SOLAR TODAY - May 2011

As a result of the upgrades, the shop floor is well-lit with new Orion Apollo light pipes and lighting fixtures. Because of supplemental daylighting, each fixture had only two of six lamps lit when this photo was shot.

the use of manual controls was effective. For most rooms, passive infrared sensors worked well, as there is a straight line of sight between sensor and occupant. Areas with obstacles (such as a parts rack);required;more;expensive;ultrasonic;sensors. For corridors, just removing two of three lamps effectively reduced energy use, while maintaining adequate;lighting.

Upgrades Generate Savings,
Public Kudos

The daylighting and energy-efficiency upgrade;resulted;in;some;significant;benefits: •;Greater;productivity;due;to;higher;lighting;lev-els;and;natural;light;

•;Immediate;and;automatic;lighting;response;

•;Lower;energy;bills,;as;lamps;are;off;when;day-lighting;is;adequate;or;an;area;is;vacant,;BAAC has more efficient lamps and fixtures, and unneeded;lamps;have;been;removed;

•;Less;demand;on;the;electric;grid,;especially during bright, sunny days, when the grid may be stressed due to high temperatures and high air-conditioning;loads;;and •;Recognition;for;BAAC’s;environmental;stew-ardship.

The;chart;below;illustrates;the;direct;effect of our conservation efforts. Annual energy use decreased;from;121;megawatt-hours;(MWh);aver- age;in;2007;through;2009;to;a;projected;74;MWh. That;represents;a;savings;of;47;MWh;per;year, or;$6,980;at;15;cents;per;kilowatt-hour.;Under the;governor’s;EmPOWER;Maryland;initiative to reduce statewide enerwwgy consumption, the;local;utility;granted;$2,860;for;the;upgrades, lowering BAAC’s material and installation costs from;$29,452;to;$26,592.;As;mentioned,;these upgrades will pay off in less than four years.

Because most of the electricity in the mid-Atlantic region comes from burning coal, BAAC’s reduced energy demand means less coal-fired;power,;reducing;emissions;of;green-house;gases;and;other;pollutants.;The;upgrade will;decrease;carbon;dioxide;emissions;by;near- ly;600;tons;during;the;20-year;life;cycle;of;the upgrade.;(Based;on;0.675;tons;of;carbon;dioxide per;megawatt-hour;for;electricity;generation;in Maryland,;eia.doe.gov/pub/oiaf/1605/cdrom/ pdf/gg-app-tables.pdf,;table;C.1.)

“The energy-efficiency efforts of British
American Auto Care are important for the envi-
ronment and are reducing their carbon foot-
print,”;said;Orion;CEO;Neal;Verfuerth.;“While
the company is doing its part to
help the environment, they received
better;light;and;substantial;cost;sav-
ings, which make this project a win-
win;for;everyone.”
Brian;England’s;commitment;to
and actions for the environment led
to BAAC’s selection as one of five
Maryland;Green;Registry;Leadership
Award winners last July. ST

electricity to power electric lights. For now, we took;a;more;direct,;less;expensive;approach.

Last;April;BAAC;hired;Beltsville,;Md.-based
Hawkins;Electric;to;replace;each;of;the;22;metal
halide,;455-watt;fixtures;with;a;corresponding
In other interior areas of the build-
ing, Hawkins installed occupancy-
sensing;lighting;controls,;except;where;