Module 3: Energy Conservation

• Overview
• Program Planning
• Identifying Options
• Program Implementation
• Resources

Identifying Options

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Lighting Upgrade

If you’d like a quick overview of your lighting upgrade options, please see “The Thrifty Manager’s High-Speed Do-It-Yourself Lighting Assessment”. Otherwise, please see below for a discussion of opportunities.

First, start with the easy, no-cost actions:

1. Remove lamps where they are not needed. In many offices, two lamps in a 4-lamp fluorescent fixture may be removed and lighting may still meet recommended levels. People working on computers will probably prefer the lower level because it increases the contrast on their monitors. You can experiment to see if removing lamps makes sense in your facility. Corridors also are good places to start because these areas often are over lit. Combining lamp removal with reflectors can boost lighting levels or the remaining lamps, though this will cost a little for the reflectors.
2. Turn off lights when not in use.
3. Adjust lighting to actual needs — use free “daylighting”

Second, implement low-cost actions:

1. Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), wherever appropriate;
2. Install LED (light-emitting diode) exit signs. Given their installation costs, lower maintenance costs, and low energy costs, they generally pay for themselves in one to 3 years.
3. Install lighting occupant sensors in proper locations

Occupancy Sensors

Occupancy sensors are designed to detect when someone is in a room and needs the lights to be on. They are especially appropriate for areas that are expected to be unoccupied most of the day, such as bathrooms, storage areas, and conference rooms. The sensors generally cost between $25 and $80 and achieve a simple payback of around 3 years. See Figure 9 for more on the applications and savings potential of occupancy sensors.

Figure 9 – Occupancy Sensors

More on Fluorescent Tubes

The typical “T-12” (1.5 inch diameter) 4-foot fluorescent tube is rated at 40 watts, and is more officially known as an F40 T-12. (The wattage is printed on the bulbs near the end.) If this is what you have, then there are opportunities to upgrade to high-efficiency fluorescent lighting. (See options 1 and 2 below.) If you already have “energy-saving” F34 T-12 bulbs, then skip to Option 2:

1. Your first option is to upgrade to “energy-saving” bulbs, known as F34 T-12, which use about 15-20% less energy (34 watts for 4-foot tubes). These bulbs are still 1.5 inches in diameter, and the upgrade can be done without changing the magnetic ballasts (which the tubes plug into).
2. Your second option is to upgrade to “T-8” (1 inch diameter) tubes, which use 28, 30 or 32 watts, depending on the model chosen. An upgrade to T-8 bulbs will require an upgrade to newer electronic ballasts

Figure 10 is an example of a lighting upgrade opportunity for an office area with twenty 4-lamp, 4-foot fluorescent (F40 T-12) fixtures operating 50 hours per week. Four options are explored and compared based on initial cost of the upgrade, annual savings, and a simple payback. For more on how to calculate simple payback, see How to Calculate Simple Payback.

Figure 10 – Example Options for a Lighting Upgrade

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