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New Clean Energy Bill Presents Big Opportunity for Lighting Control Industry in California

Posted by Matt Sedlock

Oct 28, 2015 11:20:22 AM

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On October 7th, Governor Jerry Brown signed into law the Clean Energy and Pollution Reduction Act of 2015 (SB 350). This new bill provides ample opportunity for those in the lighting control arena as it has committed the state of California to use renewable energy for half its electricity and make existing buildings twice as energy efficient in just 15 years.

SB 350 will allow Californians to continue to save money through rebates and subsidies as they purchase electric vehicles, replace inefficient light bulbs and appliances, and install solar panels or double-paned windows. Perhaps the biggest change those in the lighting control industry will notice will come with the new update to Title 24 in 2016. Title 24, which dictates the minimum standards of new and retrofitted buildings, is updated every 3 years to reflect the capability of new green technologies.

The Clean Energy and Pollution Act has presented a huge opportunity for the lighting control industry. Making buildings twice as energy-efficient means investing in light control. Not only does light control increase comfort and productivity, it saves energy. Here are just a some of the many options that can provide energy-saving benefits for commercial applications:

 

Xeleum-Stairwell-Isolacted-Side1_NewXeleum Athena Series LED Stairwell Fixtures: 

The Athena Series LED Stairwell is specifically designed for use in stairwells where the space is often unoccupied for long periods of time. It reduces energy usage by up to 80% by automatically providing fully ON light levels only when the space is occupied and returns to power saving dim levels with the space is unoccupied. These fixtures function equally well in hallways, bathrooms, laundry rooms, or any area that is frequently unoccupied.

 

Lutron Whole Building Centralized Control Solutions:

Lutron whole building solutions like Quantum and GRAFIK 7000 allow facility managers to conveniently manage both electric light and daylight right from their desktop. Control, configure, monitor, and report on the lighting for any space in your building for maximum energy efficiency, comfort, and productivity.

 

DaylightSensorShades_WhatsNew

Daylight Autonomy from Lutron:

Shading solutions coupled with window sensors regulate daylight to optimize comfort and lower energy costs by harvesting daylight and reducing the load on HVAC systems. Window sensors automatically adjust shades in a space throughout the day based on the sun's position to prevent glare and enhance views.

 

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Cree ZR Series:

The Cree ZR Series LED troffer delivers superios quality in an ultra-slim, sleek package at an affordable price. The ZR Series troffer can reduce energy consumption by more than half, and with standard 0-10V dimming or Cree SmartCast controls, can accelerate its already rapid two-year payback. 

 

These are just a few of the product solutions we can recommend. Most of the lines on our line cards have products that are compliant with new standards. For help with your project call us at 858-564-0233. 

Title-24-Compliant-logoBLACKWestern Lighting & Energy Controls is your best resource for information on new legislation and Title 24 requirements, and all the associated product solutions. We offer live local training to educate industry professionals about the benefits of lighting control so they have the necessary tools to determine the ideal solution for any customer and any space. Download the Title 24-2013 Commercial Application Guide for a summary of code requirements for lighting controls and receptacles, or watch our video of a training session on the newest Title 24 Building Energy Efficiency Standards. 

If you'd like to see what other training classes Western offers, check out our Training Schedule, or let us know if you'd like us to alert you to Training Schedule updates for Title 24 in 2016.

 

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Topics: Lighting Control, Energy Efficiency, energy savings, saving energy

More Title 24 information....

Posted by Natalie Young

Jun 4, 2014 2:43:27 PM

CLTC’s updated Residential Lighting Guide is designed to help builders and lighting

residential lighting
industry professionals navigate the residential lighting portion of California’s newest Building Energy Efficiency Standards (Title 24, Part 6). The new standards take effect July 1, 2014 and include updated requirements for high-efficacy lighting, lighting controls, and LED quality.

Explanation of the new requirements for residential lighting are organized by space type
(kitchens, bathrooms, outdoor lighting, etc.) and accompanied by best-practice recommendations and sample lighting plans. The new guide also includes information on current lighting technologies.

The guide was sponsored by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and developed in collaboration with the California Energy Commission.

