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New York Times' Green Lighting System Reduces Energy Use by More Than 70 Percent - Now on ElectricTV.net

Posted on: Wednesday, 26 August 2009, 16:07 CDT

BETHESDA, Md., Aug. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Cutting energy use by half is a commendable feat for any business. But an innovative lighting system installed by NECA contractors and IBEW electricians in the New York Times' new 52-story headquarters is delivering energy savings of more than 70 percent per square foot, according to recently released performance figures. That story and more are among the features on the latest edition of ElectricTV.net. A joint production of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), ElectricTV.net is the only web TV program dedicated to reporting the latest developments in the electrical construction and information systems industries.

The New York Times' skyscraper tower, covering 1.6 million square feet, sits between 40th and 42nd streets in New York City, the last major tower developed as part of Times Square's revitalization. The building was designed to use 1.28 watts per square foot of lighting, but with the installation of a state-of-the-art total lighting management system by the NECA/IBEW team, actual usage has been significantly reduced to only .38 watts per square foot. That's a decrease of more than 70 percent, according to performance data released by Lutron Electronics Co., Inc., whose Quantum lighting system is featured in the building. The reduction translates to yearly savings of about $30,000 per floor -- almost $600,000 total -- and the elimination of 1,250 metric tons of CO2 annually.

"Total light management is the single greatest opportunity for energy savings in new or retrofit buildings," says Glenn D. Hughes, director of construction for The New York Times Company. Integral to the system are radiometers mounted on a rooftop mast to measure the power of the sun, as well as global luminance sensors that gauge the brightness of the sky. "We wouldn't be able to run the system without the knowledge of what the sky conditions are," says Hughes. Specific lighting levels on each floor are automatically adjusted based on available sunlight, with lights turned on, dimmed or off, while occupancy sensors extinguish unnecessary lights when spaces are vacant.

To view the story, visit www.ElectricTV.net/newyorktimes.

Also on this edition of ElectricTV.net are segments on a new learning program that's bringing an online dimension to electrical worker training; a feature on how the movement toward creating a "smart grid" is maximizing efficiency in electrical transmission; an investigation detailing how building owners and managers are boosting operations and lowering costs through computer-based automation; and a spotlight on how the NECA/IBEW team is helping to turn America's landfills into sources of alternative energy

ABOUT NECA AND IBEW

Through their joint marketing organization -- the National Labor-Management Cooperation Committee (NLMCC) of the organized electrical construction industry -- NECA and IBEW together work to:

• Reach customers with accurate information about the industry; and
• Achieve better internal communication between labor and management.
  

NECA has provided over a century of service to the $130 billion electrical construction industry that brings power, light and communication technology to buildings and communities across the United States. NECA's national office and 119 local chapters advance the industry through advocacy, education, research and standards development.

With 725,000 members who work in a wide variety of fields -- including construction, utilities, telecommunications and manufacturing -- IBEW is among the largest member unions in the AFL-CIO. IBEW was founded in 1891.

For more information, visit www.thequalityconnection.org.

SOURCE NLMCC

Source: PR Newswire

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