GSA taps Lumenergi for retrofits

by Sara Stroud
Sustainable Industries

Newark, CA – February 9, 2010 – Lighting systems maker Lumenergi was tapped to supply technology for two retrofits for one of the country’s biggest property owners—the U.S. General Services Administration.

Newark-based Lumenergi makes hardware- and software-based lighting control systems that can reduce lighting-related energy costs by up to 70 percent, the company says.

For the GSA, Lumenergi is installing its ballasts and control systems in two federal buildings in the San Francisco Bay Area as part of the agency’s drive to increase the efficiency of its buildings. Lumenergi initially worked with GSA on a pilot project to find energy efficient technologies that the agency, which manages $30 billion in federal assets, could employ nationwide. The one-floor pilot is now being expanded throughout the two buildings—both courthouses and federal buildings.

The company’s systems include daylighting controls, advanced scheduling, lumen maintenance, occupancy sensing, demand response and personal controls. “People love having control over their own lighting—it’s a big deal,” says Peter Schwartz, Lumenergi’s vice president of business development.

The company estimates the U.S. market for ballasts and control systems is worth more than $700 million annually. In addition to government buildings, Lumenergi’s technology is well-suited to hospital, education and retail applications, Schwartz says.