Lighting
Components and Design, Inc., Manufacturer of the Leecraft and Littelites
Lines of Miniature Lights and Assemblies won the fourth annual 2002
Energy Star® for Small Business Awards. This award honors businesses
and organizations that demonstrate corporate commitment to environmental
protection through strategic energy management.
The award
is based on organizational commitment, superior energy management, energy
performance accomplishments, and efforts to raise public awareness of
the value of energy efficiency and the benefits of ENERGY STAR. The
award process provides EPA the opportunity to recognize and commend
those organizations that are committed to reducing greenhouse gases
by using ENERGY STAR.
The awards program
recognizes firms which have exemplified ENERGY STAR®’s goals
of common-sense, profitable efficiency improvements through better lighting,
building tune-ups, electricity load reductions, efficient HVAC (heating/ventilation/air-conditioning)
and office equipment and other steps. Your efforts have not only made
your business more competitive but are conserving natural resources,
and helping prevent pollution associates with climate change. We believe
your example will help convince other small businesses to join in this
national effort.
Lighting Components
and Design, Inc., located in Deerfield Beach, Florida, is a state-of-
the art manufacturing and engineering company specializing in the production
of miniature lighting components. As part of a major plant expansion
and redesign to add 50 percent more assembly floor space, the company
implemented several energy initiatives. A cross functional team of engineering,
facilities maintenance, finance, and human resources staff was formed
to do research and develop a template of the company’s energy
efficiency improvements. The majority of this template came from information
found on the ENERGY STAR® Web site, supplemented by an analysis
of projects that were done by previous award winners.
The building envelope
was “tightened up” by improving the insulation in ceilings,
outside walls, and loading dock doors, adding insulating window shades
and film, replacing weather-stripping and caulking. A lighting upgrade
involved replacing incandescent lamps with compact fluorescent lamps
(CFLs), and old T-12 fluorescent lamps with magnetic ballasts with new
T-8 lamps with electronic ballasts. Light-emitting diode (LED) exit
signs and emergency lighting were also installed. Lighting Components
and Design, Inc. upgraded its heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning
(HVAC) system by installing high-efficiency ENERGY STAR® labeled
equipment. Programmable thermostats were installed, along with ceiling
fans in the conference rooms. A maintenance contract was set up on the
new HVAC system calling for quarterly checks and preventive maintenance.
The company then turned its attention to saving water by installing
low flow toilets, and water saving taps on all the facility’s
faucets. Finally, other major equipment was examined for possible upgrades.
Almost two dozen pieces of existing motorized manufacturing equipment
were upgraded with energy-efficient motors. Several machines were vented
directly outside, reducing the heat added to the building’s air-conditioning
load. Additionally, all new equipment that is purchased will have energy-efficient
motors. Finally, the energy saving “sleep” feature was enabled
on the company’s 50-plus computers.
In total, these
upgrades are saving Lighting Components and Design about $10,300 annually
on its electric utility bills. The 135,000 kWh of electricity saved
is preventing nearly 300,000 pounds of CO2 emissions per year. Jon Cooper,
Lighting Component’s President, gives this advice to other companies
that are considering energy efficiency upgrades, “Just do it!
In addition to saving money, you’ll benefit in ways you never
anticipated. We reduced employee turnover, improved employee morale,
and, to our great surprise, actually improved product quality—an
unanticipated ‘bonus’ from improving our work environment.”
Click
here for more information on Energy Star's Website
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