Background

Brookfield Properties, a fully integrated, global real estate company, renovated The Short Pump Town Center, a premier open-air shopping mall located in the West End area of Richmond, Virginia. The updated center offers more than 140 stores and restaurants, and was designed to be a “community within a community.” The entire mall is pedestrian-friendly, featuring lush landscaping, heated pavilions, beautiful fountains, intimate seating areas, and even play areas for children. Brookfield Properties wanted to make sure that The Short Pump Town Center was the type of place that everyone in the community could safely enjoy.

Situation

Given the purpose for The Short Pump Town Center, it was important to Brookfield Properties to ensure that the mall was as safe in the evening as it was during the day. However, safety wasn’t the only priority, it was also important to improve the night-time aesthetics of the center. Brookfield Properties needed to incorporate an upgraded parking lot lighting solution that would lower energy costs, reduce maintenance costs, and improve light output to ensure customer safety. They came to Eco Engineering to help.

Solution

Eco Engineering performed the design and implementation for Brookfield Properties’ new parking lot lighting system. The new system features LED fixtures which significantly improved the photometric light distribution compared to the existing system. Prior to the upgrade, the parking lot at The Short Pump Town Center contained 137 parking lot light poles, each with four HID fixtures. Eco Engineering replaced each HED fixture with two, new LED fixtures. Additionally, the design allowed each new light fixture to be intelligently controlled. This meant that each fixture on a single pole could be set to operate at a different time, for example, one could be on during the operating hours of the center, while the other would operate only during off-hours from midnight until dawn. The controlled functionality of this system both maximizes energy savings and extends the life of the fixtures.

Background

Bunzl Distribution USA, Inc., provides food packaging, disposable supplies, cleaning, and safety products to food processors, supermarkets, non-food retailers, convenience stores, and more. Based in St. Louis, Missouri, Bunzl Distribution is the largest division of Bunzl plc, an international distribution and outsourcing group headquartered in London. Bunzl Distribution owns and operates more than 100 warehouses that serve all 50 states and Puerto Rico, as well as Canada, the Caribbean, and parts of Mexico.

Situation

Bunzl found that their Groveport, Ohio location was producing considerably higher energy bills than many of the other similarly-sized facilities in the US. After some inspection, they discovered that the Groveport facility, which is largely warehouse space, was using fluorescent light fixtures that were not only expensive to operate, but were also providing insufficient lighting in many of the areas where they were used. Given that the Groveport facility is largely warehouse space, Bunzl needed to find a reasonable solution for their application. The solution needed to provide excellent, energy-efficient lighting while still keeping in mind that many of the areas within the warehouse would not need to be constantly lit throughout the day.

Solution

For this project, Eco Engineering designed and implemented a lighting system that used the existing light fixtures and updated them with new LED lamps and drivers as part of a retrofit system. Occupancy sensors were also deployed to further enhance the energy savings by using the LED technology only as needed. The new lamps and drivers provide a brighter and safer workspace.

Background

The Dalton Convention Center, in Dalton, Georgia, is a multi-use regional facility. It features elegant ballrooms, versatile meeting rooms, and a lecture hall, as well as the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Dalton Convention Center even includes the Mashburn Arena, home court of the 2015 NAIA Champion Dalton State Roadrunners men’s basketball team.

Situation

The Dalton Convention Center was operating with incredibly outdated lighting technology, and the impact was starting to show. Their bookings started to drop, and they began hearing complaints from their patrons about buzzing ballasts, flickering lights, and dimmer issues. The problems weren’t localized to one section of the convention center – they prevailed throughout the entire facility, including the arena. In fact, the light quality in the arena was so poor that it was insufficient by TV broadcasting standards. In addition to the mechanical issues, energy costs for this system were high and system maintenance was significant.

Solution

To help Dalton Convention Center address this large undertaking, Eco Engineering designed and implemented a three-phase approach. This approach was based on comprehensive engineering-grade audits of the arena, banquet halls, and meeting spaces. The first phase addressed the meeting spaces. They were converted to reduced-wattage LED fixtures with improved color rendering. Eco Engineering connected the fixtures to occupancy sensors, dimmer controls, and a complete data dashboard to facilitate metered savings. Once the meeting rooms were complete, the banquet halls and arena soon followed.

The control panels for each of these lighting systems not only allowed for verification of energy savings, but they also enabled the pre-selection of up to a dozen different “scenes” for occasion-based lighting effects. The scenes were accessible by any internet-enabled device, allowing convention center personnel to address lighting throughout the center remotely. By the time the project was complete, the new lighting system quadrupled the light output at less than half the energy.

Background

Duke Energy makes life better for millions of people every day by providing electric and gas services in a sustainable way; it’s affordable, reliable, and clean. Duke is the largest electric power holding company in the United States, supplying and delivering energy to approximately 7.2 million U.S. customers. The Gibson Plant is the largest coal-fired plant in the US and has a 3.145 megawatt capacity.

Situation

Despite being the largest coal-fired plant in Duke Energy’s holdings, the Gibson Plant’s lighting system was outdated and dangerous. The lighting in the plant was high-pressure sodium HID technology which output yellow light, was slow to start or re-strike when hot and required new bulbs every 15,000-30,000 hours. Expensive, hot, dangerous, and…well…old. With a strong focus on employee safety, Duke knew they needed to improve this lighting system. They were looking for a system that could provide an improved working environment, lower maintenance costs, and energy savings.

