Chevron Petroleum Station Goes Green with Cree LED Lighting

Beaverton, Oregon's Highland Chevron gas station and ExtraMile food market recently underwent extensive eco-renovations, including the installation of energy-efficient interior and exterior LED lighting by Cree, Inc.The addition of Cree LED fixtures supports Highland Chevron's mission of becoming a zero-energy establishment.

Rebuilt from the ground up, the Highland Chevron store is fully lit with Cree LED luminaires under the exterior canopy and inside the convenience store--delivering energy savings estimated at nearly 70 percent over the old non-LED fixtures. According to Bob Barman, owner of the Highland Chevron, the indoor and outdoor LED lighting allows the station to consume a third less energy than typical 24-hour c-stores and petroleum stations.

Barman estimates that the new Cree luminaires should provide payback in 2.5 years and the financial savings just add-up after that. The Beaverton Chevron anticipates more than a decade of virtually maintenance-free operation.

"The payoff is more than what is saved in energy consumption and cost," said Barman. "The payoff is also intangible -- it's what your customers think of you as a leader in sustainability and how you think of yourself -- it's just the right thing to do."

"The only time I'm going to think about my lighting is when I'm showing it off," said Barman. "The high-quality LED light makes everything appear brighter and safer--and that translates into a better customer experience."

Twenty-four Cree 304 Series(TM) recessed canopy luminaires with petroleum symmetric optics replaced the original 368-watt metal halide fixtures on the fueling canopy. Based on BetaLED(R) Technology, the 105-watt 304 Seriesluminaires provide superior NanoOptic(R) lighting control with little to no spill-off into neighboring areas, helping Highland Chevron comply with local light pollution ordinances. In addition, 330-watt fluorescent fixtures were replaced by 27 Cree 304 Series pendant-mount luminaires in the ExtraMile food market.

Other green features of the gas station and convenience store include 180 solar panels on the fueling canopy and store rooftop, capable of delivering nearly one-third of a typical gas station's electricity needs. Highland Chevron also installed a geothermal well that exchanges heat through groundwater to naturally cool water for the store's refrigeration cases, while water pipes store heat from cooling units underground for hot water usage.

"Energy efficient and near maintenance-free LED lighting is ideal for the 7/24 operations of gas stations and convenience stores," said Andy Strickland, Cree vice president, petroleum lighting. "Cree's LED products offer the Beaverton Chevron early payback and financial savings over their lifetime -- they are the best choice for c-stores and gas stations."

Small fixes could lead to big savings on energy bills

Hot or cold, winter or summer our energy bills can go thru the roof. But there are some small and simple things you can do now to keep those energy bills low throughout the year. Tommy noel went to a home improvement store and got some tips to stretch your dollar.

The small things make a big difference. Simple fixes at your home can translate to hefty savings on your electric bill.

Air filters now use a one to ten rating system. Normal is around seven, but if you want to save money and energy, "you want the top of the line, and you increase that filter performance to a nine or ten," said the experts at Home Depot.

Air filters with nine or ten ratings also last much longer, around six months instead of the typical two to three months.

Next up: caulking. Lots of air seepage occurs at your sink, tub, and windows. Just a simple application of these sealers will allow you to save yearly on your electric bills. When you head to the store, you may skip the typical latex caulk next go around.

"With silicone, unlike the latex acrylic, it gives a better bondage, it holds for more years of time, prevents more mildew," said the expert.

Plus you can paint over it.

Along those lines, expansion foam fills the gap in the larger, draftier areas. You save money, save energy, plus it's fun to use!

Light bulbs may be getting more expensive, but in the long run, you'll use less wattage and save a few bucks here and there.

LED lights are commonly used during the holidays, but now they're used to light your home and they last for decades.

"You look at the LED lights; these lights may outlast the life existence of you and I. I hope I can live longer than 22 years, but yeah," said the experts.

A 40 watt LED light only uses around 13 watts of energy, plus they're dimmable.

Finally, now may be a good time to check on the weather stripping. If you have an older home - like 15 years - it is time to go through and checkout the weather stripping and release it all. And don't forget all the air that escapes under the door. Door sweepers solve that issue.

Just a few small fixes here and there can really add up to more money in your wallet.

Magnalight Announces Release of 150 Watt Pedestal Mount Hazardous Location LED Light

Larson Electronics' Magnalight announced today the release of a pedestal mounted 150 watt LED hazardous location light designed for easy deployment and illumination of large areas.

Constructed with an aluminum pedestal base and wet area suitable LED fixture, the HAL-PM-1X150LED-100 hazardous location light can illuminate up to 18,000 square feet of workspace. This portable LED pedestal light is an ideal solution for operators who desire an effective alternative to hotter running 400 watt metal halide work area lights.

The HAL-PM-1X150LED-100 Pedestal Mounted LED Light from Magnalight is designed to provide easy deployment and high power in a portable and hazardous location approved package. The 150 watt LED lamp assembly in this unit produces 14,790 lumens and is housed within an aluminum fixture equipped with a hinged and heat/impact-resistant tempered glass door for easy servicing and rugged reliability.

This lamp will illuminate 18,000 square feet of workspace with bright white light and is an ideal alternative to less durable, less efficient, and hotter running metal halide work lights. The lamp assembly is mounted within an aluminum pedestal base that is designed to allow operators to easily carry the unit from one location to another and simply set it down and plug it in to begin operation. This unit is extremely easy to deploy and is very stable when placed on flat surfaces and the aluminum construction resists corrosion and will not rust.

