The top three winners of Philips Lighting’s Art in the Dark 2012 competition have been announced. Art in the Dark is Auckland’s premiere free, community light art event which will be held in Ponsonby’s Western Park on the evenings of Friday 9 and Saturday 10 November.
The competition, sponsored by Philips Lighting with support from AUT, gives all tertiary students in New Zealand the opportunity to design a light installation using Philips Lighting’s LED products, including energy-efficient LED light bulbs and luminaires. The three winners receive Philips lighting products up to the value of $2500 each to create an installation based on their winning designs for display at Art in the Dark.
“Philips Lighting is pleased to support Art in the Dark as a way of encouraging creativity in lighting design. LED lighting opens up so many new possibilities for creative thinking and design, so this is an opportunity for the designers of the future to experiment and see what light can do,” says David Procter of Philips Lighting.
Entries are judged on imagination and/or artistic concept, environmental friendliness, innovative use of Philips energy-efficient light bulbs and production feasibility.
All of the winners are AUT students or alumni. Angus Muir and Alexandra Heaney have recently completed their Masters of Architechture, while James Pendergrast, Nicholas O’Rourke, Sophy Leang and Jae Hyeon Seong are currently completing a Spatial Design Degree.
During the display of the winners’ designs at Art in the Dark 2012 the public will be able to vote on their favourite installation, with the overall winner receiving a Philips prize pack valued at $1000.
“Art in the Dark has become a platform for bright Kiwi minds to show-off their talents, and a chance for the community to get involved in the art world from the comfort of their city’s own backyard. The end results are always spectacular,” says Celia Harrison, Creative Director, Art in the Dark.
Surrounded by a reflecting pool dotted with floating lanterns, the six-story “Golden Moon” is the creation of Belgian architect Kristof Crolla and his firm L.E.A.D., which won a design contest to build the work. Constructed from bamboo and steel, it incorporates golden yellow and flame red fabric as well as 10,000 LED lights that illuminate it from within. The structure took 11 days to complete.
Visitors enter through a narrow pathway to be immersed in a bubble of suspended lanterns and dancing lights, synchronized to music. Mr. Crolla said he was inspired by the traditional Chinese love story of Houyi and Chang’e, the moon goddess. “We wanted to create a place that directly links to a very traditional element, the legend of Chang’e,” Mr. Crolla said. “The goal is to make the visitor feel as if they stumbled into a different world.”
The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the lantern festival or moon festival, is celebrated among Chinese and Vietnamese people to signal the end of the fall harvest. Some say it’s based on the legend of Chang’e, the moon goddess of immortality, and her husband Houyi, who lives on the sun.
Standing 18 meters high and 21 meters wide, “Golden Moon” is supported by a light-weight steel dome. On top of it is a layer of bamboo built using Hong Kong’s traditional bamboo scaffolding techniques.
2012年9月27日 星期四
2012年9月24日 星期一
DOE, legislator give CFLs to Baguio folks
The Department of Energy (DOE), in partnership with Baguio Congressman Bernardo Vergara, facilitated the distribution of free compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) to hundreds of city folks including senior citizens here, Saturday.
The CFL distribution, which is part of the DOE initiatives under the Philippine Energy Efficiency Project (PEEP), is a nationwide activity that is being held in various part of the country through a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with congressional district representatives.
In the ceremonial launching held here at the Chalet Hotel, Vergara and DOE Luzon Field Office Director Efren Balaoing gave two 14 watts CFL each to officials and members of the Blessed Association of Retired Person (BARP) Foundation, one of the leading senior citizens group in the city. Distribution of CFLs to around 400 Baguio citizens followed at the Baguio City hall multi-purpose hall.
Balaoing, in a statement, disclosed that under the project, 3.6 million CFLs will be distributed to 187 congressional districts nationwide, 57 Party List representatives and 17 Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) regional offices.
Under the MOA, each representative will receive 10,000 CFLs for distribution to their respective constituents.
“With the use of CFL, we are expecting a saving of about 63.8 mega watts – deferment of power plants and around 84 MegaWatt Hours of savings which is equivalent to about P828 million. As for the environment, it would help us to save around 47,000 tons of carbon dioxide emission,” Balaoing stressed.
He disclosed that in Cordillera, as of August of this year, there were already 37 awarded hydro-power plant contracts with an aggregate capacity of 800 MWs and five geo-thermal projects with an aggregate capacity of around 260 MWs.
Vergara, in his opening message, expressed the city’s gratitude to the DOE and the administration of President Aquino, for supporting various energy efficiency and CFL projects in the city such as the lighting of Burnham Park and the city hall with CFLs.
Streetlights, which use 450-watt lights, will save 70 percent overnight on electricity if they use fourth-gen LED 120-watt lights, Javier said.