Solution

Eco Engineering started by auditing the 300,000-square-foot area of the facility. The audit revealed a difficult situation; the area was a high-temperature environment (ambient up to 55c for some areas), with damp & wet locations, and high amounts of coal dust in the air. These are all ingredients for a perfect storm, and we knew that our design had to precisely account for each of these factors. As a result, we started by selecting LED fixtures with ratings for wet locations and that had various Classes of “Hazardous Location” ratings. The LED fixtures have multiple “drivers” (power sources), ensuring that the lights will still produce light even in the rarest failure. These fixtures also produce white light, which offers much better visibility and improves safety conditions. Finally, the new fixtures are “instant-on,” and they don’t require the 20-40 minute “hot re-strike” delay.

Additionally, many of the locations within the facility are difficult to access, as a result, the new LED light fixtures used in this project have fixtures have an unprecedented 10-year warranty, thus eliminating the ongoing maintenance/servicing costs of the existing lighting system. Beyond that, the optimized, engineering design of the system allowed Duke Energy to use fewer fixtures in some areas.

Background

Duke Realty Corporation (NYSE:DRE) owns and operates approximately 139 million rentable square feet of industrial and office assets, including medical space, in 18 major U.S. cities. As a leader in energy management strategies for the facilities industry, Duke has implemented energy efficiency programs across more than one-third of the firm’s 300+ office buildings.

Situation

The Towers of Kenwood, a multi-use office complex located in Cincinnati, had previously undergone basic lighting retrofits involving newer technologies. However, despite the relatively modern lighting system, Duke’s financial analysis showed that there was even more room for improvement. By implementing lighting controls, more efficient LED fixtures, and standardizing lamp types, The Towers of Kenwood would significantly reduce energy consumption and operating costs.

Solution

Eco Engineering put together a plan and financial projections based on a detailed, engineering-grade audit of the office complex. Both the design and the installation of this project faced two major hurdles:

First, the project had to account for highly customized, multiple-tenant needs related to lighting.

Second, within the Towers, there were sensitive areas, like stock trading floors or 24/7 radio stations – these were difficult to access.

We started this project by planning for those logistical challenges in the beginning. Next, we used energy efficient lighting throughout most of the office complex, specifically using ultra-efficient, low-wattage LED lamps and troffers. Then we selected and installed the appropriate LED technologies to replace stairwell fixtures, exit signs, and egress fixtures. Additionally, we incorporated various types of occupancy sensors throughout the entire facility, providing a customized framework for reducing the operating hours of fixtures on a space-by-space basis.

Background

EMD Millipore, a division of Merck, produces fine chemicals and additives for a variety of applications in the life sciences industry. As a global leader in Environmental and Social Responsibility, EMD Millipore is in the midst of a multi-year effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and divert a substantial tonnage of waste from landfills or incineration. They continue to develop and grow the industry’s leading Green Chemistry platform.

Situation

In its 20-building campus in Cincinnati, EMD Millipore has been updating its light fixtures on an as-needed basis. While this method has been mostly sufficient, it has also created occasional lighting failures resulting from old fixtures or blending different products. As a result, EMD was keenly aware that the entire campus, including exterior lighting areas, was in need of a new comprehensive lighting plan. They wanted to use new technology to maximize energy savings while providing a standardized framework to reduce operating expenses.

Solution

Eco Engineering based the entire design and accompanying financial projections on a detailed engineering-grade audit we performed of the EMD Millipore complex. The audit revealed that the spaces throughout the facility had diverse needs. As a result, we opted to use a variety of LED technologies to meet the specialized requirements for each of these unique spaces. Additionally, we used occupancy and motion controls to create a customized framework that would reduce the operating hours of fixtures on a space-by-space basis. We also installed special explosion-proof Class 1 LED fixtures in sensitive production areas.

In the exterior areas surrounding the buildings and parking garages, we upgraded their lighting system to long-lasting, energy-efficient LED products, helping to improve safety and lower maintenance costs.

The design and installation for this project were conducted in two phases to ensure there were no disruptions to production areas. Additionally, all old lighting was disposed of using the strict EPA standards to ensure the project was as eco-friendly and sustainable as possible.

Background

Cincinnati is one of America’s largest municipalities, and it is steeped in tradition and history dating back to the 1790s. The city center in Cincinnati is showcased by the Tyler Davidson fountain, a bronze statue gifted to the people of Cincinnati in 1881. The fountain and its surrounding square remain a central gathering place for the community. Recently preservation using modern technology has become a new municipal standard for the area.

Situation

When the city council endorsed a community-wide green initiative, the city began to evaluate ways they could improve their energy savings throughout all city-owned properties. Outdoor lighting, especially at Fountain Square, was quickly identified as a source where the city could both save energy and reduce city maintenance expenses. The fountain in Fountain Square utilized more than 65 high-wattage, incandescent flood lights. Aside from the energy drain of these lights, they output a tremendous amount of heat. As a result, the water from the fountain was needed to cool the fixtures. This meant that the display was inoperable during the winter months when the water was drained from the fountain to prevent damage from freezing. Moreover, since the floodlights were located beneath the water, they were prone to fixture corrosion, leaking, and electrical mishaps. Fountain Square needed a robust, long-term lighting solution that was not only energy efficient, but also maintained or improved the aesthetics of the surrounding area.

Solution

When the Cincinnati city council enlisted Eco Energy for this project, we quickly recognized that energy efficiency and aesthetics were not mutually exclusive. We replaced all existing lights with 90w LED color-changing floods with the ability to direct light – using fewer fixtures and less energy. Beyond that, we were able to address both their energy and aesthetic requirements with a single lighting system.

We enabled sixteen pre-programmed shows through the LED displays, changing colors for different seasons, holidays, and events. The LED solution deployed lamps rated for over 50,000 hours of use, capable of generating significant reductions in city maintenance expenses in addition to energy efficiency savings. The LED lights also maintained cooler temperatures so they could be used without the water, and by design, they were protected from leaking, corrosion, and electrical mishaps.