DURHAM, N.C.—Cree, Inc. announced that it has demonstrated the brightest, most efficient, LED-based A-lamp that can meet Energy Star performance requirements for a 60 watt standard LED replacement bulb. This level of performance is the result of Cree TrueWhite Technology and patented Cree remote phosphor technology.  “This is a significant milestone for the industry,” said Chuck Swoboda, Cree chairman and CEO. “In the race to commercialize low-cost, energy-efficient LED bulbs, the industry has forgotten that LED lighting is supposed to look as good as the technology it is replacing. This is the first no compromise replacement for a 60...

PHILADELPHIA—LED Saving Solutions, a supplier of U.S. made high-performance LED lighting, is offering $10 million in grant incentives to private companies to jump-start conversion from energy wasting traditional lighting to more energy efficient LED lighting. The Green Light Program provides private companies and nonprofit organizations in the United States with up to $10,000 in grant funds to be used toward an LED lighting retrofit.  “This grant program is not some Santa’s list rewarding companies that have been nice to the environment,” says Charlie Szoradi, president of LED Saving Solutions. “This is about introducing a simple and measurable way to...

SAN FRANCISCO—As part of its Solid-State Lighting Technology Demonstration GATEWAY Program, the U.S. Department of Energy recently released the results of a Light-Emitting Diode (LED) Retrofit Lamp study conducted at the InterContinental San Francisco. The study was prepared by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. At the hotel, multi-lamp linear wall-grazing luminaires, mono-point track lights, and recessed adjustable downlights, all using either 20W or 30W halogen MR16 lamps, were retrofitted with 6W LED MR16 replacement lamps by CRS Electronics. In addition, two kinds of recessed downlights using 75W halogen PAR30 lamps were retrofitted with 11W LED PAR30 replacement lamps by Philips...

SATELLITE BEACH, FLA.—Lighting Science Group recently became the first U.S. company to domestically manufacture one million LED bulbs in less than a year. The one millionth bulb is a new ultra-efficient, omni-directional LED A19 bulb that will replace America’s most commonly used 60 watt incandescent bulb. Available beginning this month, Lighting Science Group’s 850 lumen, 13 watt LED bulb is 75 percent more efficient than the 60 watt incandescent bulb it replaces and will last close to 23 years—based on a usage of 6 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days/year. The new 60 watt equivalent LED bulb...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) updated its guidance on how to properly clean up a broken compact fluorescent lamp (CFL). Included with the guidance is a new consumer brochure with CFL recycling and cleanup tips. EPA encourages Americans to use CFLs for residential lighting to save energy and prevent greenhouse gas emissions that lead to global climate change. CFLs contain a small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing. When a CFL breaks, some of the mercury is released as vapor and may pose potential health risks. The guidance and brochure will provide simple, user friendly...

DALLAS—An interactive dashboard that integrates in-room electronic systems and status including occupancy, locks, safes, lighting, energy management and more, allows hotel properties to manage subsystems remotely over the hotel LAN or Web-based connection. This software-based system, Integrated Room Control Dashboard, is an integral part of Orion by VingCard Elsafe, the new intelligent energy management solution from VingCard Elsafe. The energy management system was designed to automatically control temperature settings as guests travel in and out of their rooms, thereby reducing energy costs while ensuring guest comfort. As it integrates with a hotel’s wireless online locks, safes, lights and other networked...

BALTIMORE—SavWatt USA, Inc. announced that it will sell LED T-8 fluorescent tube replacements. SavWatt’s 16 Watt , 4 foot, T-8 LED tube will replace a typical 40 watt fluorescent tube (includes ballast), providing immediate energy savings of 60 percent, which does not include savings for service and replacement costs. Based on an average energy cost of 15 cents per kilowatt, the tube will have a 24 month payback. SavWatt LED tubes consume low power. Power efficiency reaches 90 percent, with energy savings of 60 percent compared with traditional fluorescent tubes. Tubes contain no ultraviolet, infrared ray radiation, mercury or heat...

BOSTON—In the early stages of an $18 million renovation project, one that will see a complete guestroom and corridor redesign, the 38-story, 803-room Westin Copley Place in Boston is preparing to add to its long list of environmental achievements. In 2010 the property earned Green Key and Green Seal certification, an Energy Star rating, and significantly reduced its energy consumption, water consumption and waste sent to landfill. The hotel’s green team, which deserves much of the credit for the accomplishments, is led by Jeff Hanulec, director of engineering, an industry veteran constantly on the lookout for ways to improve operational...

SAN MARCOS, TEXAS—Philips Wide-Lite, a leading manufacturer of sustainable lighting products, unveils a new family of indoor and outdoor RGB LED floodlights that allows users to simply “paint” with light—thanks to four levels of dynamic color-mixing control. Designers seeking to better integrate lighting solutions with dynamic color mixing schemes now have the flexibility and diversity to do so, thanks to the innovative Color-Tune technology that TAG offers. Color-Tune allows the user to control everything directly at the fixture. Simply power up a TAG luminaire for the first time and 16 million color possibilities are available. Push the Color-Tune button to...

SMITHBURG, MD.—Noventri recently announced their latest digital signage product offering—packaged digital signage systems for menu boards that are used by hotels, convention centers, and restaurants. The Eco-Menu Board digital signage packages contain all the needed hardware and software for a complete digital signage application that is up and running quickly. The Eco-Menu Board package provides dynamic pricing and food item updates as well as FDA compliance. Both offer streamlined convenience for customers and staff. Each digital signage package is a simple ‘plug and play’ solution and includes: LCD Display, 32”, 42”, 52” or 55” options; a display mount; an Eco-Series...