alternative to keeping blinds closed to direct sunlight is installing solar window film. Window film can help keep hot rays from reaching the inside of your office or home, plus it’ll help cut down on the bright glare that makes reading computer screens difficult during peak sunlight hours.

5. Audit

How much energy is your business losing? What kind of savings could you have if you implemented more efficient practices? Installing efficient lighting and electrical systems could reduce your energy bills. An energy audit is the way to determine potential savings. Kirby Electric can assess your business’ current system and needs. Even newer buildings can benefit from energy-saving solutions, and if your office is older, the savings could be even more drastic. Schedule an energy audit by calling 253-859-2000.

About Kirby Electric

Kirby Electric is a premier Seattle electrical contractor specializing in commercial and industrial electrical contracting. As your local commercial electrician, we can help with any electrical needs when it comes to upgrading older buildings, including equipment hook ups, rewiring or relocating panels, and lighting upgrades. We also work with electrical companies like Puget Sound Energy, Tacoma Public Utilities, Lakeview Power and others that will provide a rebate for upgrading to a more efficient lighting upon approval of the project. Contact us today to learn more about our services or to get a quote.

(Image Courtesy of FrameAngel via FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

05 Mar 2015
0 Comments By dev@bigfin.com Commercial Lighting, Lighting Retrofits , , , , ,

4 Tips for Business Energy Efficiency

Business energy efficiency tips
The Give Grid is an Australian project and website offering ways to save energy. The project provides benefits like free workshops, webinars, and plenty of information available on energy-saving. Because business energy efficiency can directly affect a company’s bottom line, finding ways to implement office retrofits and updates can be crucial.

On its site The Give Grid provides energy audits of various buildings around Australia. By showing efficiency opportunities for existing buildings, The Give Grid seeks to create models other businesses can follow to cut back on energy. Here are some tips culled from energy audits and The Give Grid to help increase your office’s efficiency.

Tip 1: Upgrade to LED

An energy audit of a 4,300-square-foot, single-story brick building revealed that 17% of annual energy costs went towards lighting. Part of the solution? Trading fluorescent tube lights for LEDs. Don’t overlook any lighting—you can even replace fluorescent exit signs with LED fixtures.

Tip 2: Unplug Equipment

A top-floor office space around 17,000-square-feet that houses 45 employees revealed a huge opportunity for energy savings. The office’s audit showed that computers, printers, and similar electronics pulled a significant amount of power—approximately half of the location’s energy. Part of the fix? Turning off equipment whenever possible.

Even when off or in standby or “sleep” mode, equipment can still eat energy. In this case of this office, 8% of the yearly electrical bill was for standby power. Solve this problem by unplugging equipment when possible so that it doesn’t have the opportunity to continue using power. Talk with your office’s IT department about whether you can unplug electronics like computers overnight to stop this energy loss.

Tip 3: Make Windows Energy-Efficient

For buildings with many windows or glass walls, like this Tasmania structure that was audited, energy film, lined curtains, and other window treatments designed to control temperature are recommended. Better controlled temperature means employees are less likely to be reaching for the thermostat and increasing energy costs.

Tip 4: Retrofit Watercoolers and Vending Machines

A common tip from the office audits was to add timers to vending machines and water coolers to save energy usage outside of business hours. The lighting and cooling capacities of vending machines utilize energy that isn’t needed when employees are out of the building for extended periods.

Update your office for energy savings that can balance your bottom line. Kirby Electric is experienced in updating existing or outdated systems and installing commercial lighting and electrical systems. See some of the businesses we’ve helped power around Washington.

About Kirby Electric

Kirby Electric is a premier Seattle electrical contractor specializing in commercial and industrial electrical contracting. As your local commercial electrician, we can help with any electrical needs when it comes to upgrading older buildings, including equipment hook ups, rewiring or relocating panels, and lighting upgrades. We also work with electrical companies like Puget Sound Energy, Tacoma Public Utilities, Lakeview Power and others that will provide a rebate for upgrading to a more efficient lighting upon approval of the project. Contact us today to learn more about our services or to get a quote.

(Image Courtesy of khunaspix via FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

24 Jun 2014
0 Comments By dev@bigfin.com Commercial Lighting, Industrial Lighting, Lighting Retrofits , , , , ,

Lighting Controls Might Take Off After LEDs Flood the Market

Lighting Controls Might Take Off After LEDs Flood the MarketFor many commercial and industrial operations, upgrading to long-lasting, energy-saving LED lighting systems is a no-brainer. Not only do these innovative new lighting systems help cut energy costs significantly, but they also provide a higher quality lighting solution to replace older, inadequate lighting systems in warehouses and other commercial settings.

As LEDs gain steam in both the commercial and residential markets, lighting manufacturers face a challenge while consumers enjoy the benefits of energy efficient lights. With modern LEDs lasting as long as 50,000 hours depending on usage, the slow replacement cycle has serious potential to sink revenues for lighting manufacturers, according to CE Pro.

Lighting Controls & Smart Lighting Projected to Boom

As the market becomes saturated with LEDs and fewer new bulbs are purchased to replace these long-lasting bulbs, lighting manufacturers will be faced with making one of three decisions, CE Pro explained:

  • Dramatically reduce the price of bulbs to boost sales before burnout (and thus chip away at their bottom line)
  • Decrease the lifetimes of the bulbs so consumers must replace them more often (and thus risk losing business to competitors whose bulbs have longer lifespans)
  • Develop new LED lights with advanced functionality, features and advanced controls that residential and commercial customers will want to adopt before their existing bulbs burn out

Since the first two options are not in the best interest of the manufacturer or the consumer, the lighting manufacturing industry is expected to make significant advancements in controls to keep consumers coming back for more.

In fact, one report from Navigant Research projects that over the next seven years, annual sales for occupancy sensors, photosensors and lighting network gear associated with LED lighting will grow from $1.1 billion in 2013 to $2.7 billion by 2020, according to Forbes.

Why Are Lighting Controls Expected to Boom?

Since LED lights involve semiconductors, they have great potential to be controlled in a variety of ways that commercial or residential customers might find beneficial. For example, the ability to dim the lights when it’s bright outside or turn off the lights when no one is present are money-saving options. Sophisticated sensors can be integrated to make the system smoothly gather data on a room’s temperature, occupancy and other factors and self-adjust accordingly, Forbes explained.

Other applications for sensors and controls associated with LED lights are as limitless as the minds that think up the ideas.  For example, the Forbes article noted that it was possible for sensors integrated with LED lighting on city streets to collect data on what parking spots are open on certain days and send it to a mobile app in real time. By the same token, a system with cameras could collect data on parked vehicles that could result in parking tickets being issued more efficiently.

The Takeaway

In conclusion, as LED lights become more prevalent in the U.S. and their cost goes down, lighting manufacturers are expected to develop new “smart LEDs” and innovative controls that will keep lighting manufacturers profitable and present residential and commercial consumers with more options than ever before for getting more out of their lighting systems.

About Kirby Electric

Kirby Electric is a premier electrical contractor in Seattle specializing in commercial and industrial electrical contracting. We can help with any electrical needs when it comes to upgrading older buildings, including equipment hook ups, rewiring or relocating panels, and lighting upgrades. We also work with electrical companies like Puget Sound Energy, Tacoma Public Utilities, Lakeview Power and others that will provide a rebate for upgrading to a more efficient lighting upon approval of the project. Contact us today to learn more about our services or to get a quote.