The fourth-gen LED also dissipates up to 97 percent of heat; that’s why you can hold one that’s been lighted for several hours and not get burned. Instead of the fragile glass casing found in CFL and fluorescent lights, the fourth-gen LED uses the tough and solid polycarbonate case that won’t break even if you pound repeatedly on the tubes or bulbs.
“They are recyclable, and the most cost-effective available today. No need to buy a new one for the next 10-20 years,” Uy said.
Both Uy and Javier are staunch advocates of green living. Profits made from this business are very minimal, Uy said. It’s the passion and love for Mother Earth that keeps them going.
Next year, Uy said they will bring in the recycling technology that will safely and properly dispose CFLs and fluorescent lights. The problem with CFL and fluorescent lights in dumpsites is when they get broken—and they usually do—mercury is deposited into the soil and will eventually find its way into our drinking water.
The CFL distribution, which is part of the DOE initiatives under the Philippine Energy Efficiency Project (PEEP), is a nationwide activity that is being held in various part of the country through a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with congressional district representatives.
In the ceremonial launching held here at the Chalet Hotel, Vergara and DOE Luzon Field Office Director Efren Balaoing gave two 14 watts CFL each to officials and members of the Blessed Association of Retired Person (BARP) Foundation, one of the leading senior citizens group in the city. Distribution of CFLs to around 400 Baguio citizens followed at the Baguio City hall multi-purpose hall.
Balaoing, in a statement, disclosed that under the project, 3.6 million CFLs will be distributed to 187 congressional districts nationwide, 57 Party List representatives and 17 Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) regional offices.
Under the MOA, each representative will receive 10,000 CFLs for distribution to their respective constituents.
“With the use of CFL, we are expecting a saving of about 63.8 mega watts – deferment of power plants and around 84 MegaWatt Hours of savings which is equivalent to about P828 million. As for the environment, it would help us to save around 47,000 tons of carbon dioxide emission,” Balaoing stressed.
He disclosed that in Cordillera, as of August of this year, there were already 37 awarded hydro-power plant contracts with an aggregate capacity of 800 MWs and five geo-thermal projects with an aggregate capacity of around 260 MWs.
Vergara, in his opening message, expressed the city’s gratitude to the DOE and the administration of President Aquino, for supporting various energy efficiency and CFL projects in the city such as the lighting of Burnham Park and the city hall with CFLs.
Streetlights, which use 450-watt lights, will save 70 percent overnight on electricity if they use fourth-gen LED 120-watt lights, Javier said.
The fourth-gen LED also dissipates up to 97 percent of heat; that’s why you can hold one that’s been lighted for several hours and not get burned. Instead of the fragile glass casing found in CFL and fluorescent lights, the fourth-gen LED uses the tough and solid polycarbonate case that won’t break even if you pound repeatedly on the tubes or bulbs.
“They are recyclable, and the most cost-effective available today. No need to buy a new one for the next 10-20 years,” Uy said.
Both Uy and Javier are staunch advocates of green living. Profits made from this business are very minimal, Uy said. It’s the passion and love for Mother Earth that keeps them going.
Next year, Uy said they will bring in the recycling technology that will safely and properly dispose CFLs and fluorescent lights. The problem with CFL and fluorescent lights in dumpsites is when they get broken—and they usually do—mercury is deposited into the soil and will eventually find its way into our drinking water.
2012年9月20日 星期四
Mall in Davao adopts green archi
SM City’s newest premier mall in the Davao City, which is set to open on September 28 this year, takes malling to a new level with the adoption of green architecture components in the construction of the SM City Lanang Premier.
“We have installed a rain-catchment system capable of handling 550 cubic meters of water in accordance with the new city ordinance requiring a rainwater catchment system for all new constructions,” SM City Lanang Premier mall manager Clarice Lapena said during a press conference held at SM City Ecoland Monday, in preparation for the September 28 opening of the new mall.
Ordinance No. 0298-09, series of 2009, which mandates the proper harvest, storage and use of the city’s rainwater, was authored by former councilor Leonardo Avila. Establishments that will construct rainwater catchments in their projects are set to receive tax rebates from the government while violators will be penalized.
Avila earlier said that the rainwater catchment system will help mitigate flooding and canal erosion in the urban areas. Lapena said the RCS will prevent the overloading of the creek near the area.
The mall has also adopted other green architecture components such as the use of glass pavers in the open parking area.
Glass pavers are considered an environment-friendly option as they are recycled from glass bottles. With proper sandblasting, the glass pavers become slip-resistant and provide maximum water absorption characteristics. The use of glass pavers in the mall’s open parking space results to minimum water run-off, Lapena said.
LED lights, which are more efficient and cost-effective since they last longer than the ordinary light bulbs, are used throughout the mall. Louvers were also used to deflect and block daylight, making the indoor cooling system more efficient.
