Office buildings: According to the 2009 Buildings Energy Data Book published by DOE, the average large office building (>25,000 square feet) has a lighting power density (LPD) of 1.3-1.8 watts/sq.ft. (based on 2006 data), while the average small office building has a lighting power density of 1.7-2.2W/sq.ft. If these buildings were relighted to simply comply [...]

Those looking for signs that the U.S. economy is rebounding can find encouragement in the fourth annual Energy Efficiency Indicator released by Johnson Controls. A survey of more than 1,400 North American executives and managers responsible for making investments and managing energy in commercial buildings found that planned investment in energy efficiency is expected to [...]

bad lighting bad for your health? In June 2009, the American Medical Association adopted a resolution advocating that “all future outdoor lighting be of energy-efficient designs” and that the AMA “support light pollution reduction efforts and glare reduction efforts.” Specifically, the AMA resolved to support efforts to ensure that streetlights feature a “fully shielded or [...]

Guest post by Jim Brodrick, reprinted with permission from Postings: from the desk of Jim Brodrick As many of you already know, DOE is in the process of transferring its ENERGY STAR® responsibilities, for all product areas including solid-state lighting, to the Environmental Protection Agency. In an agreement signed by both agencies on September 30, [...]

In the three-year period leading up to the current recession, gross billings at U.S. architecture firms increased nearly $16 billion from 2005 and totaled $44.3 billion in 2008. This equates to 54% growth over the three-year period with annual growth of about 16%. These findings are from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Business of [...]

NEMA recently launched the re-designed LampRecycle.org site to better provide a one-stop source of information about recycling mercury-containing lamps. One of the new features allows visitors to find CFL drop-off locations near them with the help of Earth911.com. Mercury-containing lamps can be recognized by the Hg symbol on the lamp—the universally recognized elemental symbol for [...]

NEMA’s Electroindustry Business Confidence Index (EBCI) for current North American conditions edged slightly upward in July, rising 0.3 points to 41.7. This followed a retreat in June, which saw the index slip 6.6 points from May’s post-financial crisis high of 47.9. While the index has snapped back smartly from a cyclical low of 8 in [...]

Feeling the effects of the struggling overall U.S. economy, nonresidential construction spending is expected to decrease by 16% in 2009 and drop by another almost 12% in 2010 in inflation-adjusted terms. Commercial projects will see the most significant decrease in activity. In contrast, most institutional building categories are expected to see much more modest declines [...]

According to an analysis released today by the Natural Resources Defense Council, Americans across the country will save on their monthly electricity bill under the American Clean Energy Leadership Act. NRDC experts say most consumers will save money under the legislation’s energy-efficiency and consumer protection provisions. The following is a statement by Dan Lashof, director [...]