Tuesday 21 July 2015

US firms change lights and cut energy use by 60%

US firms have cut energy usage by 60% by sorting out their car parks!

They did this by installing efficient lighting across more than 470 million square feet of parking space in the last year.

The 18 firms and organisations involved, have been recognised by the Better Buildings Alliance’s Lighting Energy Efficiency in Parking (LEEP).

Building owners spend more than $16 billion (£10.25bn) a year to light their parking lots and garages but by improving all outdoor lighting by 60%, more than $9 billion (£6bn) worth of savings can be made annually, the alliance claims.

Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, David Danielson said: “It might only take one person to change a light bulb but it took dedicated efforts by the many thoughtful leaders of LEEP award winners to demonstrate how much can be gained through advanced, cost effective lighting technologies in parking lots and garages.

“These innovative solutions also enhance safety and improve working conditions for customers, tenants and employees.”

Altogether, 2014 and 2015 LEEP award winners are saving nearly 30 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) and $3 million (£2m) each year.

They’re doing this by upgrading to high efficiency metal halide, fluorescent and LED solutions which last three times longer than previously-used technologies and by using controls to cut energy use when parking facilities are not in use.

Some LEEP award-winning sites have reduced their energy use by as much as 90%.

More than 140 US businesses and organisations are participating in the campaign and planning or installing energy efficient lighting in their parking lots and garages.