Likewise to minimize the carbon monoxide emission, SM City has installed park finders in the parking lot. The gadget will help drivers maximize their fuel use as they will easily determine the availability of a parking space when there is a green light, or the red light if it is occupied.
The OZ8027A LED Driver Controller makes use of primary-side regulation to reduce the BOM-count which in turn eliminates the need for using an optocoupler of high cost. With an energy efficiency of more than 85%, the OZ8027A decreases the complexity associated with thermal management and also decreases energy consumption. This LED Driver Controller operates in the voltage range of 85 V–265 V, which gives it a global appeal. The power factor correction feature in the OZ8027A helps it to achieve a high power factor over a low THD and a broad input voltage range.
The reduction in BOM count is further accelerated due to the high voltage startup circuit that is built in with the OZ8027A LED Driver Controller. This feature also contributes to the quick startup operation of the OZ8027A. The regulation of LED current is highly efficient in this LED Driver Controller, which ensures consistency in lumen output, irrespective of the variations in the line input conditions.
Isolated flyback topology is a unique feature of the OZ8027A, which enables the device to support the requirements of UL regulations. Integrated LED short circuit, LED open circuit, cycle-by-cycle current limiting, over-voltage, and over-temperature protection enable the reliable and safe operation of the OZ8027A LED Driver Controller.
“We have installed a rain-catchment system capable of handling 550 cubic meters of water in accordance with the new city ordinance requiring a rainwater catchment system for all new constructions,” SM City Lanang Premier mall manager Clarice Lapena said during a press conference held at SM City Ecoland Monday, in preparation for the September 28 opening of the new mall.
Ordinance No. 0298-09, series of 2009, which mandates the proper harvest, storage and use of the city’s rainwater, was authored by former councilor Leonardo Avila. Establishments that will construct rainwater catchments in their projects are set to receive tax rebates from the government while violators will be penalized.
Avila earlier said that the rainwater catchment system will help mitigate flooding and canal erosion in the urban areas. Lapena said the RCS will prevent the overloading of the creek near the area.
The mall has also adopted other green architecture components such as the use of glass pavers in the open parking area.
Glass pavers are considered an environment-friendly option as they are recycled from glass bottles. With proper sandblasting, the glass pavers become slip-resistant and provide maximum water absorption characteristics. The use of glass pavers in the mall’s open parking space results to minimum water run-off, Lapena said.
LED lights, which are more efficient and cost-effective since they last longer than the ordinary light bulbs, are used throughout the mall. Louvers were also used to deflect and block daylight, making the indoor cooling system more efficient.
Likewise to minimize the carbon monoxide emission, SM City has installed park finders in the parking lot. The gadget will help drivers maximize their fuel use as they will easily determine the availability of a parking space when there is a green light, or the red light if it is occupied.
The OZ8027A LED Driver Controller makes use of primary-side regulation to reduce the BOM-count which in turn eliminates the need for using an optocoupler of high cost. With an energy efficiency of more than 85%, the OZ8027A decreases the complexity associated with thermal management and also decreases energy consumption. This LED Driver Controller operates in the voltage range of 85 V–265 V, which gives it a global appeal. The power factor correction feature in the OZ8027A helps it to achieve a high power factor over a low THD and a broad input voltage range.
The reduction in BOM count is further accelerated due to the high voltage startup circuit that is built in with the OZ8027A LED Driver Controller. This feature also contributes to the quick startup operation of the OZ8027A. The regulation of LED current is highly efficient in this LED Driver Controller, which ensures consistency in lumen output, irrespective of the variations in the line input conditions.
Isolated flyback topology is a unique feature of the OZ8027A, which enables the device to support the requirements of UL regulations. Integrated LED short circuit, LED open circuit, cycle-by-cycle current limiting, over-voltage, and over-temperature protection enable the reliable and safe operation of the OZ8027A LED Driver Controller.
2012年9月17日 星期一
Solar panels to save UF money
New solar panels will be installed at the University of Florida by the end of November, reducing the university’s energy costs and serving as a teaching tool for professors and students.
Progress Energy will provide the 100-kilowatt solar photovoltaic array for free through its SunSense Schools program, which offers solar energy systems to up to 10 K-12 public schools and one public post-secondary school each year to promote renewable energy education and help schools save money on energy.
UF was chosen based on factors such as the number of students attending the school, the amount of energy consumed on its campus and its commitment to renewable energy education and research. Schools with larger student populations and greater energy needs were more likely to be selected, said Progress Energy spokeswoman Suzanne Grant.
Preparation of the grounds where the panels will be installed will begin this week, said Dustin Stephany, a UF Physical Plant Division coordinator.
The ground-mounted panels will be installed at three locations on and near the school’s campus, with the largest being a 78-kilowatt system at the university’s Energy Research and Education Park on Southwest 23rd Terrace. The other systems will be located near the school’s Microbiology and Cell Science building and between Rinker Hall and Broward Hall on the school’s campus, Stephany said.
