Benefits of TCO in Lighting
BGE Updates on Noteworthy Projects
Savings Done Right
The Hilton Baltimore hotel, located downtown next to the convention center and overlooking Oriole Park, boasts more than 700 rooms and 60,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including two ballrooms. With the goal of improving its operating efficiency, in 2013 the hotel partnered with the BGE Smart Energy Savers Program® to make energy-efficient lighting upgrades.
Through the program, Hilton Baltimore received more than $163,000 in financial incentives to install 1,388 LED PAR 30/38 lamps and 284 LED MR16 lamps. Hilton Baltimore also installed a new tunnel washer, which helped drastically reduce energy usage and heat output related to laundry services. As a result, the cost to process linens also decreased.
Bottom line: These energy efficiency upgrades are helping the hotel reduce costs and save energy to the tune of early 1.5 million kWh!
Energy Savings Tips for Property Management
The Value of Energy Efficiency
Energy use represents 19% of a typical office building's total expenditures. With about 62% of a building's energy usage going toward lighting, heating and cooling, energy efficiency is a critical solution for controlling operating expenses and maximizing a property owner's return on its investment.
Solutions for Property Managers
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Improve the quality of light for tenants by retrofitting fixtures during tenant fit-outs. Retrofitting old, inefficient lighting can reduce energy consumption by up to 50%.
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Take advantage of natural light on sunny days and reduce the lighting load in common areas (such as bathrooms, gyms, break rooms and offices) when not in use by installing lighting controls, daylight dimmers and occupancy sensors. This can save up to 30% of a building's lighting energy usage.
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Eliminate phantom loads from computers and office equipment and save up to 5% of a facility's plug load energy usage by installing smart power strips.
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Reduce energy consumption by up to 10% by replacing ice machines with energy-efficient models and by adding controls to beverage and snack vending machines.
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Save electricity through the cycling of components by adding a variable frequency drive to HVAC motors that power pumps and fans.
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Tune up HVAC systems to optimize energy performance and tenant comfort through retrocommissioning.
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Improve the market appeal of properties through enhanced lighting design and state-of-the-art control technologies.