It is available for download, at no cost, HERE

For more information on Title 24 - Check out our available training classes. 
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Topics: Energy Efficiency, Title 24

Outstanding Lighting Solutions: Why Choose CREE?

Posted by Jimm Reifsnyder

Jul 3, 2013 4:30:00 AM

why choose creeThose of us in the lighting industry in Southern California make choices every day. When you design, specify, or install lighting systems for your clients, you make choices about which products will best suit their needs. At Western Energy Control Solutions, we make those same kinds of choices. So why did we jump at the chance to represent CREE® in the SOCAL market?

We actually had a number of reasons for choosing CREE, but we’d like to share three big ones—because we think they represent things your clients will value and appreciate.

Efficiency. Cree LED Lighting products deliver the same amount of light as conventional technologies—but use as little as 10 to 15 percent of the energy.  That can save your clients hundreds of dollars over the life of each light.

Longevity. A typical 65-watt incandescent light lasts for 2,000 hours.  A Cree LR6TM LED downlight has a lifetime of 50,000 hours (running a Cree lamp for six hours a day, it would last nearly 23 years!). That means your clients would have to replace their conventional bulbs 25why choose cree for commercial lightingtimes to match the longevity of the Cree LED. That’s a lot of replacing—not to mention the extra $465 in energy usage (at today’s rates).

Beauty. Energy efficiency and longevity are great, but you know that your clients want lighting that looks great as well. You probably have clients that love the energy savings that CFL lighting offers—but they hate the way they look. Now energy efficiency doesn’t mean they have to sacrifice ambience. Cree lights have a higher color rendering—giving everything they illuminate a more vibrant and lifelike look. Your clients can choose warm lighting, for a traditional, luxurious feeling (great for residential solutions) or cool lighting to create an effective work environment (it’s also great for homes that want a more contemporary look).

Why choose CREE? Your clients will love the way they look, the way they last, and the way they save energy and money.

Drop me a note today and I’ll be happy to help you find the Cree solution that’s right for your clients.

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Topics: LED lighting, Energy Efficiency, Southern California lighting systems, efficiency, longevity

Thinking Inside (And Outside) Of the Southern California Lighting Box

Posted by Jimm Reifsnyder

Apr 9, 2013 4:30:00 PM

Sensors thinking inside and outside the boxIf you’re responsible for the design, specification or installation of commercial or residential lighting systems, you know that your customers are increasingly thinking “outside the box” when it comes to solutions for their homes and businesses. Nobody, it seems, is content to simply “turn on the lights.”

Commercial and residential clients alike want solutions that offer more than illumination. They want solutions that automatically control lighting, window coverings and heating/cooling systems. And they’re after more than simple automation. They want to create environments that are more comfortable and more conducive to productivity. And they also want energy efficiency that is easier on the environment—and on their wallets.

That means if you want to meet your customers’ needs—whether they are commercial or residential customers—you need to provide “out-of-the-box” solutions that push the boundaries of conventional light and energy systems. But doing that will also require some “inside-the-box” thinking, because inside the “box” is where you’ll find the item that drives a lot of this capability: sensors.

It may seem obvious, but lights and window coverings and heating/cooling systems that automatically adjust still need something to tell them when to make an adjustment. It used to be: “Last one out, please turn off the lights!” Now the last one out turns off the lights (opens or closes the shades, and turns down the heat) without lifting a finger. And that’s a good thing, because people are notoriously bad at remembering to do those things—resulting in a lot of wasted energy.

Sensors can now track usage of rooms and automatically adjust the environment of the room according to need. Even if your customers forget to turn off the lights, the sensors in the systems you install for them won’t forget.

What’s really great for individuals in our industry (and of course, their customers) is that sensors today are more reliable—and affordable—than ever. And, yet, despite that, there is still a huge opportunity for both commercial and residential installation.

It’s not surprising that Lutron is leading the way in incorporating sensors into their lighting and energy control systems. They are even offering a Sensor Layout and Tuning Service to ensure that their wired or wireless daylight sensors and occupancy sensors will help projects achieve energy-savings goals. They even provide a detailed sensor layout for the installing contractor to use. And the service also includes up to two visits after installation to adjust the system for optimal results.

