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Lighting California's Future's project on Improved Daylight Performance of Tubular Daylighting Devices (TDDs) is developing, demonstrating, and helping commercialize new diffuser elements that redirect a significant portion of the emitted daylight towards the ceiling and precisely filter and spread the rest, producing a direct/indirect luminaire effect. The result will be to increase the acceptance of TDD daylighting systems by introducing systems with luminance ratios that are closer to the accepted norms for interior spaces.
The project accelerates the development & release of new TDD diffuser options that address market barriers to daylight usage. Options include reducing direct glare from diffuser surfaces and increasing ceiling illumination. The goal of the research is to provide off-the-shelf daylighting solutions which support current visual comfort trends in commercial spaces.
Measurement and simulation of daylighting performance of standard TDDs included photopia models and ray trace analyses, as well as HDR verification of simulations.
Project partners are CLTC, SCE and Solatube International, Inc.
LCF Research will continue through 2009.
SOURCE: ArchEnergy.com
Lighting represents a large portion of a building's energy use.
Take charge of your energy costs with an energy audit for your facilities. As an Energy Star partner, Everblue Energy offers a comprehensive approach to improving energy efficiency and comfort, while protecting the environment. Whether your facility is warehouse or office space, retail or cubicles, we can help you reduce your energy costs.
Audits start with a top-to-bottom diagnostic inspection by a specially-trained technician using state-of-the art equipment & computer analysis software. An audit includes an inspection of internal processes along with an inspection of lighting, air-conditioning, heating, and other energy-intensive equipment.
Why should you conduct an Energy Audit?
• You want to increase profit
Energy savings go straight to your bottom line! Many savings can come from behavior changes, such as encouraging creative ways to use natural light...or turn off lights and equipment at night and during downtimes.
• You want to lower your utility bills
Good lighting solutions can lower energy bills for light by as much as 30%.
• You want to increase the comfort of your space
Quality lighting can not only reduce energy costs -- but improve your team's productivity and health -- thus reducing absenteeism.
• You are planning to remodel or upgrade
Getting an energy audit before your remodel can save you thousands of dollars with rebates, incentives and energy savings.
• You want to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental impact
Reduce your environmental impact in smart ways -- you'll be glad with each passing year if we work together to keep violent storms down, heat waves down and energy costs down.
• You want to reduce American reliance on foreign energy
We can rebuild a strong American infrastructure is every building block is strong, efficient and doesn't waste precious resources.
• You want to see what rebates and incentives that you can qualify for
Many cities, counties, state and even federal departments are offering rebates and incentives to replace high consumption lighting fixtures with CFLs, LEDs and other high efficiency models. Check with you lighting dealer, as well as your government environmental departments and utility companies to see what's available in your area. Programs vary widely by location...and program timing.
One company that provides energy audits is Everblue Energy, Charlotte, NC 28203
http://www.everblueenergy.com/commercialenergyaudits.html
 Proximity Hotel is a "green hotel" and the building's design and construction followed guidelines of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System,™ the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. Proximity Hotel’s goal is to attain the Gold or Platinum Certification. |
Here is a sampling of the 70+ sustainable practices at Proximity Hotel:
- Uses 41% less energy than a conventional hotel by using ultra efficient materials and the latest construction technology.
- Takes advantage of abundant natural lighting with large energy-efficient “operable” windows (7’4” square windows in guest rooms).
- Connects guests to the outdoors by achieving a direct line of sight to the outdoor environment for more than 97% of all regularly occupied spaces.
- Uses geothermal energy for the restaurant’s refrigeration equipment, instead of a standard water-cooled system, saving significant amounts of water.
- Will plant a green, vegetated rooftop on the restaurant to reduce the “urban heat island effect.” In other words, the green roof reflects the heat, thus reducing the amount of energy needed for refrigeration and/or air conditioning. It also slows the rain runoff and insulates the rooftop, keeping the building cooler overall.
