Allegiance Health Pushes Forward with Green Initiative with Help from Consumers’ Energy Saving Solutions Program and Local Lighting Manufacturer

Allegiance Health is in the process of replacing all of its parking lot and garage light fixtures with energy-efficient induction fixtures from Jackson-based lighting manufacturer Full Spectrum Solutions, Inc. The retrofit is funded by Consumers’ Energy Saving Solutions program that was implemented to help Michigan’s commercial and industrial customers become more energy efficient. This lighting initiative is part of Allegiance’s ongoing effort to “green” its operations.

The community-owned health system received approximately $100,000 from Consumers Energy in 2010 to upgrade its lighting, heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems.¹  “This has provided us with an opportunity to put forward a strong green initiative for the health system,” Allegiance Health spokesman Shannon Scholten said.²

In addition to upgrades being made to the parking garages at One Jackson Square, Allegiance Health upgraded two parking lots this past summer and has two more lots to complete. Craig Whipstock, Facilities and Maintenance Manager at Allegiance, hopes to complete the exterior lighting upgrade by the end of November. “We recently finished phase one of three at One Jackson Square. We’re in the process of installing approximately 250 bi-level garage fixtures that step dim to 40% power when the area is vacant,” Whipstock said. “We anticipate an annual savings of $14,000 at One Jackson Square alone once the project is complete. That’s without factoring in the additional savings generated when the fixtures are in low power mode.”

The new induction fixtures are 50-70% more energy efficient than metal halide and HPS (high pressure sodium) fixtures and last up to 100,000 hours, making them virtually maintenance free for up to 15 years. “Consumers Energy recognizes that energy efficiency is good for everyone, which is why they implemented this program,” stated Brandon Marken, Director of EverLast® Commercial Sales. “Helping customers reduce their energy consumption and save money is their goal, and the EverLast fixtures fit the bill perfectly.”

In addition to energy and maintenance savings, the new lights provide an increased sense of safety for Allegiance Health staff and visitors. Unlike the previous fixtures that produced a yellow/orange light, the induction lights produce a crisp white light that enables pedestrians to easily identify potential threats. “Everyone is very pleased with the quality of light produced by the new fixtures,” Whipstock said.  

Consumers Energy offered commercial customers $45-$180 in rebates for each high-intensity discharge light fixture that was replaced with energy-efficient induction technology. For more information about Consumers Energy’s rebate program, call (866) 234-0445 or visit http://www.consumersenergy.com/eeprograms. 

EverLast Classic Shoe Box Fixtures

EverLast 200w Shoe Box

EverLast Shoe Boxes Illuminate Staff Parking Lot at Night

About EverLast® Lighting:  EverLast® Lighting is a subsidiary of Full Spectrum Solutions, Inc. and has quickly grown into the leading manufacturer of energy-efficient lighting solutions for roadway, parking structure, facility and area lighting applications. For additional product information, visit www.everlastlight.com, call 888-383-7578 or send an email to info@everlastlight.com.

For press inquiries, contact Kyle Leighton at 517-783-3800 ext.231 or email at kyle@everlastlight.com.

If you would like to support EverLast®, please follow EverLast® on Twitter or visit them on Facebook.

DTE Energy and Oakland University Select EverLast® Induction Lights as Part of $500,000 Emerging Lighting Technologies Demonstration Project

In partnership with DTE Energy’s Community Lighting group, Oakland University (OU) Facilities Management turned its campus into a demonstration site for Emerging Lighting Technologies (ELT) to study energy, light output, and maintenance. Together, DTE Energy and OU have invested more than $500,000 to convert the existing high pressure sodium (HPS) lamps to new energy-efficient and low maintenance lighting technologies.

Jackson-based lighting manufacturer, Full Spectrum Solutions, supplied 120w EverLast® induction cobra head roadway fixtures to replace the preexisting 250w HPS fixtures along Pioneer Dr. and Pavilion Rd. on the northeast side of campus. “Oakland University is leading the way in energy related technology research and innovation. The opening of their new research center is the pinnacle of this commitment,” stated Brandon Marken, Director of EverLast® Commercial Sales. “They like the EverLast induction fixtures not only because they are manufactured by a Michigan company, but also because they embody what the center is looking for in terms of a cutting edge, energy efficient, and sustainable technology.”  

