LEDs Beat Incandescents in Lifecycle Assessment Energy Use
December 1, 2009
Reported by environmentalleader.com

An Osram study shows that LED lamps are more energy-efficient than light bulbs even when the energy used during the manufacturing process is factored into the equation, reports the New York Times. Some critics of LEDs had pointed to the amount of energy used to manufacture the lights.

The study also finds that LED lamps will save more energy and achieve even better lifecycle assessment (LCA) results in the future as they become more efficient.

Even green LEDs are becoming more efficient. 3M recently unveiled a green LED with a rated 181 lumens per watt efficiency at a drive current of 350 mA/mm2, which was achieved by bonding an Osram blue ThinGan LED with a proprietary color-converting material that absorbs the blue light and re-emits it as green, reports an EDN blog. LED expert Doug Leeper told EDN that this is six times more efficient than a green LED has ever achieved and because green is the major energy consumer used in backlights it could cut power consumption in half and make RGB LEDs more efficient than white LEDs.

The OSRAM report, “Life Cycle Assessment of Illuminants” (PDF), shows that over the entire life cycle of an incandescent bulb from manufacturing to disposal, the energy it uses is almost five times that used for compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and LED lamps.

Another key finding reveals that CFL and LED lamps use less than 670 kWh of energy during their entire life compared to about 3,302 kWh for incandescent lamps, which translates into an 80 percent energy savings.

The lifecycle assessment of LED lamps included all components and production processes of the lamps during five life cycle stages, which are raw material production, manufacturing & assembly, transport, use and end of life.

In addition to the energy used for each process, the assessment also looked at the emissions created in each stage, and calculated the effect of six different global warming indexes, reports the New York Times.

This included the amount of greenhouse gas emissions created by each process, the acid rain potential, eutrophication (excessive algae), photochemical ozone creation, the release of harmful chemical compounds, and the resultant scarcity of gas, coal, and oil, reports the New York Times.

The methodology met the requirements set by industry standard ISO 14040/44, and was certified by three university professors in Denmark and Germany as adhering to the standard, according to the New York Times.

With the push for energy efficiency, LEDs are being used in a variety of products ranging from general illumination to electric signs, reports Underwriters Laboratories. As a result, the new technology is used in newer high-voltage and light-output applications, which raises several safety concerns including the risk of overheating, electric shock and fire, according to the product safety certification organization.

To address these concerns, UL recently released the first global safety standard for LED lighting products and their components, called ANSI/UL 8750, Safety Standard for Light Emitting Diode (LED) Equipment for Use in Lighting Products.

Green Buildings Do Double Duty: Reduce Energy Use, Lower Financial Risk
November 24, 2009
Reported by environmentalleader.com

The potential for energy use reductions in old and new buildings is significant, according to a report from KPMG. The study finds that energy consumption in buildings can be cut by 30 to 50 percent and still produce a positive return on investments. Plus, real estate groups can get a business boost from green buildings by attracting the best deals, strategic investors, and marquee anchor tenants, according to the report.

The report, “Climate Change: Risks & Opportunities in the Canadian Commercial Real Estate Market,” reveals that direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions come from the on-site combustion of fuels for heating and cooling, and the use of refrigerants, while indirect emissions come primarily from the GHGs released from fuel combustion related to producing construction materials and electricity used in the buildings.

The commercial building sector in Canada is estimated to account for 13 percent of Canada’s carbon emissions and 14 percent of end-use energy consumption, according to the report. The report also cites the International Energy Agency’s estimates from 2005 that reveal that buildings account for 20 to 40 percent of the world’s energy use, depending on a country’s climate and economy.

Similarly, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) finds that buildings account for 40 percent of the world’s energy use with the associated carbon emissions substantially more than those in the transportation sector. WBCSD’s study on energy efficiency in buildings (EEB) indicates that the global building sector needs to cut energy consumption in buildings 60 percent by 2050 to help meet global climate change targets.

The KMPG study cites several benefits to a “green” building. These include easier facility zoning and permitting, reduced tax burdens, and potentially lower insurance premiums.

The study also points out that a Canadian national market for carbon offsets related to building efficiency is under discussion. Researchers say forward-thinking companies will have long-term real estate agreements in place to address development, ownership, and sale of all environmental attributes accrued from their commercial properties.

The study suggests a GHG emissions assessment should be the start of all carbon management strategies for any large commercial real estate holding. The assessment should also include several information management elements ranging from organizational and operational boundary conditions to auditing and verification.

ComEd looks to future, tests smart meters in area homes
 
January 11, 2010

BY MAUDLYNE IHEJIRIKA Staff Reporter

The future is now -- in about a third of the 131,000 homes in the Chicago metropolitan area ComEd has slated for its smart-meter pilot program.

