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Dimmable CFL's
A list of dimmable CFL's from the Energy Star website
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=cfls.advan ...
My wife drives a Prius, recycles, yada, yada... and has also complained about every CFL I have ever installed in the house.
I did replace the linear fluorescents in the kitchen with T8's and electronic ballasts, she likes those just fine.
Common sense is an oxymoron...
On Not tonight ... your CFLs give me a headache posted 2 years, 6 months ago 27 ResponsesClick here to view comment in original post
Utility assistance?
http://www.cityutilities.net/conserve/overview.htm
Not great (capped at $5,000), but will reduce out of pocket somewhat.
I've had some success with cash short agencies (schools, in particular) by suggesting that instead of a full blown retrofit project, they replace their stock of replacement bulbs and ballasts (assuming you're talking mostly about lighting opportunities) with T8/electronic, then any time a bulb needs to be replaced, retrofitting that entire fixture.
Their incremental cost is a lot lower this way, but it does take a long time to make much progress.
Common sense is an oxymoron...
On Dueling assumptions posted 2 years, 6 months ago 18 ResponsesClick here to view comment in original post
O&M based on????
"And their operation and maintence costs are neglible"
Not sure what you're basing this on. O&M on our wind projects is running ~$14/MWh. Without subsidy (these are public projects depending on annual Congressional funding for the Renewable Energy Production Incentive, which has not been and is not fully funded) the cost of output is ~$65/MWh, so O&M is a little over 21% of the cost of power.
Coal, (new) without a carbon tax or other mechanism to address externality costs, could produce power in the $40/MWh range, substantially less than wind. Coal plants aren't built because anyone has a particular desire to destroy the environment, they're built because the power from them is CHEAP! And power companies try to keep rates low. Existing coal plants (where the capital costs have already been amortized) produce power less than $20/MWh.
If wind (or any other renewable) produced power less expensively than coal, there wouldn't be a fight over building new coal plants!
Common sense is an oxymoron...
On Shenanigans everywhere posted 2 years, 6 months ago 23 ResponsesClick here to view comment in original post
Hmmm...
SS Credit 3.2 Alternative Transportation: Bicycle Storage & Changing Rooms
1 Point
Intent
Reduce pollution and land development impacts from automobile use.
Requirements
For commercial or institutional buildings, provide secure bicycle storage with convenient changing/shower facilities (within 200 yards of the building) for regular building occupants. Maintain bike storage and shower capacity that is sufficient for the greater of 1% of the building occupants or 125% of peak demand for these facilities.
For residential buildings, provide covered storage facilities for securing bicycles for 15% or more of building occupants in lieu of changing/shower facilities.It's been a while since I read it...I remembered covered, but you're right, not 'required' for commercial. Doesn't mean the public couldn't lobby for it, but depends on how close they are to reelection and how much backing they think the bicyclists have.
Common sense is an oxymoron...
On Bike racks in rain, smokers under cover posted 2 years, 6 months ago 14 ResponsesClick here to view comment in original post
LEED for existing buildings...
Another possibility to consider is to begin lobbying for your local county to adopt LEED standards.
There is a retrofit specification for existing buildings and one of the compliance areas is providing bicycle storage to encourage the use of bikes, rather than the multiple discouragements you received.
Common sense is an oxymoron...
On Bike racks in rain, smokers under cover posted 2 years, 6 months ago 14 Responses