The array will produce 157,000 kilowatt-hours of solar energy for the university each year. The average home uses about 12,000 to 14,400 kilowatt hours in a year, Grant said.
The project will cost $650,000, and it is estimated that the solar array will save the university about $15,000 a year in energy costs, Stephany said. UF Office of Sustainability director Anna Prizzia said she estimates the university’s energy costs for a year to be about $47 million.
The program is funded by a part of Progress Energy customers’ energy bills that is dedicated to renewable energy efforts, Grant said.
Building construction and engineering professors will use the arrays as a part of their curriculum to teach lessons such as how to install and deconstruct a solar array.
Stephany said the location of the panels will make them easily accessible to students and easily seen by passersby.
“We want it to be visible,” he said. “We want to show people that we are committing to renewable energy technology here at the University of Florida.”
UF’s Physical Plant Division also is proposing an educational kiosk on campus in the form of a touchscreen dashboard that would allow people to interactively learn about the solar production on campus through graphs of energy produced. Stephany said the kiosk would also show people how to save energy in their own homes.
Prizzia said the solar array will be an important teaching tool that parallels the university’s goal to be carbon-neutral by 2025.
“It provides an opportunity for students to get hands-on learning with solar, which is a very important technology for our world’s energy needs,” she said.
Progress Energy will provide the 100-kilowatt solar photovoltaic array for free through its SunSense Schools program, which offers solar energy systems to up to 10 K-12 public schools and one public post-secondary school each year to promote renewable energy education and help schools save money on energy.
UF was chosen based on factors such as the number of students attending the school, the amount of energy consumed on its campus and its commitment to renewable energy education and research. Schools with larger student populations and greater energy needs were more likely to be selected, said Progress Energy spokeswoman Suzanne Grant.
Preparation of the grounds where the panels will be installed will begin this week, said Dustin Stephany, a UF Physical Plant Division coordinator.
The ground-mounted panels will be installed at three locations on and near the school’s campus, with the largest being a 78-kilowatt system at the university’s Energy Research and Education Park on Southwest 23rd Terrace. The other systems will be located near the school’s Microbiology and Cell Science building and between Rinker Hall and Broward Hall on the school’s campus, Stephany said.
The array will produce 157,000 kilowatt-hours of solar energy for the university each year. The average home uses about 12,000 to 14,400 kilowatt hours in a year, Grant said.
The project will cost $650,000, and it is estimated that the solar array will save the university about $15,000 a year in energy costs, Stephany said. UF Office of Sustainability director Anna Prizzia said she estimates the university’s energy costs for a year to be about $47 million.
The program is funded by a part of Progress Energy customers’ energy bills that is dedicated to renewable energy efforts, Grant said.
Building construction and engineering professors will use the arrays as a part of their curriculum to teach lessons such as how to install and deconstruct a solar array.
Stephany said the location of the panels will make them easily accessible to students and easily seen by passersby.
“We want it to be visible,” he said. “We want to show people that we are committing to renewable energy technology here at the University of Florida.”
UF’s Physical Plant Division also is proposing an educational kiosk on campus in the form of a touchscreen dashboard that would allow people to interactively learn about the solar production on campus through graphs of energy produced. Stephany said the kiosk would also show people how to save energy in their own homes.
Prizzia said the solar array will be an important teaching tool that parallels the university’s goal to be carbon-neutral by 2025.
“It provides an opportunity for students to get hands-on learning with solar, which is a very important technology for our world’s energy needs,” she said.
2012年9月13日 星期四
2013 Special Edition Kia Rio 5-Door SX For America
Kia Motors America is the marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea. KMA offers a complete line of vehicles through more than 755 dealers throughout the United States and serves as the “Official Automotive Partner” of the NBA and LPGA. In 2011, KMA recorded its best-ever annual sales total and became one of the fastest growing car companies,in the U.S. Kia is poised to continue its momentum and will continue to build the brand through design innovation, quality, value, advanced safety features and new technologies.
Kia has decided to produce a limited production run of 2013 Rio SX hatchback models equipped with six-speed manual transmissions, undoubtedly responding to the demands made by consumer interest.
The 2013 Rio 5-door SX is now offered with a 6-speed manual transmission (M/T). Arriving in dealerships in limited quantity with a MSRP of just $17,900.
The Rio SX M/T is inspired by Kia’s championship winning motorsports efforts and the recently-introduced Rio B-spec race car. KIA Enthusiasts should be aware of the fact that as less than 500 Rio SX M/Ts will only be initially offered for sale during the 2013 model year. So get ready for the Que!
