With all the talk about improving the environment and reducing our dependence on foreign oil and its ties to national security, many companies are wondering how they can help without putting further strain on their financial situation.

And while some companies have elected to lay-off employees or reduce benefits as a way to combat decreased orders and reduced revenues, there’s another way that results in free cash flow and a better work environment for workers.

We call it replacing the low-hanging fruit. Our customers have called it a worthwhile cause.

Most people simply call it what it is: Replacing inefficient, high-intensity discharge lighting with Orion’s high-intensity fluorescent technology.

The change can mean dramatic energy reductions — in consumption and in costs — a safer work environment and a reduction in your company’s carbon footprint.

High-intensity discharge, or HID, lighting consume on average 465 watts of electricity, whereas Orion’s high-intensity fluorescent, or HIF, technology uses 221 watts, cutting your consumption, and costs, by about 50 percent. And despite the decrease in energy consumption, HIF technology produces increased light with better quality, often described as sunlight at noon.

In addition to better lighting, Orion’s HIF technology stays cool, meaning maintenance crews don’t have to wait for the lighting to cool before servicing. In comparison, HIDs operate at about 1,000 degrees, which can cause severe burns without a proper cool down period, which means having lights off for a sometimes significant period of time.

Because HIF technology operates at a cool temperature, you’ll also save on cooling costs during summer months or in freezer applications because you won’t have to offset the heat produced by high-intensity discharge lighting.

And HIF technology is modular, meaning users can quickly and easily add controls that can automatically and intelligently turn on and off lights as needed, increasing energy and cost savings. The modularity means the technology doesn’t have to be hardwired to your branch circuit, making installation a breeze.

One of the most often noticed benefits of HIF technology is the instant-on capability. Most HID lights take upwards of 20 minutes to warm up and produce full light (which often pales in comparison to the lighting produced by HIFs). Orion’s technology turns on instantly.

Another popular distinction between HIF and HID is the lighting color. Inefficient HIDs often produce a yellow-orange tint, while HIDs provide a clear, crisp colored light.

So instead of taking drastic measures to save money, give us a call and see what we can do to reduce your costs, increase employee morale and reduce your carbon footprint.

Tags: energy efficienty, HID, HIF

This entry was posted on Friday, February 5th, 2010 at 4:29 pm and is filed under Energy Efficiency. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.