Are you thinking both “inside-and-outside-the-box” when it comes to lighting and energy controls for your customers? Are you taking advantage of the opportunities that sensors create to deliver the kind of systems your clients want?

If you’d like more information about incorporating sensors in commercial solutions, shoot Matt Sedlock a note. If you’re interested in residential solutions, send a note to me, Jimm Reifsnyder.

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Topics: Southern California Lighting Solutions, southern california commercial lighting, Energy Efficiency, Southern California residential lighting

10 Reasons Your Customers Will Want Light Control

Posted by Matt Sedlock

Nov 22, 2012 4:30:00 AM

homeworks qs driveway optionsFor a lot of consumers, light control isn’t the first thing on their mind when they are considering building or remodeling. There’s a good chance they’re looking to you for suggestions and solutions. And while they may be looking to spend as little as possible on light control, you can help them out by helping them understand that the money they spend up front on light control actually saves them more money in the long run.

Here are 10 often-overlooked light management facts you can share with your customers that will help them save money—even if they spend a little more with you!

Top 10 Reasons

1. Light Control Increases Comfort and Improves Productivity: Energy-saving light controls provide a comfortable and productive visual environment. And enhancing the comfort level can increase productivity. For example, Lutron’s Total Light Management™ solution provides better lighting that reduces energy consumption and can improve work quality.

                       

2. Dimmers Save Energy: Every Lutron dimmer automatically saves 4-9 percent in electricity—even at the highest lighting levels—compared to a standard on-off switch. And when your customers choose to dim their lights, they’ll save even more. The more they dim, the more they save. Conventional light switches only save electricity in the “off” position. Lutron dimmers and controls save energy 24/7.

 

3. All Light Sources Use Less Energy When Dimmed: Most consumers think of incandescent lights when they think of dimming. But all lighting sources (halogen, CFLs, and, LED bulbs) can be dimmed. A halogen light source that’s dimmed 35% reduces energy use by 28% while dimming an incandescent or halogen light will reduce energy use by about 20%!

 

4. Dimming Saves Energy and the Environment Without Sacrificing Comfort: It used to be that most energy-reducing solutions meant sacrificing something. The dimmers and other lighting controls you can offer customers allow them to adjust light levels for specific entertainment options, enhance ambiance, set a mood, and take advantage of daylight to reduce energy use.

 

5. Lutron Solutions Contribute to 37 out of 110 Possible Points in the LEED® 2009 NC Rating System: Because of their energy saving benefits and contributions toward minimizing environmental impact, Lutron lighting and shading controls can contribute significantly to achieving LEED building certification for new construction in categories such as: Sustainable Sites, Energy & Atmosphere, Material & Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Innovative Design.

 

6. Using Dimmers Saves Money: Customers who use a Lutron dimmer in their home can save about $8.00 yearly over using a conventional switch. And if they dim the light by 50% (taking into account the extended life of the bulbs) they can save up to $30 a year.

 

7. Shading Solutions are Energy Efficient: Shading systems save energy by harvesting daylight and reducing the load on HVAC systems. Lutron uses sustainable materials that are either PVC-free or 100% recycled—resulting in some fabrics being certified by third-party organizations such as GREENGUARD® and Oeko-Tex®.

 

8. The Multiplied Impact: Lutron estimates that if every U.S. homeowner replaced just two conventional light switches with dimmers, the potential annual savings could be $1.5 billion in electricity and close to 25 billion pounds of CO2—the equivalent to taking more than 1 million cars off the road.

 

9. Lutron Systems Save Money and Energy Automatically: Automated systems like daylight and occupancy sensors and the HomeWorks® astronomic time clock can turn on customer’s lights according to changes in light or by the time of day.

 

10. Dimmers Extend Bulb Life: Dimmers reduce power to the lighting source or bulb—saving energy and extending bulb life. Incandescent and halogen bulbs last up to 20 times longer when used with a dimmer. Not only will customers save on energy use, they’ll purchase fewer bulbs—saving them even more.

 

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Topics: Lutron Dimmers, Lighting Control, Energy Efficiency, Energy Saving Lighting

Residential Shading Solutions: Savings, Ambiance, Convenience, or Security?

