Program helps cut utility costs
By Tim Simmers, BUSINESS WRITER
Inside Bay Area
MENLO PARK (April 29, 2005)- THE PUBLISHER of Sunset Magazine has long promoted energy efficiency in its magazine articles about homes. But the company on Friday just flipped the switch on its own new low-cost, energy-efficient lighting system as part of an Earth Day celebration.
On a bright, sunny day overlooking a fragrant garden of peach-colored roses, Sunset announced that it is part of the official launch of a new program to help small businesses in San Mateo County significantly reduce their utility costs.
The program, called RightLights, has been funded with $7 million from the nonprofit Ecology Action to help small businesses install energy-efficient lighting and fixture upgrades at little or no out-of-pocket cost.
Sunset's system is expected to save the "magazine of Western living" and its publishing operations some
$52,000 a year in utility costs, or about $367,000 over seven years. There will be additional savings in avoiding maintenance. And the avoided carbon dioxide emissions of the retrofit are the equivalent annually to planting 46 acres of trees or taking the emissions of 29 cars out of the air, program officials said.
"The quality of our new lighting is dramatically improved," said Tony Soria, facilities supervisor at Sunset,which employs 140 people at its Menlo Park headquarters. "Employee feedback has been very positive and so are the savings."
RightLights started in Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito counties and delivered nearly $2 million in lighting-efficiency upgrades to small businesses, most of which employ fewer than 10 people. This business segment has been hit hard by rising energy costs yet is a prime engine for generating local jobs.
RightLights is expanding into San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. The group already has quietly upgraded the lighting efficiency of 400 small businesses in San Mateo County, and after its official launch Friday said it could install new lights and fixtures in 700 to 800 San Mateo County businesses by the end of the year, program manager Gene Thomas said. The program has served 2,000 businesses so far.
"This can make a huge difference environmentally and save companies ongoing money for utility bills," Thomas said.
Most companies receive an 80 percent rebate for the costs, and it's often free.
Thomas said the average cost for the upgrade is about $1,200, and businesses often pay about 15 percent out-of-pocket costs. Sunset's elaborate system cost about $32,000. The company received a rebate of $19,000 and recovered the rest in six months of utility bill savings, Soria said.
John and Lisa Hunt, who run the $1.25 store in Foster City, just got lighting put into their store and are saving $700 a month in utility costs.
"It cost nothing and it really improved the look of the store," said Lisa Hunt, who sells linens, glassware, kitchen utensils and other items that receive merchandising help from brighter lighting.
Cindy Smith, owner of Cindy's Flowers & Gifts in Menlo Park, also received an upgrade. She expects to save $200 a month.
"Lighting in flowers is everything," Smith said.
Other local businesses already helped in the county include Una Mas taqueria in Menlo Park and Mountain Mike's Pizza in Redwood City and Belmont.
The program replaces inefficient lighting with more natural lighting that also reduces pollution and conserves energy.
The program is funded by California ratepayers under the auspices of the state Public Utilities Commission, with monies set aside from ratepayers.
"This program is the right thing to do," said state Assemblyman Ira Ruskin of Menlo Park. "This is essential to work with small businesses."
To qualify, a business has to be a PG&E customer and use less than 500 kilowatts of electricity.
For more information on eligibility, call (888) 846-5050 or go to RightLights.org.
Tim Simmers can be reached at (650) 348-4361 or tsimmers@sanmateocountytimes.com. |
