The role of the Federal Relighting Initiative in emission controls

Conference · Thu Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1992

OSTI ID:6842707

Nicholls, A K; Purcell, C W; Friedman, J R

The Department of Energy's (DOE) Federal Relighting Initiative (FRI), under the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP), has developed a comprehensive process to assist federal agencies in meeting the nation's energy mandate. This mandate states that federal facilities must use 20% less energy by the year 2000, based on 1985 consumption levels. Because lighting accounts for about 40% of total federal electricity consumption, the FRI was conceived to help reduce energy use in this important area while improving lighting quality and increasing productivity through relighting. Selected federal rules and regulations provide guidance on the types of energy efficiency techniques required, life-cycle costing methods and lighting levels that should be employed to achieve the federal mandate. Although the central focus of this paper is on the environment, this paper takes the perspective that the energy efficiency gains achieved through the FRI would produce both environmental and economic benefits for the United States. For example, improvements in energy efficiency would reduce electricity demand, and would consequently reduce the emissions associated with fossil fuel combustion for power production. These reduced emissions include carbon dioxide, which is associated with the potential for global climate change, and heavy metals, which pose a potential health threat to humans and aquatic ecosystems. Economic benefits of the FRI would include reduced federal expenditures on energy or, possibly, avoiding new power plant construction.This paper begins with a brief overview of the FRI process. Next, current lighting energy use in federal buildings is evaluated and the potential future energy savings achievable through full implementation of the FRI are estimated. The paper then translates these energy savings into avoided emissions of carbon dioxide and heavy metals and into avoided fuel expenditures.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 6842707
• Report Number(s): PNL-SA-21332; CONF-9210219--2; ON: DE93005094
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
291000 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Conservation
298000 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Consumption & Utilization
AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT
ARSENIC
BUILDINGS
CADMIUM
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHROMIUM
COPPER
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMICS
EFFICIENCY
ELEMENTS
EMISSION
ENERGY CONSERVATION
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
ENERGY EFFICIENCY STANDARDS
ENERGY FACILITIES
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
LEAD
LIGHTING SYSTEMS
MANGANESE
MERCURY
METALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NICKEL
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION ABATEMENT
POWER PLANTS
SEMIMETALS
STANDARDS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
US DOE
US ORGANIZATIONS