Posted by Matt Sedlock

Oct 25, 2012 5:27:00 AM

lutron shading systemIf you have customers who should be considering installing automatic shading in their homes, what do you have to offer them? Can you offer them energy savings? How about added ambiance? Maybe you can convince them of the convenience automatic shades offer. Or maybe you could talk to them about the added safety and security shades can provide.

 

The good news is that with residential shading solutions from Lutron, you don’t have to choose—you can offer “all of the above!”

Energy Efficiency

A good shading system can save your clients more energy than they’ll save with routine use of shades. A “winter warm” setting opens shades and takes advantage of sunlight warming a southern façade. A “summer cool” setting does the opposite by lowering shades and blocking solar, which reduces cooling costs.

Function AND Style

But shading systems from Lutron are much more than functional. They’re designed to look and work beautifully. Stylish control and fabric options coupled with innovative technology elegantly transition a space to create the right amount of light for any activity. Shades align precisely within 1/16 in of each other for a balanced, beautiful look to a row of windows.

Of course your customers don’t want to run all over the house to adjust shades all the time. Shading systems can be controlled by keypads, IR remote controls, wireless tabletop controls, or by setting them to an astronomic time clock for automatic adjustment of shades.

Safety and Security

One of the extra benefits of an automated shading system that your customers may not think about is the safety and security they provide. They can take advantage of a whole-home shading system for simultaneous control of all their shades—choosing a pre-determined “Away” setting to close at a specific time when they’re out of the house. That way they can close all shades and restrict the view inside their home when nobody is there.

Shades can offer additional savings beyond the money your customers save on energy. By installing shading systems they can protect furniture, fine art, rugs, and even wood surfaces, from damaging UV rays.

 

There are a lot of reasons why a Lutron shading solution may be great for your customers. Don’t you just love multiple choices?

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Topics: Energy Efficiency, Drapery, Cellular Shades, Lutron Shading Systems, Shading

Save Money and Improve Productivity with Commercial Lighting Solutions

Posted by Jimm Reifsnyder

Sep 20, 2012 9:01:00 AM

commercial lutron lighting solutions california resized 600

Commercial Lighting Solutions

The businesses that own commercial properties are always looking for ways to improve their bottom line. Whether these companies manage their buildings themselves, or employ a professional property management service, they’re looking for ways to cut costs—and increase productivity.

More and more savvy property managers are looking at energy consumption—and specifically at lighting solutions to accomplish both. And you can play a big role in helping them achieve those goals.

Importance of Efficiency

Some of these property managers may not be aware that in the majority of office buildings, lighting accounts for 39% of that building’s annual electricity use. Usage can actually be higher than that in specialized settings such as healthcare facilities, where it’s 43% and in hotels where the figure jumps to 55%. It’s no wonder that having an energy-efficient workplace is increasingly important to businesses today.

What can you suggest to your clients who manage commercial properties?

Start With Dimming the Lights: A business that dims its office lights can really save measureable amounts of money. Installing a single Lutron dimmer can actually save a business more than $85 each year. And the good news is that these commercial dimmers are designed to last at least 10 years. Not only does adding dimmers improve workspace comfort—it also improves the building owners’ return on investment.

Take It a Step at a Time With Individual Rooms: You can suggest installing single-room systems in heavily trafficked spaces to maximize energy savings and enhance that room's comfort level. You can then add features such as sensors that are integrated with lighting to further reduce operating costs. And you can even suggest a solution for the age-old problem of employees who forget to turn out the lights, by installing occupancy and vacancy sensors that will turn the lights out after periods of non-use—automatically.  

Give Clients the Big Picture: If you have a client who is really serious about energy savings, you may want to suggest a total light management solution for full energy efficiency. Of course it’s a bigger investment, but it produces correspondingly big results. The New York Times cut $600,000 from its annual lighting costs after installing the Lutron Quantum® system. And after installing EcoSystem®, a commercial property in Houston saved $50,000 on its electric lighting bill—and trimmed $16,000 off their bill due to a reduction in air conditioning expenses.

Click meLight control also decreases HVAC energy costs. Shading systems reduce the amount of solar heat gain that enters a space while reducing glare. Shades can also be controlled by Hyperion™ to automatically adjust shades based on the sun’s position throughout the day based on the season and building location and façade.