The lighting demonstration is part of the OU Clean Energy Research Center’s (CERC) commitment to helping industrial and commercial buildings in Southeast Michigan reduce energy consumption by 40% before 2020. According to CERC’s website, buildings consume approximately 40% of the nation’s energy. In Michigan, this equates to more than $15 billion in energy costs, much of which flows out of the State, and adds to the cost of our products.¹    

“We’re finishing up the installation of EverLast 250w acrylic high bays in a pavilion on our historical east campus in preparation for a lighting tour we’re hosting November 10,” stated Jim Leidel, OU’s Director of Clean Energy Systems. “In addition to reducing energy consumption, we’re striving to increase the public’s awareness of emerging lighting technologies.”    

EverLast® induction fixtures have been installed by universities across the United States, notably: the University of Michigan; University of California – Davis, Irvine, San Francisco, and Santa Barbara campuses; Michigan State University; Stanford University; and Purdue. 

 

About EverLast® Lighting:   

EverLast® Lighting is a subsidiary of Full Spectrum Solutions, Inc. and has quickly grown into the leading manufacturer of energy-efficient lighting solutions for roadway, parking structure, facility and area lighting applications. For additional product information, visit www.everlastlight.com, call 888-383-7578 or send an email to info@everlastlight.com.

For press inquiries, contact Kyle Leighton at 517-783-3800 ext.231 or email at kyle@everlastlight.com

If you would like to support EverLast®, please follow EverLast® on Twitter or visit them on Facebook.

About OU's CERC

Oakland University’s CERC will create an environment that will foster commercial partnerships, provide an educational platform for student research and clean energy curricula development, while providing an entrepreneurial atmosphere within the OU R&D community to allow technology transfer and commercialization of new technologies.

Detroit’s COBO Center Completes Replacement of 3,000 Inefficient Lights with Induction Fixtures as Part of a $21 Million Energy Conservation Makeover

COBO Center, one of Detroit’s landmark public buildings and home to the North American International Auto Show since 1965, recently received an energy-efficient lighting facelift. With the help of federal SmartBuilding funds managed by the Economic Development Corporation, approximately 3,000 inefficient 400w metal halide lights were replaced with energy saving 250w EverLast® variable-dimming induction high bay light fixtures manufactured by Jackson-based Full Spectrum Solutions, Inc.

“We were ready to spend the money needed to achieve the quality of light we were looking for,” stated Al Vasquez, Director of Engineering Services at COBO Center. “We were impressed with the quality of light and overall performance of the EverLast fixtures. We also sampled a number of LED fixtures from various manufacturers and found the light to be too glary. Stacked up against competing fixtures, EverLast lights graded better in terms of performance and price.”

The lighting upgrade was funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and is part of the center’s $21 million energy saving construction program, which will also include roofing and insulation upgrades. The new lights are expected to save the convention center $340,000 annually. Together these projects will save approximately $900,000 a year, or approximately 12.5% of its energy bill and related maintenance.

“We needed lights that would drastically reduce our energy and maintenance costs, but they also needed to work with our existing Johnson Controls system,” stated Vasquez. “By installing variable dimming high bays, our facility engineers are able to achieve the desired footcandles for a given event by programming the lights to show low, show high, and maximum mode depending on the event.”

EverLast® induction light fixtures are 50-70% more energy efficient than metal halides and last up to 100,000 hours, making them virtually maintenance free for up to 15 years. “When you consider the size and ceiling height of the 700,000 square foot building, not having to replace lamps nearly as often is a huge benefit for both economic and safety reasons,” Vasquez said. “EverLast really rose to the occasion in many ways and everyone is very pleased with both the product and service.”

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About EverLast® Lighting:  EverLast® Lighting is a subsidiary of Full Spectrum Solutions, Inc. and has quickly grown into the leading manufacturer of energy-efficient lighting solutions for roadway, parking structure, facility and area lighting applications. For additional product information, visit www.everlastlight.com, call 888-383-7578 or send an email to info@everlastlight.com.

