We have over 6,000 lamps in our building, and all but 26 have readily available low-mercury/ high efficiency counter parts. The 26 in question are "mini candelabras" .... They are 250W, T4 bulb size, No Hg, 5,000 lumens, and rated for 1,000 - 2,000 hours. We have asked the major suppliers (G.E., Phillips, and Sylvania) and there is nothing can replace it. They are located throughout the building, not just in any areas we are exempting via the 10% rule.... Any thoughts on how to treat them?
Thanks so much!
Jason Franken
Sustainability ProfessionalLEEDuser Expert
608 thumbs up
November 12, 2012 - 3:02 pm
Elizabeth, if the mini-candelabras are zero-mercury lamps, why are you trying to find replacements? Is the focus on finding an option that uses less energy?
Elizabeth Crenshaw Hammitt
Environmental CoordinatorEPB
75 thumbs up
November 12, 2012 - 4:08 pm
Hi Jason,
Yes - the focus would be on less energy,...In the reference guide, it states that no mercury lamps must be as efficient as a mercury containing counterpart....but in our situation, that does not seem possible...
Jason Franken
Sustainability ProfessionalLEEDuser Expert
608 thumbs up
November 12, 2012 - 4:28 pm
Got it. While I appreciate your intent to find a more efficient alternative for these lamps, this is such a small quantity relative to your total lamp inventory (less than 0.5%) that any adjustment you may make will probably not result in a measureable change in energy consumption.
In the past, I've interpretated this credit language as stating that 90% of the total lamp count must be addressed by the performance plan, regardless of the location of each lamp in the building and associated grounds. I'm willing to bet you could exclude these 26 lamps, state that your plan covers 99.5% of lamps in the building and be done with it.
I'm interested to hear if anyone else has thoughts on this approach.