Earlier this year, LightNOW reported that in July, the Department of Energy recognized the ASHRAE/IES 90.1-2007 standard as the new national energy standard, superseding the 2004 version. In a bold move, on October 19, 2011, DOE recognized the 2010 version of 90.1 as the new national energy standard. By October 18, 2013, all states in [...]
Discover how to choose the right windows for retrofit projects at this webinar to be held from 1-2:30 PM CST on Wednesday, October 26, 2011. Click here to learn more and to register.
The U.S. Department of Energy recently announced that it has relaunched its website, Energy.gov. The new website makes it easier for visitors to get localized information specific to their cities, counties and states on tax credits, rebates, energy saving tips and grant opportunities. The new platform utilizes the latest technologies in information visualization, bringing updated [...]
Lighting Retrofit and Relighting by James R. Benya and Donna J. Leban, published by Wiley (ISBN: 978-0-470-56841-5, hardcover, 312 pages) in March, provides a comprehensive guide to planning and implementing lighting retrofits to increase energy efficiency and improve lighting quality. The book begins by outlining the benefits of retrofitting, then discusses when retrofits make sense, [...]
According to recently unveiled Department of Energy numbers, the May 2011 average commercial sector retail price was 10.26 cents per kWh, increasing 0.2% from May 2010, and 2% higher than in April 2011. The average residential sector retail price increased by 0.5% from May 2010 to 12.03 cents per kWh, and increased by 2% from [...]
The U.S. Department of Energy is seeking your feedback on a proposed voluntary national Asset Rating Program for Commercial Buildings (AR Program). DOE has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to gather public feedback by September 22, 2011 on key issues associated with the development of an AR Program. Through the AR Program, DOE intends [...]
The United States District Court in New York City has dismissed in its entirety the lawsuit brought against the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) by Henry Gifford and others, holding that none of the plaintiffs in the action had alleged or could allege any legal interest to be protected by their lawsuit, according to an [...]
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) recently unveiled a new Lighting Action Plan, which outlines four policy goals for lighting: market transformation, best practices, end user demand, and research, development and demonstration. Lighting is responsible for almost 25% of California’s electric energy use, but the California Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan says that number can be [...]
Recently, LightNOW reported that the Department of Energy botched the 2007 Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey, and then postponed work on the 2011 CBECS due to budget cuts. Our take is that you cannot set policy if you cannot measure, and you cannot maximize your building’s savings without benchmarks. The data this survey yields is [...]
The average retail price of electricity for March 2011 was 9.66 cents per kWh, 0.4 percent lower than February 2011 when the average retail price of electricity was 9.70 cents per kWh, and 0.9 percent higher than March 2010, when the price was 9.57 cents per kWh, according to the Department of Energy. The average [...]
