Energy: ‘Smart’ Technology Could Produce 50% Savings
A San Diego business has turned to a Rockville, Md.-based firm to reduce its energy costs and help keep the power flowing in a time of rolling blackouts.
The North America Mortgage Co. building in Mission Valley replaced its old lighting system in February with the Flexiwatt from Precision Lighting, Inc. The resulting electricity savings exceeded 50 percent, said Carol Gage, a spokeswoman for Precision.
Flexiwatt, which Gage called “fluorescent lighting with a brain,” is designed for use in large office, educational and high-tech manufacturing buildings.
Flexiwatt units act like “thermostats,” automatically and continuously adjusting each lighting fixture to maintain a preset level of illumination. When natural light is available, Flexiwatt’s fiber optic sensors automatically dim the lights. The more daylight present, the less fluorescent lighting needed , which means saving electricity, Gage said.
The property management firm C.B. Richard Ellis handled the shift to Flexiwatt. Ellis manages the 12,341-square-foot building, said Kim Morgan, assistant property manager for C.B. Richard Ellis.
New To San Diego
Ellis noted that she knows of nobody else in San Diego using this technology. Since the system was only recently installed, the management company has not yet gotten an electricity bill to compare how much energy the building is saving.
But she expects the savings to be “substantial.” Based on preliminary meter readings taken before and after the installation, there could be savings of as much as 62 percent on lighting costs, she said.
Morgan added the last readings were taken during the rainy season, when there hasn’t been a tremendous amount of light coming into the building. So during the summer, when there’s a much greater amount of light coming into the building, there should be an even more noticeable difference, she said.
Also, when lights are burning, they’re producing extra heat that strains the air conditioning system. During the summer, Morgan expects to realize additional savings on cooling costs, she said.
That comes without exposing people to safety hazards from reduced lighting, Morgan said.
“The lights are actually at the correct candlepower level that it needs to be not to have glare and the whole nine yards,” she said. “The tenants seem very happy. They didn’t notice the change, and although it seems to be dimmer than what it used to, it’s actually better on the eyes.”
Installing the $9,800 system took two days for the entire building, with most of the installation work done at night, Morgan said.
More Installations Planned
Morgan added that the company planned to install this technology in other buildings it manages. Right now, everyone is waiting, looking to see how much they’re saving at the Mission Valley location, she said.
Another factor is how much of a rebate C.B. Richard Ellis will get for its work on the North America Mortgage Co. building. Rebates are available from the California Energy Commission and San Diego Gas & Electric Co. for installing energy-efficient measures, Morgan said.
“We’re kind of waiting in the wings, to see if we’re going to be able to get the rebates, and if we are, we have every intention of continuing on with the other buildings that we have,” she said.
In addition to the money Morgan hopes to save, it’s also a good feeling to note that the reduced energy use makes more electricity available in a time of shortage, she said.
Christopher Sauer, president and CEO of Precision Lighting, said installing the system in the Mission Valley building is the first step to bringing the company’s technology to the West Coast.
“We are excited about completing our first lighting technology upgrade in California and bringing such substantial savings to an area that needs it the most,” he said. “We have demonstrated the performance and reliability of Flexiwatt in the Mid-Atlantic states, but the benefits to Californians dwarf what we’ve seen elsewhere.”