The Rio 5-door SX M/T comes standard with a class-leading 138 HP,4-cylinder double- overhead cam gasoline direct-injection (GDI) engine featuring dual Continuously Variable Valve Timing (CVVT) and fuel economy of 30-mpg city/40-mpg highway.
The Rio 5-door SX M/T is available in Signal Red and Electronic Blue and comes with LED taillights, front LED accent lights, and 17-inch alloy wheels.
Inside, the Rio SX M/T adds a seven-inch navigation touch screen with a SiriusXM Traffic system and push-button start with Smart Key.The interior is handsomely appointed in sporty black knit cloth.
Other standard SX features include sport-tuned suspension, rear camera display, steering-wheel mounted audio controls, Bluetooth wireless technology, and an AM/FM/CD/ MP3 SiriusXM Satellite audio system.
“The Kia Rio 5-door SX M/T is perfect for driving enthusiasts who simply won’t compromise when it comes to certain features,” said Orth Hedrick, Director of Product Planning at Kia Motors America (KMA). “Our customers and the automotive press have been asking for the Rio 5-door SX with a manual transmission, and we’ve listened. As the Kia brand becomes more and more relevant to enthusiasts, we’ll continue to evaluate consumer demand and consider bringing other high-spec manuals to market.”
In addition to its championship winning professional road racing program, Kia this year entered the new B-Spec grassroots racing series, and the Rio SX M/T offers buyers the sporty driving dynamics that transfer from the track to the street.
To advance from driving enthusiast to racer,customers can purchase a 2013 Rio 5-door M/T (LX Trim) and a B-Spec performance kit, available at a cost of $14,000 from Kia’s racing partner, Kinetic Motorsports. The kit includes everything needed to transform the street-loving Rio 5-door into a proper racecar: pre-cut roll cage, racing seat, quick-release steering wheel, racing harness, race shocks, lightweight wheels, spec-series tires, oil sump pan expansion kit and complete build instructions.
Kia has decided to produce a limited production run of 2013 Rio SX hatchback models equipped with six-speed manual transmissions, undoubtedly responding to the demands made by consumer interest.
The 2013 Rio 5-door SX is now offered with a 6-speed manual transmission (M/T). Arriving in dealerships in limited quantity with a MSRP of just $17,900.
The Rio SX M/T is inspired by Kia’s championship winning motorsports efforts and the recently-introduced Rio B-spec race car. KIA Enthusiasts should be aware of the fact that as less than 500 Rio SX M/Ts will only be initially offered for sale during the 2013 model year. So get ready for the Que!
The Rio 5-door SX M/T comes standard with a class-leading 138 HP,4-cylinder double- overhead cam gasoline direct-injection (GDI) engine featuring dual Continuously Variable Valve Timing (CVVT) and fuel economy of 30-mpg city/40-mpg highway.
The Rio 5-door SX M/T is available in Signal Red and Electronic Blue and comes with LED taillights, front LED accent lights, and 17-inch alloy wheels.
Inside, the Rio SX M/T adds a seven-inch navigation touch screen with a SiriusXM Traffic system and push-button start with Smart Key.The interior is handsomely appointed in sporty black knit cloth.
Other standard SX features include sport-tuned suspension, rear camera display, steering-wheel mounted audio controls, Bluetooth wireless technology, and an AM/FM/CD/ MP3 SiriusXM Satellite audio system.
“The Kia Rio 5-door SX M/T is perfect for driving enthusiasts who simply won’t compromise when it comes to certain features,” said Orth Hedrick, Director of Product Planning at Kia Motors America (KMA). “Our customers and the automotive press have been asking for the Rio 5-door SX with a manual transmission, and we’ve listened. As the Kia brand becomes more and more relevant to enthusiasts, we’ll continue to evaluate consumer demand and consider bringing other high-spec manuals to market.”
In addition to its championship winning professional road racing program, Kia this year entered the new B-Spec grassroots racing series, and the Rio SX M/T offers buyers the sporty driving dynamics that transfer from the track to the street.
To advance from driving enthusiast to racer,customers can purchase a 2013 Rio 5-door M/T (LX Trim) and a B-Spec performance kit, available at a cost of $14,000 from Kia’s racing partner, Kinetic Motorsports. The kit includes everything needed to transform the street-loving Rio 5-door into a proper racecar: pre-cut roll cage, racing seat, quick-release steering wheel, racing harness, race shocks, lightweight wheels, spec-series tires, oil sump pan expansion kit and complete build instructions.
2012年9月10日 星期一
Kudrinko’s Thrives on Cutting Energy Costs
Since taking over management of the 22-year-old family business from his father in 2005 (and ownership in 2010), Kudrinko, 37, has set an ambitious course for his 10,200-square-foot store. The myriad changes include a major overhaul of its physical infrastructure, new refrigeration and HVAC systems (below left), LED lighting retrofits, humidity controls, a parking lot reconstruction that controls rainwater, and solar parking lot lighting, among other changes.
