Line 28: Line 28:
== Lighting Retrofit  ==
== Lighting Retrofit  ==


=== The Retrofits  ===


RCEA worked with Boll Weaver to retrofit all ballasts and bulbs at the shop. In total twenty four bulbs were replaced and twelve ballasts. The bulbs that were recommended by RCEA did not fit the needs of the business based on the color performance, and due to this an independent lighting contractor was used. The bulbs were replaced with True Color light bulbs, which had the same efficiency as the light bulbs recommended by RCEA. The nature of the products that are sold in the store require a more vivid color spectrum which required these special bulbs to be used.'''(good. move the rest of this below the outcomes, Ct6)'''  
RCEA worked with Boll Weaver to retrofit all ballasts and bulbs at the shop. In total twenty four bulbs were replaced and twelve ballasts. The bulbs that were recommended by RCEA did not fit the needs of the business based on the color performance, and due to this an independent lighting contractor was used. The bulbs were replaced with True Color light bulbs, which had the same efficiency as the light bulbs recommended by RCEA. The nature of the products that are sold in the store require a more vivid color spectrum which required these special bulbs to be used.'''(good. move the rest of this below the outcomes, Ct6)'''  

Revision as of 16:55, 10 December 2009

Template:115inprogress

Figure 1:Boll Weavers front window.

Background

About Boll Weaver

Figure 2:Crystal Dobbs showing off her yarn.

Boll Weaver (Figure 1) is owned by Crystal Dobbs (Figure 2) and has been in Eureka, California for 15 years. Boll Weaver is a textiles center, offering classes and materials for felting, weaving, crocheting, knitting, dyeing, and spinning looms. Redwood Coast Energy Authority (RCEA) worked with Boll Weaver on a lighting retrofit to replace old ballasts and CFL light bulbs with new, energy efficient CLF light bulbs and ballast systems. The building is 1400 square feet, with a storefront space where yarn and products are displayed, and a back room where classes are held. The lights in the store front are on an average of six hours a day, six days a week, and the classroom lights are used only when customers wish to see the looms or when classes are taking place. Boll Weaver also has a desktop computer, used to track orders and purchases, which also contributes to the business's energy consumption.

Technical Background

Definition of Technical Terms:

  • KWH:

This stands for kilowatt hours, which is a unit used to measure energy usage.

  • CO2:

Energy reduction is referred to in terms of CO2 reduction, as the majority of the energy used is produced from either coal or natural gas combustion, which produces CO2.

  • Ballast (Figure 3):
    Figure 3:Ballast controls voltage to light bulb. (Picture from www.wikihow.com ).

A lighting ballast can be any piece of equipment used to limit the flow of an electrical current through a light. [1]Wisegeek.com gives a complete definition of ballast.

  • True Color light Bulb (Figure 4):
Figure 4:True Color Light Bulb. (Picture courtesy of jerrysartarama.com )

A True Color light bulb has a higher temperature in the Kelvin Color Scale making it more similar to the light from the sun. A typical florescent bulb is between 3,000 and 5,000 K, where the True Color bulbs are around 6,000 K. The light from the sun on a clear, blue sky day is between 7,000 and 8,500 K. This gives the products illuminated by a True Color light bulb a more vibrant, "true" color. [2]


Lighting Retrofit

RCEA worked with Boll Weaver to retrofit all ballasts and bulbs at the shop. In total twenty four bulbs were replaced and twelve ballasts. The bulbs that were recommended by RCEA did not fit the needs of the business based on the color performance, and due to this an independent lighting contractor was used. The bulbs were replaced with True Color light bulbs, which had the same efficiency as the light bulbs recommended by RCEA. The nature of the products that are sold in the store require a more vivid color spectrum which required these special bulbs to be used.(good. move the rest of this below the outcomes, Ct6)


Outcome of the Retrofits

The overall outcome of the retrofits resulted in some savings, however they were less than the RCEA predicted. The average monthly KWH usage for the year prior to the retrofit (10/2007-9/2008) was 308 KWH, which amounts to about 162 lbs of CO2 produced per month (Table 1). The average monthly KWH usage the year following the retrofit (10/2008-9/2009) was 278 KWH, which amounts to about 146 lbs of CO2 per month (Table 1). This was calculated by finding the average KWH usage from September 2007 to August 2008 and comparing it with the average KWH usage from September 2008 to August 2009. To find the CO2 emitted, the average KWH use was multiplied by 0.5246lbsCO2/KWH. To find the monthly savings KWH was multiplied by the rate $0.16716/KWH. This is a yearly reduction of about 192 lbs of CO2 (Table 2) or a 10% reduction in energy use. The actual KWH energy savings per year were 28% of the predicted KWH savings.


Table 1 (Source: RCEA[3]):


Average Monthly kWh Usage
CO2 Produced Per Month
Before Retrofit
308 kWh
162 lbs/month
After Retrofit
278 kWh
146 lbs/month

      

Table 2 (Source RCEA):


Predicted
Actual
kWh Saved
1,308 kWh/year
360 kWh/year
Dollars Saved Per Month
$18.22
$5.01
CO2 Reduction
680 lbs/year
192 lbs/year
Total Cost
$1,933.00
$2,050.00
Payback Time
7.8 years
30 years


Figure 5:

KWHgraph.jpg

Clients Habits After the Retrofits

The habits of the client did not change after the retrofit, most in part because Ms. Dobbs had preexisting habits that were energy conscience. One of the major reasons that Ms. Dobbs went through with the retrofit was because of environmental impact, which Ms. Dobbs has always been a strong advocate for.

Boll Weaver's Motivation to Go Forward With the Retrofits

Ms. Dobbs went forward with the retrofit because she is an advocate of energy efficiency and needed to upgrade the lighting of the store, as the lighting was there since she opened her business 15 years ago. Ms. Dobbs did the retrofits for the idea of promoting energy efficiency more than for the money it would save. Ms. Dobbs would have liked to upgrade her lightning either way, but the push from RCEA made it a reality.

There is no need for further retrofits in relation to the lighting at the Boll Weaver because all of the lights were replaced.

Overall Experience With RCEA

Related Links

More about Kelvin Color Temperature

More about what impacts CO2 emission

Learn more about RCEA

References

  1. 
 J. Dellaporta. 
(06 October 2009), What is a Lighting Ballast?. (n.d.). wiseGEEK: clear answers for common questions. Retrieved November 10, 2009, from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-lighting-ballast.htm
  2. Tim Carter. (2009). Light Bulbs Alter True Colors . (n.d.). Ask the Builder - The Home Improvement Resource. Retrieved November 10, 2009, from http://www.askthebuilder.com/B101_Light_Bulbs_Alter_True_Colors_.shtml
  3. Redwood Coast Energy Authority. (2009). Welcome to the Redwood Coast Energy Authority website. (n.d.). Welcome to the Redwood Coast Energy Authority website. Retrieved November 12, 2009, from http://www.redwoodenergy.org/
Cookies help us deliver our services. By using our services, you agree to our use of cookies.