THE AGE OF LED LIGHTING IS ON US!
The timing could not be better for businesses take advantage of the rich array of LED bulbs and options to save both money and energy. On average, thirty percent of a building's energy bill comes from lighting, so this is one of the more significant ways for store owners to reduce their energy tab. In addition to the energy savings, LED bulbs last longer, eight to ten years, saving both time and maintenance. These bulbs also produce less heat, reducing the cooling costs for stores, and are easier on products as they have no damaging UV rays. Many store owners are also finding the quality of the light can also be significantly better. With the many LED bulb options you can create options for warm pools of light in dressing rooms, as well as the ability to dim the lighting ‘warmly’ for evening or cocktail events.
I recently had a chance to speak with Megan Shuler, a Manager with the City of Portland’s Sustainability at Work program and she was a wealth of information. Here is what I learned:
PGE Sweepstakes – Enter to Win!
Right now businesses located within Portland General Electric (PGE) service territory can enter to win one of 10 lighting upgrades of up to $1,000. Deadline to enter is May 30th. Check out the official rules for complete information on how to enter and eligibility criteria.
Not sure if your business could benefit from a lighting upgrade? Schedule a free, short consultation with one of PGE’s Energy Experts. You’ll learn how much you can expect to save with a lighting upgrade, and how Energy Trust of Oregon cash incentives can make energy-efficiency upgrades even more affordable.
Greg Boyce took advantage of this sweepstakes to upgrade the lighting at his Corbett Fish House and Hawthorne Fish House restaurants. He accessed $1,433 in Energy Trust of Oregon cash incentives to make his project even more affordable. He’s now saving more than 19,000 kilowatt-hours a year, or about $1,648 annually. The rate of return on the project was a whopping 83 percent. His advice for other businesses? “Go for it! It was easy and painless. Plus, the tone of the new LED lighting is very pleasant — a big improvement.”
Ready for more? Take advantage of an upcoming PGE Energy Champions Workshop to develop your energy efficiency action plan. This hands-on training is free to PGE customers and takes place June 4th from 12:30 to 5:00 at Portland’s World Trade Center. Attend the morning seminar, A CFO’s perspective on Energy Efficiency & Renewables and learn to speak the language of your CFO and discover tools and methods to get your projects approved.
Of course, if you don't want to sort through all these options yourself, you know what you need to do don't you? Hire a good Property Manager! Feel free to call Habitate for more information regarding our property management solutions.