The resulting efficiencies have led to a virtuous cycle — the more money he cuts from his energy bill, for example, the more he is incented to continue to make investments, paying for new systems with money already saved. “You see this and you want more,” he said. “How much more savings can I create in my store? The worst thing I could do is stop spending money,” he added, laughing.
Kudrinko combines a grocer’s hard-nosed approach to business with a politician’s desire to improve society. A graduate of Carleton University, Ottawa, with a degree in political science, he ran as a Green Party candidate for provincial parliament in Ontario in 2010, promoting his store’s environmental initiatives, but lost in a very conservative district. “I’m a political person,” he said. “I enjoy public policy.” And he likes seeing how businesses can be part of the solution to environmental problems. “If every grocery store in Canada made the kind of investments I made, we’d reduce carbon emissions substantially,” he said.
But he’s also very pragmatic about the economic impact of environmental investments. “When I talk to other grocers about changes we’ve made, I very rarely discuss is it good for the environment,” he said. “I look at the business benefits. And for us it’s making sure our store can compete with stores that have these [energy-saving] technologies in place.”
Kudrinko is more than holding his own. In calendar year 2011, using the Carbon Counted website, he calculated that his store generated 55% less carbon dioxide equivalents through electricity and propane usage, as well as refrigerant emissions, than the average store of his size in Canada. Between 2008, when he began renovating his store, and 2011, his overall carbon footprint has dropped from 16.60 to 10.57 kilograms of CO2-equivalent per square foot.
One of the more remarkable upsides for Kudrinko has been the installation of a back-room Hussmann Protocol refrigeration system (left) that has yet to spring a refrigerant leak in three years. (It uses R-404A refrigerant.) He credits his refrigeration contractor, Hamilton Smith, Belleville, Ontario, for doing a good installation job. “It cost more to install than to buy, but if that’s the kind of operation you get, you don’t mind,” he said. His only refrigerant loss this year was two pounds of R-22 from his office air conditioning system.
Kudrinko previously used a standard DX refrigeration system with two pipes coming out of each of its compressors. By contrast, the Protocol unit, containing six scroll compressors, has only two pipes going out to all medium-temperature and low-temperature cases. The DX unit had “much more piping, many more joints and welds, and therefore more potential for leaks and equipment failures,” he said.
To supplement the capacity of the Protocol system, Kudrinko also has a rooftop compressor supporting his fresh meat counter and another rooftop compressor for his walk-in freezer. For his frozen food cases, Kudrinko recently replaced fluorescent lighting in 21 doors with Immersion RV40 LED lights from GE Lighting Solutions, from which he expects a 2.4-year payback after rebate.
The resulting efficiencies have led to a virtuous cycle — the more money he cuts from his energy bill, for example, the more he is incented to continue to make investments, paying for new systems with money already saved. “You see this and you want more,” he said. “How much more savings can I create in my store? The worst thing I could do is stop spending money,” he added, laughing.
Kudrinko combines a grocer’s hard-nosed approach to business with a politician’s desire to improve society. A graduate of Carleton University, Ottawa, with a degree in political science, he ran as a Green Party candidate for provincial parliament in Ontario in 2010, promoting his store’s environmental initiatives, but lost in a very conservative district. “I’m a political person,” he said. “I enjoy public policy.” And he likes seeing how businesses can be part of the solution to environmental problems. “If every grocery store in Canada made the kind of investments I made, we’d reduce carbon emissions substantially,” he said.
But he’s also very pragmatic about the economic impact of environmental investments. “When I talk to other grocers about changes we’ve made, I very rarely discuss is it good for the environment,” he said. “I look at the business benefits. And for us it’s making sure our store can compete with stores that have these [energy-saving] technologies in place.”
Kudrinko is more than holding his own. In calendar year 2011, using the Carbon Counted website, he calculated that his store generated 55% less carbon dioxide equivalents through electricity and propane usage, as well as refrigerant emissions, than the average store of his size in Canada. Between 2008, when he began renovating his store, and 2011, his overall carbon footprint has dropped from 16.60 to 10.57 kilograms of CO2-equivalent per square foot.
One of the more remarkable upsides for Kudrinko has been the installation of a back-room Hussmann Protocol refrigeration system (left) that has yet to spring a refrigerant leak in three years. (It uses R-404A refrigerant.) He credits his refrigeration contractor, Hamilton Smith, Belleville, Ontario, for doing a good installation job. “It cost more to install than to buy, but if that’s the kind of operation you get, you don’t mind,” he said. His only refrigerant loss this year was two pounds of R-22 from his office air conditioning system.