About 45,000 homes in Bellwood, Berwyn, Forest Park, Maywood, Melrose Park and River Forest have been getting the meters -- touted for providing more information and better service -- installed since November, with Oak Park being added to the mix this week.

"We're on track to be able to finish up in May," spokesman Jeff Burdick said of one of the largest such pilots nationwide as utilities foray into the digital era of energy infrastructure and distribution.

The so-called smart meters -- at the front door of energy-efficient Smart Grid technology vital to cutting energy use and carbon emissions tied to global warming -- offer two-way communications.

The environmentally friendly meters will provide ComEd and its customers with various information about energy consumption in individual homes, eventually allowing customers to view daily use information online and reduce energy consumption and costs.

Among their benefits to the company are identifying outage locations and reducing the number of calls to customer service, ComEd says.

Approved in October by the Illinois Commerce Commission, the pilot's cost is being shared by all 3.8 million ComEd customers across northern Illinois, amounting to about $5 a year per residential customer, and $11 for commercial customers.

"In general, we think that a well-designed smart grid can be good for consumers. The real promise is that it can maximize energy efficiency, and that will mean great savings for consumers," said David Kolata, executive director of the Citizens Utility Board watchdog group.

"We're cautiously optimistic. But this is still a new area, and we're going to hold ComEd accountable."

Smart grid is the name given to the electric power grid when it's equipped with computer technology and two-way digital communications networking.

The smart-meter pilot targets two other west suburbs, Broadview and Hillside, as well as Chicago's Humboldt Park area and south suburban Tinley Park.

Once installation is completed, the meters will get extra features added midyear, and then a subgroup of 8,000 customers out of the 131,000 will be selected to test even more futuristic features, e.g., alternative rate-pricing programs, Web interfaces, in-home displays, home area network control systems and programmable thermostats.

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U.S. Green Building Retrofit Market to Hit $15B by 2014

October 23, 2009
Just days after the White House outlined its strategy for bolstering the home energy retrofit market, a new report from research and publishing firm McGraw-Hill Construction predicts the market for nonresidential green building retrofits is set to soar and represents a better opportunity for designers and builders than new construction. The market for such retrofit projects, which include activities like installing energy-saving lighting, mechanical and electrical systems, will grow to $10.1 billion-$15.1 billion by 2014 from just $2.1 billion-$3.7 billion this year, according to the report. Put another way, green buildings will comprise a 20-30 percent share of the U.S. retrofit and renovation market in five years, up from its 5-9 percent stake today.

The rising interest in green retrofits represents a “tremendous market opportunity for green builders, owners and building product manufacturers,” according to the report, which considered projects that would be over $1 million in total costs. The study concludes that the greatest opportunity for green design and construction activity lies not in constructing new green buildings, but in engaging in the retrofit and renovation of existing ones.

A project is considered “green” in this report if it employs multiple practices, products and processes covering a minimum of three out of five aspects of green building – energy, water or resource efficiency, improved indoor environmental quality and responsible site management. The sectors with the largest green retrofit opportunity are education and office, representing about 50 percent of all retrofit activity, with the biggest growth expected in retail.

So what exactly are building owners asking for in these green retrofits? As part of the study, researchers surveyed owners across the country who had completed retrofit projects. One hundred percent of the respondents said they installed energy-efficient lighting and/or made more use of natural daylight in their retrofits.

That activity was followed by: installing more energy-efficient mechanical and electrical systems (92 percent); improving occupancy comfort inside the building, such as with the use of smart ventilation systems or individual thermal comfort controls (79 percent); installing water-efficient plumbing like low-flush toilets (71 percent); adding more environmentally friendly finishes and furnishings (66 percent); and upgrading the building envelope, such as by installing high-performance windows and insulation (61 percent). About two-thirds of building owners said they expected the savings achieved from energy efficiency improvements to pay for the cost of the investment within 10 years (11 percent thought payback would take longer).

Financial benefits are the primary driver for encouraging owners and tenants to pursue green retrofits, the study found, but tenant satisfaction is close behind, especially in the current economic downturn. While energy efficiency improvements will remain most popular in green retrofits, other measures, such as improving indoor environmental quality, yield environmental and social paybacks that can be “as powerful as money.” The report said this is especially true in education and health care buildings. To take advantage of this, industry players need to be able to “speak to the larger gains green offers.”

But the green building retrofit industry does have its challenges. The biggest is the initial costs associated with going green, which is perceived as being high; the recent drop in energy prices has also dampened enthusiasm for efficiency gains. And tenants, in particular, say they are concerned about greenwashing since they rely on owners’ claims about the spaces they lease.

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