For press inquiries, contact Kyle Leighton at 517-783-3800 ext.231 or email at kyle@everlastlight.com. 

If you would like to support EverLast®, please follow EverLast® on Twitter or visit them on Facebook.

Southern California’s Leading Electrical Contractor Installs Energy-Efficient Lights in “Green” Facility

EverLast® Bi-Level Induction Fixtures Work in Conjunction with Solar Panels and Daylight Harvesting Controls

Taft Electric Company selects energy-efficient EverLast® induction light fixtures from Greentech LLC to illuminate its new “green” electrical prefabrication shop located in Ventura, California. The electrical contracting company also plans to install solar panels in conjunction with daylight harvesting controls as part of its commitment to sustainability.

“We wanted what we feel are the most energy-efficient light fixtures in order to lessen our electricity load and reduce the amount of solar panels needed to power the lights,” stated David Fabulich, Preconstruction Manager at Taft Electric Company.

EverLast® high bays, wall packs, and shoe box fixtures illuminate the shop as well as exterior walkways and parking lots. “The return on investment is very favorable when you factor in maintenance, installation, and energy cost savings,” stated Fabulich.  “Induction was a logical decision for us because LEDs (light emitting diodes) are still overpriced and have, typically, half the lifecycle of the fixtures we chose.”

Adaptive occupancy sensors provide additional energy and cost savings by dimming the already energy-efficient induction fixtures to 40% power when an area is vacant. When triggered by motion, the sensor powers the fixture back up to full illumination.

EverLast® bi-level induction light fixtures are ideal for applications that are unoccupied during parts of the day yet minimal lighting is required for safety purposes. Parking structures, parks, and parking lots are other applications where adaptive bi-level lighting is beneficial.  

“Everything from EverLast’s upfront sales support to the installation has been seamless,” stated Fabulich. “Their help in providing photometrics and developing a lighting layout allowed us to achieve higher lumens per watt using fewer fixtures. We’ve received a lot of compliments about the quality of light produced by the lower-wattage, instant restrike fixtures.”

Safety, Energy Efficiency, Key Factors in Veterinary School's Selection of Parking Lot Lighting

UC Davis Selects Induction Based on New Design Criteria 

Released by the Department of Energy

Research shows that brighter is not always better in exterior lighting applications. According to an exterior lighting guide published by the Department of Energy (DOE) in collaboration with the Federal Energy Management Program, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and the California Lighting Technology Center at UC Davis, studies have shown that excessive lighting can lead to glare and over-illumination – sometimes making people more vulnerable to criminal activities.¹

The guide was designed to assist facilities managers in choosing the correct luminaires and practices for their spaces to reduce energy use while making their spaces more visually appealing and safer for visitors. “When designing exterior lighting systems, it is the quality of light instead of the quantity of light that is typically related to safety.”¹

Because exterior lights are typically on for extended periods of time, it is important to install energy efficient fixtures. Combining high quality lighting technologies with SMART bi-level sensor controls will reduce energy while saving money and increasing safety. To demonstrate this, energy-efficient EverLast® induction shoe box parking lot fixtures with bi-level occupancy controls that dim to low light levels during unoccupied periods were recently installed at UC Davis's School of Veterinary Medicine as part of a campus-wide commitment to reduce electricity use by 60% by the end of 2015. The EverLast® fixtures produce a balanced light distribution that provides enhanced security to students and faculty while helping the campus reach its goal of reducing energy consumption.

Two metrics are commonly used to determine lighting quality: correlated color temperature (CCT) and color rendering index (CRI). CCT describes the color appearance of a light source and is measured in Kelvin (K) degrees. CCTs ranging between 5000-6000K deliver a white light that is better for identifying potential threats at night. CRI is used to describe color rendering accuracy of a light source and is measured on a scale ranging up to 100. A light source with a high CRI denotes good color rendering ability, which is important for safety and security.

