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This project focuses on testing and demonstrating both the hardware and Cloud versions of theSMDS under field conditions. The objectives for testing and demonstrating the hardware are to 1) characterize the performance of the SMDS technology, 2) estimate the savings-to-cost ratio for demonstration units, and 3) characterize the usability of the SMDS including ease of installation and use. The SMDS provides information to the user, but to realize savings, actions must be taken by the user. The hardware demonstrations seek to discover how effective information is in influencing actions, including which faults generate the most servicing actions by the user.

These field demonstrations are of prototype SMDS units, which have not yet completed the product development process. These early demonstration projects are critical to understanding SMDS performance in the field and to gaining a better understanding of the potential performance or user interface enhancements needed in the next generation SMDS units. Conclusions related to the larger commercial building market, such as the incidence of performance degradation and specific faults and the energy savings resulting from addressing them are beyond the scope of this study and not compatible with the current stage of SMDS development.

The demonstration was performed separately for the hardware and Cloud versions of the SMDS. Both demonstrations involved selecting buildings, installing the required hardware (although it requires less hardware, the Cloud version requires sensors and cell modems), collecting and processing data, and viewing and tabulating results. Details of the procedures are presented later in this report.

One of the nation’s largest schools serving over 60,000 students, the University of Minnesota (U of M) is upgrading the lighting at all 18 parking ramps and garages on its Minneapolis campus. In the Northrop Auditorium Garage, a small 24,000 square foot facility with 75 parking spots, U of M replaced low-wattage high-pressure sodium fixtures with high efficiency, lower- wattage LED fixtures with lighting controls. This Lighting Energy Efficiency in Parking (LEEP) Campaign Award winning project achieved 90% energy savings by upgrading to LEDs with lighting controls.

When it comes to achieving significant sustainability gains, an international retail giant has unique opportunities to cut energy use. With a total of 4,500 sites, Walmart’s commitment to efficiency in parking lighting in new construction and retrofits is paying off in major savings.

As a result of its lighting upgrades Walmart received individual Lighting Energy Efficiency in Parking (LEEP) Campaign awards for a superstore, a neighborhood market and a Sam’s Club. Across 100 stores including both new and retrofitted sites, over 40 million square feet in surfaces for parking and over 100,000 parking spaces, Walmart is saving over 15 million kWh each year as a result of lighting upgrades.

With 7 hospitals and 22 physician locations serving more than 9 Wisconsin counties, ThedaCare has ample room to implement and reap the benefits of building efficiency measures. At the Appleton Medical Center, ThedaCare’s Lighting Energy Efficiency in Parking (LEEP) Campaign Award winning project involved replacing inefficient medium-wattage HID lighting fixtures at a 126,000 square foot parking structure with high efficiency low-wattage LED fixtures. The resulting energy savings exceed 80 percent of the previous usage. A 100-year old company and the third largest health care employer in Wisconsin, ThedaCare has now implemented LED exterior lighting throughout Appleton Medical Center.

The JBG Companies (JBG), an investor, owner, developer, and manager of real estate in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area, achieved almost 50% energy savings compared to energy code by using a combination of high efficiency LEDs coupled with lighting controls for the parking structure at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Shady Grove in Maryland. The NCI
parking structure was recognized by the Lighting Energy Efficiency in Parking (LEEP) Campaign for the Highest Percentage Energy Savings in a Single Parking Structure (New Construction)
and Highest Absolute Annual Energy Savings in a Single Parking Structure (New Construction). In addition to its 2014 LEEP Campaign Award, the buildings have also been recognized in 2011, 2013, and 2014 by both local Maryland organizations and national organizations.

The Howard Hughes Corporation upgraded the lighting for the parking structure at the Ward Centers in Honolulu, Hawaii. Currently, the Ward Centers is occupied by 130 national retailers, local shops and restaurants in five shopping districts. The Ward Centers parking structure is seven stories high, and encompasses nearly 300,000 square feet and houses over 800 parking spaces.

The parking structure is a 2014 Lighting Energy Efficiency in Parking (LEEP) Campaign Award winner for Best Use of Lighting Controls in a Single Facility as the new lighting system uses both LED and fluorescent fixtures along with various lighting controls. The Ward Centers was able to achieve 75% in energy savings.

With more than 40,000 parking spaces to light Cox Enterprises, owner of Manheim Pennsylvania Auto Auction, the world’s largest auto auction carries a sizable electric load. The lot achieved 50% outdoor lighting energy savings through a retrofit of outdoor lighting—totaling 1.8 million kWh in annual savings over the 13.5 million square foot facility.

Cox’s Lighting in Energy Efficiency in Parking (LEEP) Campaign Award winning project retrofitted high-wattage metal halide fixtures with reduced- wattage pulse-start metal halide lamps and a wireless control system. The controls enable further energy savings by allowing fixtures to be turned off when not needed. In addition to the energy savings, the longer rated life of the new lamps also reduces maintenance costs. The significant energy saving from the new fixtures and lighting controls resulted in a simple payback period of less than 4 years.

Dollars saved through energy efficiency can directly impact your bottom line. Whether you are planning for a major renovation or upgrading individual pieces of building equipment, these improvements can help reduce operating costs, save on utility bills, and boost profits. This fact sheet provides a guide for small businesses to find the resources to increase the energy efficiency of their buildings.

Plug loads are often not considered as part of the energy savings measures in Commercial Buildings; however, they can account for up to 50% of the energy used in the building. These loads are numerous and often scattered throughout a building. Some of these loads are purchased by the owner and some designed into the building or the tenant finishes for a space.