The cool operation of the LEDs in this unit means there is no worry of accidental burns, and with no glass bulb, durability and resistance to damage from impacts or dropping is greatly improved compared to HID work lights. Magnalight also includes 100 feet of SOOW cord equipped with an explosion proof plug with this unit, providing plenty of length for moving the light around the work area.

Rated Class 1 Division 2 Groups C and D, and approved for wet areas and marine environments, this portable LED work light is an excellent addition to any industrial professionals lighting inventory and provides excellent protection against inadvertent ignition in atmosphere where explosive potential may exist.

"This hazardous area rated light is powerful, lightweight and sturdy, enabling operators to put it on the floor or carry it to the top of the scaffolding for area illumination. Finally, this Class 1 Division 2 LED light runs cool to the touch, which is ideal for operators using the light in close quarters."

LED Innovator Relume Technologies Closes $7M Financing Round

Relume Technologies, a manufacturer of light-emitting diode (LED) products and smart grid control systems for outdoor lighting, has closed its $7 million Series D financing round.

Farmington Hills-based Beringea, which led the round, invested $3.2 million. San Jose, Calif.-based Western Technology Investment and other existing investors comprised the remainder of the round.

"Relume has seen tremendous growth over the past year, as evidenced by recent sales in multiple municipalities, new product launches and several key additions to our engineering team," said Crawford Lipsey, CEO for Relume. "These funds will allow us to build up our sales and manufacturing infrastructure and further expand our team."

Relume's LED products and lighting control systems are used in street and area lighting, commercial signage, outdoor advertising, transportation and U.S. military applications and improve a city's operating costs, commerce and resident safety. Relume's LED luminaries feature superior thermal management and low LED junction temperatures ― key to long LED life ― and enabling Relume to offer a market-leading 7-year product warranty.

"Relume is growing rapidly ― it roughly doubled its revenue in 2011 ― and through its innovative technology and world-class management team, Relume is poised to secure a dominant position in the outdoor LED lighting market," said Jeff Bocan, managing director for Beringea.

"Given the company's marquee customer base and accelerating sales traction, WTI is pleased to support Relume's impressive ongoing growth," said Maurice Werdegar, partner of Western Technology Investment.

Relume has installed outdoor lighting solutions in more than 1,000 outdoor facilities, producing up to a 50 percent energy savings per product. The company's customers include Starbucks Coffee, US Cellular, McDonalds, Chase, Best Buy, and Lexus, among others. In addition, Relume has re-lit many cities across the country, including Ann Arbor; Arlington, Va.; Canton, Ohio, and West Nottingham Township, Pennsylvania.

Relume is a founding member of the Michigan Solid State Lighting Association, and supports the organization's mission of ensuring that Michigan is a global leader in solid-state lighting, research and development, and manufacturing. Relume was recently recognized as one of Michigan's 50 Companies to Watch by the Edward Lowe Foundation.

Creating landmarks, making a statement

Technology can now create landmarks, or define those that history has made. Think about the landmarks that put a city, a neighborhood, a shopping district, or even a country in your mind. Do you remember them because of a statue, a structure, or an image created by new lighting technology? More likely the image comes to mind because of creative lighting that defines the structure or the whole area as what else – a landmark!

The thought of many cities come to our minds because of meticulous – and stunning – lighting. With the development of the Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology, more structures have been elevated to become icons that literally put cities on the tourism map.

In the domestic scene, LED technology, now a popular choice for outdoor, hospitality, retail and home lighting solutions – has changed lifestyles, influenced choices and encouraged more social activities. If that sounds too dramatic a change, think about one seemingly insignificant event – walking or running at night. More people do that around the public parks, even around commercial centers, because the lighting inspires a feeling of being safe.

Another example: our choices to buy certain things are now influenced by the way products are presented – and part of that package is supported by lighting.

"The value of lighting has changed in society. We have entered a new era, in which light can do more than simply illuminate. The lighting industry is experiencing a major revolution with Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology," said Rowena Lee, head of marketing, and Vice President, Philips Commercial Lighting, Emerging markets.

"Thanks to considerable research and investment by companies such as Philips, the technology and design have continuously advanced over the years. As LEDs offer more variety in shapes, sizes and even colors, users have even more choices to personalize their lighting needs in different environments such as homes, buildings, offices, and even outdoor. This also opens up and changes the way people use and experience light," she explained.

One of the most remarkable ways that has made lighting an experience is its use as a solution to creating "a vibrant, interesting, safe and efficient city to enhance its unique identity and make it more attractive."

Ms. Lee credits that to the energy efficient characteristic of LED technology. "With an increasing awareness of environmental issues, there will be a greater imperative to switch to energy efficient lighting sources, paving the way for greater adoption and development of LED lights. Not only can it significantly reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions while saving costs, but LED lighting solutions also provide a better light quality that enhances people's lives at work, in the city, on the road and at home."

In the Philippines, the vibrant effect of LED technology is demonstrated by Philips through the Peoples Power Shrine along EDSA. In other parts of the world, Philips has illuminated the world's largest spherical building, the Globe Arena in Stockholm, the world's largest observation wheel, the Singapore Flyer, and the world's tallest free-standing CN Tower in Toronto, Canada with LED-based solutions!