Credit: HRES
Until the summer of 2008, the three kitchens and basement hallways of the Harvard Faculty Club were lighted like most other commercial kitchens: with four-foot standard 30 Watt T8 lamps and standard efficiency electronic ballasts. Based on the long run hours of these fixtures, Office for Sustainability (OFS) Green Building Services determined that replacing lamps and ballasts with the highest efficiency products available would result in significant energy reductions.
Over 80 fixtures were re-lamped with high efficiency 28 Watt T8s and re-ballasted with high efficiency low ballast factor ballasts. Simple payback was calculated at under one year. Now, the kitchen still looks the same, with one essential difference: the new lights are saving over $600 annually (based on $0.14/kWh cost of electricity), and generating less greenhouse gasses.
OFS Green Building Services facilitated a competitive bid process and oversaw the project management, including application for NSTAR incentives. Light levels were measured before and after the installation to ensure that the work areas complied with health code safety standards.
The new lights are saving over $600 annually...and generating less greenhouse gasses. 