Kudrinko previously used a standard DX refrigeration system with two pipes coming out of each of its compressors. By contrast, the Protocol unit, containing six scroll compressors, has only two pipes going out to all medium-temperature and low-temperature cases. The DX unit had “much more piping, many more joints and welds, and therefore more potential for leaks and equipment failures,” he said.
To supplement the capacity of the Protocol system, Kudrinko also has a rooftop compressor supporting his fresh meat counter and another rooftop compressor for his walk-in freezer. For his frozen food cases, Kudrinko recently replaced fluorescent lighting in 21 doors with Immersion RV40 LED lights from GE Lighting Solutions, from which he expects a 2.4-year payback after rebate.
2012年9月6日 星期四
Solar power sees surge
The Porter County Career Center has a bevy of energy-saving technologies on display — from LED lights to a wind turbine.
But the roof of the building is a busy place — as two dozen more solar panels are installed by students and a few professionals. They will join a dozen panels that were installed about two years ago.
The school joins an increasing number of Northwest Indiana residents and businesses installing solar panels to take advantage of energy savings and support green energy efforts.
Porter County Career Center Director Jon Groth said the solar panels and windmills the students have built prove their value on two fronts.
“Our philosophy is we’re trying to reduce our carbon footprint and lower our NIPSCO bills,” Groth said.
The panels serve a practical purpose during power outages. After severe storms knocked out power to thousands of residents in early August, Groth said the Career Center lights were “working the whole time because of the solar power.” Even if the solar power runs out, the school’s emergency lights operate on batteries.
Kevin Moore, owner of Midwest Wind and Solar, said that business is booming. His company installs wind, solar electric and solar hot water systems.
“It’s just been crazy,” Moore said. “When the phone rings, somebody will say that they want a wind turbine, but once I educate them about payback, they’ll typically become a solar customer.”
About 60 percent of his business is residential, 30 percent commercial and the remaining 10 percent covers municipal and school buildings.
Moore said that wind doesn’t make much sense unless it’s installed 100 feet in the air and on a 2- to 3-acre plot.
“Solar is more for the average consumer,” Moore said. “As long as you have an unshaded location, it’s almost like a satellite dish.”
Valparaiso resident Elizabeth Gingerich, who is a professor of sustainability in business at Valparaiso University, said the impact of 24 solar panels saves money and decreases the carbon footprint.
“Our main goal was to get this commercial building (at 409 E. Lincolnway) off the grid and to set an example for other business owners to do the same,” Gingerich wrote in an e-mail. “Not only will we be producing sufficient energy to meet all of the needs of our tenants, but NIPSCO will be purchasing any overage.”
Gingerich said she saves $2,200 annually by using NIPSCO’s feed-in tariff. She said that the system will reduce the building’s carbon footprint by 137 tons.
Though prices for solar panels have decreased in recent years, installation is still a considerable investment, with projects averaging around $1,000 per panel.
With a 30 percent federal tax credit, Moore said solar system owners can get back their investment between four and eight years, depending on which NIPSCO renewable energy program they enroll in.
But the roof of the building is a busy place — as two dozen more solar panels are installed by students and a few professionals. They will join a dozen panels that were installed about two years ago.
The school joins an increasing number of Northwest Indiana residents and businesses installing solar panels to take advantage of energy savings and support green energy efforts.
Porter County Career Center Director Jon Groth said the solar panels and windmills the students have built prove their value on two fronts.
“Our philosophy is we’re trying to reduce our carbon footprint and lower our NIPSCO bills,” Groth said.
The panels serve a practical purpose during power outages. After severe storms knocked out power to thousands of residents in early August, Groth said the Career Center lights were “working the whole time because of the solar power.” Even if the solar power runs out, the school’s emergency lights operate on batteries.
Kevin Moore, owner of Midwest Wind and Solar, said that business is booming. His company installs wind, solar electric and solar hot water systems.
“It’s just been crazy,” Moore said. “When the phone rings, somebody will say that they want a wind turbine, but once I educate them about payback, they’ll typically become a solar customer.”
About 60 percent of his business is residential, 30 percent commercial and the remaining 10 percent covers municipal and school buildings.
Moore said that wind doesn’t make much sense unless it’s installed 100 feet in the air and on a 2- to 3-acre plot.
“Solar is more for the average consumer,” Moore said. “As long as you have an unshaded location, it’s almost like a satellite dish.”
Valparaiso resident Elizabeth Gingerich, who is a professor of sustainability in business at Valparaiso University, said the impact of 24 solar panels saves money and decreases the carbon footprint.
“Our main goal was to get this commercial building (at 409 E. Lincolnway) off the grid and to set an example for other business owners to do the same,” Gingerich wrote in an e-mail. “Not only will we be producing sufficient energy to meet all of the needs of our tenants, but NIPSCO will be purchasing any overage.”
Gingerich said she saves $2,200 annually by using NIPSCO’s feed-in tariff. She said that the system will reduce the building’s carbon footprint by 137 tons.