Lighting that has a CCT ranging between 5000-6000K and a high CRI is often perceived as brighter, even if the light source provides fewer lumens per watt. This perception is due to the light being high quality.  As a result, it is important to understand who, when, and why individuals will use the space being lit, and adapt the lighting design to provide the type of illumination that suits the needs of the expected occupants.¹

EverLast® bi-level induction shoe box fixtures, UC Davis School 

of Veterinary Medicine Parking Lot (Photo Credit: CLTC)

EverLast® bi-level induction shoe box fixtures, UC Davis School 

of Veterinary Medicine Parking Lot (Photo Credit: CLTC)

 

EverLast® Lighting is a subsidiary of Full Spectrum Solutions, Inc. and has quickly grown into the leading manufacturer of energy efficient lighting solutions for roadway, parking structure, facility and area lighting applications. For additional product information, visit www.everlastlight.com, call 888-383-7578, or email info@everlastlight.com. For press inquiries, contact Kyle Leighton at kyle@everlastlight.com.

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¹ http://cltc.ucdavis.edu/images/documents/guides_reports/exterior_lighting_guide_for_federal_agencies/DOE_FEMP_Exterior_Lighting_Guide.pdf

Bi-Level Adaptive Lighting Controls at the Forefront of Energy Conservation Initiatives

California leads the nation in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and is currently working to ensure that 33 percent of the state’s electricity is generated from renewable resources. The California Energy Commission’s Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) is the state’s premier energy research, development and demonstration program, advancing science and technology in the fields of energy efficiency, renewable energy, advanced electricity technologies, energy-related environmental protection, transmis­sion and distribution, and transportation technologies.¹

PIER has invested more than $600 million over the last decade to bring to market energy technologies that provide environmental and economic benefits to California’s ratepayers. This is accomplished by enlisting businesses, utilities, energy companies, public advocacy groups, and world-class scientists at California’s universities and national laboratories.¹  

PIER’s State Partnership for Energy Efficient Demonstrations (SPEED) program in particular aims to demonstrate and apply new lighting and HVAC technologies throughout a wide range of California venues and campus settings. These demonstration projects highlight technologies developed through a unique collaborative process that leverages public research and development funds to help manufacturers bring innovative, energy-efficient products into the commercial marketplace.²

In partnership with PIER’s SPEED program, the California Lighting Technology Center (CLTC) at the University of California in Davis has completed numerous lighting pilot projects that demonstrate how combining energy-efficient lighting technologies with smart sensor controls can reduce energy, save money, and improve safety. Recently, 100w bi-level induction shoe box fixtures from U.S. manufacturer EverLast® Lighting were installed in the California Department of Public Health parking lot in Richmond. When the lot is vacant, adaptive occupancy sensors dim the fixtures to 40 percent power, and when motion is detected the fixtures power back up to 100 percent.

Energy-efficient EverLast® induction shoe box parking lot fixtures with integrated controls that dim to low light levels during unoccupied periods were also installed at UC Davis’s School of Veterinary Medicine. This demonstration is part of a campus-wide commitment to reduce electricity use by 60 percent by the end of 2015.

PIER’s SPEED program has completed more than 100 demonstration sites that could save California residents 2-5 billion kilowatt-hours, equaling $287-$718 million with 10-25% market penetration, or between 788,000 and 2 million tons of carbon each year.³

EverLast® bi-level induction shoe box fixtures, California Department of Public Health 

(Photo Credit: CLTC)

EverLast® bi-level induction shoe box fixtures, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine 

(Photo Credit: CLTC)

EverLast® Lighting is a subsidiary of Full Spectrum Solutions, Inc. and has quickly grown into the leading manufacturer of energy efficient lighting solutions for roadway, parking structure, facility and area lighting applications. For additional product information, visit www.everlastlight.com, call 888-383-7578, or email info@everlastlight.com. For press inquiries, contact Kyle Leighton at kyle@everlastlight.com.

 

PIER’s SPEED program is managed by the California Institute for Energy and Environment (CIEE), which is a branch of the University of California Energy Institute at UC Berkeley. CLTC is subcontracted by CIEE to develop and implement lighting technology demonstrations. For more information about other PIER demonstrations, visit www.pierpartnershipdemonstrations.com.

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¹ http://cltc.ucdavis.edu/images/documents/demonstrations/pier_program_overview.pdf

² http://www.pierpartnershipdemonstrations.com/

³ http://www.pierpartnershipdemonstrations.com/index.html