What’s really great is that when companies reduce uncomfortable hotspots and eliminate glare, they also improve productivity. It’s a win-win proposition!

 

You can help your commercial property management companies face some big challenges by recommending solution from a wide variety of solutions you have at your disposal.

 

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Topics: Commercial Lighting Solutions, Commercial Lighting Systems, Energy Efficiency, Energy Saving Lighting, Commercial Lighting Control

Southern California Light Solutions: Now There’s a Switch!

Posted by Matt Sedlock

Jun 19, 2012 10:10:00 AM

light solutions switch

For some southern California homeowners, a switch is just a switch. They’re purely functional and lights are either on or they’re off. What difference does it make? The lights go on and the lights go off. End of story.

For Lighting Solution Professionals

As a lighting solution professional, you know better. Whether you’re a distributor, a contractor, or designer who specifies what lighting goes into a new build or remodel—you know that the kind of switch you choose to install can make a big difference.

Switch on the Energy Savings

Compared to conventional “on-and-off” switches, Lutron switches can help homeowners save energy—while creating inviting, comfortable spaces.  Installing a Diva CL dimmer for instance can help a homeowner save up to 19 percent on electricity use. The same switch can extend bulb life so that the average bulb lasts 4.7 years! That adds up!

The benefits don’t stop at energy savings. Just because a switch is functional doesn’t mean it can’t be fashionable as well. Lutron offers homeowners a wide variety of styles and colors from which to choose, so they can find a switch that fits any room or color scheme in their house. Light affects the way a home feels. Dimming allows homeowners to create moods and can create the perfect atmosphere for entertaining or turn a bathroom into a soothing spa retreat.

Click me

 

Combining With Lighting Control Systems

There’s also the convenience these switches offer. When combined with options, such as a Maestro Wireless system or a Radio RA2 Wireless system, homeowners can control their lights from anywhere in the room—or even outside the home.

 

You can open homeowners’ eyes to lighting possibilities they never considered before—whether they’re single room solutions or whole home control solutions. There’s a whole lot more to light control than just turning the lights on or off!

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Topics: Light Solutions, Energy Efficiency, Lighting Control Systems, Switches

Does Your Southern California Business Office Really Need a Light Control System?

Posted by Jimm Reifsnyder

May 1, 2012 7:15:00 AM

lighting control systemEvery business in America is looking for ways to cut expenses and save money. So why in the world would you want to look at installing a light control system in your business office?

If you’ve ever walked through an office building after hours, you’ve probably seen the signs hanging over the light switches in the conference rooms or over the light switches by the front or back door that implore employees: “If you’re the last one out, please turn off the lights!”

Maybe it’s struck you as odd that the reason you can read those signs so well is that most of the lights are still blazing, because the last employee to leave wasn’t really sure if he or she was the last one—or just forgot to turn the lights out.

How much money is being wasted by lighting space that nobody is using? In most office buildings, lighting accounts for 39% of annual electricity use. The figures climb higher in specialized settings such as healthcare facilities (43%) and hotels (55%). With today’s energy costs, those are figures too big to ignore.

A whole building energy control solution can dramatically improve your energy efficiency. The New York Times, for instance cut $600,000 from its annual lighting costs after installing the Lutron Quantum® system. And a business in Houston saved $50,000 on its electric lighting bill, plus saw a $16,000 reduction in air conditioning expenses with the same installation.

 

Your office situation may be different, but the point is that controlling your energy use can have a big impact on your bottom line—or on the line of a business building you manage.

Western Energy Control Solutions is the exclusive Southern California representative for Lutron Electronics, Inc. We can help you find the right light and energy control solution for your specific needs. Contact Matt Sedlock (matt@westernecs.com) or Jen Moore (jen@westernecs.com) with any questions, or to find out how we can help you better manage your energy resources—and put money back on the bottom line.

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Topics: Energy Control Solutions, Light Control System, Energy Efficiency

Southern California Lighting Blog

This blog provides the latest news and information about Western Lighting & Energy Controls, its product lines, and other information to the lighitng industry.

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