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LED's Now Light U.S. Pentagon

Washington, DC — Cree Inc. announces that more than 4,200 LR24 recessed LED luminaires are planned for installation in Wedge 5 of the Pentagon as part of a major renovation currently underway. In a signing ceremony at the Pentagon, John J. Kubricky, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Advanced Systems and Concepts, and Albert C. Ellet, acting director of the Washington Headquarters Service responsible for overseeing the renovation, signed an intra-departmental Memorandum of Agreement kicking-off the initiative to install LED lighting in the Pentagon.

The Cree LR24 luminaires have undergone extensive government testing and business-case analysis, including a preliminary Pentagon installation to meter the fixtures and compare the results to the alternative fluorescent technology. This independent analysis demonstrated a 22-percent reduction in energy usage and improved light quality.

The business-case analysis yielded a payback of less than four years. The payback analysis considered energy savings, lifetime maintenance savings, savings from reduced load on the HVAC system, and elimination of hazardous waste disposal fees for mercury-laden fluorescent bulbs. Extensive modeling was also performed to determine optimal lighting design — analyzing the light distribution and spacing to ensure superior lighting and energy efficiency. The Wedge 5 installation is estimated to save 140 tons of CO2 emissions per year.

"The U.S. federal government is taking a leadership role in energy efficiency for federal buildings both through existing mandates, as well as President Obama's American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan, which calls for the renovation of public buildings to make them more energy efficient," said Chuck Swoboda, Cree chairman and chief executive officer. "Installations of highly efficient, low-maintenance LED lighting, like these in the Pentagon and in the U.S. Federal Reserve, demonstrate that the future of energy-efficient lighting is here today."

OSHA, IEC Renew Alliance

Washington, DC — Employers and employees in the electrical industry will benefit from a fact sheet and slide presentation on OSHA's Electrical Standard Subpart S (29 CFR 1910) developed by the Independent Electrical Contractors, Inc. (IEC) through a recently renewed Alliance between the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and IEC.

The IEC fact sheet provides the electrical industry with a brief overview of the updates OSHA has made to this standard. It describes the revised standard's application to electrical installations, equipment, zone classification and entertainment venues such as carnivals, circuses and fairs. The IEC "Arc Flash Safety" presentation focuses on hot work and arc flash hazards and addresses topics including types of electrical hazards and how to protect oneself against shock and arc flashes or blasts.

Through the Alliance renewal signed in December 2008, OSHA and IEC will continue to provide IEC members and others in the construction industry with resources to protect employees' safety and health. The Alliance will specifically address reducing and preventing exposure to fall and arc flash hazards and electrical and motor vehicle safety issues.

"The information and tools this Alliance has developed over the past six years have provided safety and health resources to thousands of electrical industry employees," said Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Thomas M. Stohler. "Working together to develop and share best practices to reduce and prevent workplace injuries is an important part of OSHA's balanced approach to safety and health."