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Energy Saving
Opportunities
Thankfully, we’ve all gotten a welcome reprieve from
gasoline and oil prices just in time for the heating
season, but there is always the chance fuel costs could
spiral out of control again. That being said, there is no
better time than now to consider some energy saving ideas
that could put your facility in a better position the next
time costs begin to escalate. Here are just a few ideas
that you may find helpful:
Televisions
Did you know
that LCD televisions use about 30% less power than their
CRT counterparts[i]?
In a hospital setting, where there are generally many
patient televisions in use, the energy savings realized by
replacing older televisions could really add up. For
example, by utilizing typical New England electrical rates
and assuming televisions are in use an average of 12
hours/day, a hospital with one hundred 9” televisions
could save about $750 in electricity annually by replacing
their CRT sets with LCD. In a hospital using 19” patient
televisions and under the same assumptions, the savings
increase to about $2,400 per year. These savings may not
completely offset the cost of the new televisions, but if
your sets are getting older and maintenance costs are
increasing, it certainly helps make the project more
attractive.
Exit Signs
How often do we think of the energy that our exit signs
consume? When you consider that these lighted signs are on
all the time, it is a good time to start thinking
about them. Consider this, again assuming typical New
England rates, an incandescent exit sign consumes about
$28/yr in electricity. Compare that to a fluorescent sign
that consumes about $11/yr or an LED “Light Emitting
Diode” exit sign that uses approximately $4/yr in
electricity[ii].
Or, if you really want to maximize your savings, a recent
technology that is making an impact is the “Light Emitting
Capacitor” or LEC. This exit sign costs about 25¢/yr[iii]
to operate! Most utility companies also offer incentives
to replace exit signs, some paying up to 50% of the
installed cost. When energy savings and incentives are
factored in, replacing exit signs should have a payback in
less than 2 years.
Fluorescent
Lighting
Technologies in fluorescent lighting are changing so fast
that if you upgraded your lighting even just a few years
ago, it may be time to take another look.
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Fixtures – Many existing fixtures can be
fitted with internal reflectors for greater lighting
output. Also, by replacing acrylic diffusers with
parabolic lenses, you can reduce glare and gain better
light output.
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Ballasts – Electronic ballasts operate
20% more efficiently than magnetic ballasts. There is
also a new generation of “high efficiency” electronic
ballasts available that are 8% more efficient than
standard electronic ballasts[iv].
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Bulbs – Watt for watt, T-8 bulbs are
about 38% more efficient than T-12 bulbs[v].
Also, T-5 bulbs are beginning to gain popularity. These
28-watt bulbs provide about the same light output as a
32-watt T-8 bulb, which amounts to about 10% better
efficiency.
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Fewer Bulbs – Changing to newer
technology bulbs, ballasts, reflectors, and lenses may
enable your fixtures to be de-lamped therefore using
fewer bulbs for the same or better lumen output.
Compact
Fluorescent Lighting (CFL)
You may already be using these at home, but think about
those table lamps and office task lights around your
hospital. You could be using 75%[vi]
less power in each of them if the bulbs were changed from
incandescent to CFL. Replacing one 100-watt incandescent
with one 28-watt CFL bulb will save about $68 in electric
costs annually. Remember though, since CFL bulbs do
contain a small amount of mercury (up to 4 milligrams)[vii],
always check on proper disposal.
Exterior
and Parking Lot Lighting
Technology in exterior lighting is also changing rapidly.
New “High Output” high pressure sodium lamps are about 20%
more efficient than standard high pressure sodium lamps[viii].
Additionally, LED and solar lighting are emerging
technologies that show lots of promise.
Computers
Does your hospital have a policy regarding sleep mode
settings or mandating that computers are shut off at the
end of the work day? When you consider that one CRT
monitor uses about the same energy as a 100-watt bulb,
this one small change will help curb some of your energy
costs.
Windows
Hospitals are loaded with windows. If replacement of
windows with a more energy efficient window is not an
option, consider applying Low-Emissivity (Low-E) window
film. A good quality Low-E film can reject up to 79% of
the heat that would ordinarily come in through a window
exposed to direct sunlight. This equates to a savings of
about 1 ton of air conditioning for every 100 sq. ft. of
glass. Consequently, in the heating season, the film will
keep the heat in as it reflects up to 30% of the
building’s heat inward[ix].
Utility
Rebates
Remember to check with your utility
suppliers for potential rebates or low (or no) interest
financing.
Share your ideas
Call Wayne Bates (Manager, Engineering Group) at 508-970-0033 ext.
121 or email wbates@capaccio.com
to share your energy saving ideas or success stories.
Your ideas will be passed along in a future column so we
can learn best practices from each other.
[i]
Energy Star;
[ii]
Energy Star;
[iii]
Green Torch;
[iv]
Universal Lighting Technologies;
[v]
GE Lighting;
[vi]
Energy Star;
[vii]
Energy Star;
[viii]
GE Lighting;
[ix]
3M
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