Though prices for solar panels have decreased in recent years, installation is still a considerable investment, with projects averaging around $1,000 per panel.
With a 30 percent federal tax credit, Moore said solar system owners can get back their investment between four and eight years, depending on which NIPSCO renewable energy program they enroll in.
2012年9月3日 星期一
Recovery Act Grants Produce More Energy-Efficient North Carolina
North Carolina is more energy-efficient than it was in 2009. Homes, schools, college campuses, businesses and government facilities are using less energy, saving on utility bills and generating more power from renewable sources as a result of grants distributed by the N.C. Energy Office and funded through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.
North Carolinians can learn more about the impact of these initiatives at an updated website launched by the Energy Office, a division of the state Department of Commerce. The site includes details of more than 30 projects throughout the state. The impact of these programs has been widespread.
“Someone you know, a building or business you’ve visited or an activity you’ve participated in has probably benefited from an Energy Office Recovery Act grant,” said Gov. Bev Perdue. “This unique website tells the stories of these projects and how they not only are making us more energy-efficient, but saving tax dollars when energy costs are uncertain and growing.”
Through the federal Recovery Act, North Carolina received $106.6 million for energy-related projects along with $132 million for the state’s Weatherization Assistance Program. Of those dollars, $20.9 million, from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program, was directed to local governments, public schools and community colleges (an additional $37.7 million went directly to designated local governments through a population-based formula). The State Energy Program provided $75.9 million for grants that ranged from workforce development and assistance to commercial, industrial and non-profit groups to support for state and local government energy-efficiency initiatives.
More than 75,000 new energy-efficient appliances replaced older energy-hogging ones through the $8.8 million Energy Star Appliance Replacement and Rebate Program. Another $1 million is being used for the Energy Assurance Program, working with other state, local and non-government agencies to develop programs and partnerships to make sure the state has the fuel resources it needs, particularly in emergency situations.
The Energy Office funded hundreds of projects through 243 Recovery Act-connected grants. Highland Craftsmen Inc., a small poplar bark shingle manufacturer in Spruce Pine, achieved the energy efficiency milestone of net zero electricity use because of improvements funded, in part, by an Energy Office program. Clearsense Properties in Durham converted a one-story former tire shop into a showcase for energy efficiency with solar panels, wind turbines and other energy efficiency renovations.
In Concord, the city worked with a Charlotte investor in a unique public-private partnership to place a solar photovoltaic array atop a downtown parking deck; the electricity is sold to the grid. Kinston taxpayers are saving $200,000 a year after traditional street lighting was replaced with LED lights. In other projects, landfill gas is being converted into useable energy for economic development and farmers are saving on processing their crops and spending less to get them to market.
North Carolinians can learn more about the impact of these initiatives at an updated website launched by the Energy Office, a division of the state Department of Commerce. The site includes details of more than 30 projects throughout the state. The impact of these programs has been widespread.
“Someone you know, a building or business you’ve visited or an activity you’ve participated in has probably benefited from an Energy Office Recovery Act grant,” said Gov. Bev Perdue. “This unique website tells the stories of these projects and how they not only are making us more energy-efficient, but saving tax dollars when energy costs are uncertain and growing.”
Through the federal Recovery Act, North Carolina received $106.6 million for energy-related projects along with $132 million for the state’s Weatherization Assistance Program. Of those dollars, $20.9 million, from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program, was directed to local governments, public schools and community colleges (an additional $37.7 million went directly to designated local governments through a population-based formula). The State Energy Program provided $75.9 million for grants that ranged from workforce development and assistance to commercial, industrial and non-profit groups to support for state and local government energy-efficiency initiatives.
More than 75,000 new energy-efficient appliances replaced older energy-hogging ones through the $8.8 million Energy Star Appliance Replacement and Rebate Program. Another $1 million is being used for the Energy Assurance Program, working with other state, local and non-government agencies to develop programs and partnerships to make sure the state has the fuel resources it needs, particularly in emergency situations.
The Energy Office funded hundreds of projects through 243 Recovery Act-connected grants. Highland Craftsmen Inc., a small poplar bark shingle manufacturer in Spruce Pine, achieved the energy efficiency milestone of net zero electricity use because of improvements funded, in part, by an Energy Office program. Clearsense Properties in Durham converted a one-story former tire shop into a showcase for energy efficiency with solar panels, wind turbines and other energy efficiency renovations.
In Concord, the city worked with a Charlotte investor in a unique public-private partnership to place a solar photovoltaic array atop a downtown parking deck; the electricity is sold to the grid. Kinston taxpayers are saving $200,000 a year after traditional street lighting was replaced with LED lights. In other projects, landfill gas is being converted into useable energy for economic development and farmers are saving on processing their crops and spending less to get them to market.
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