Press release:

IBM and Vodafone Advance Smarter Home Initiative

Cloud enables control of "Internet of Things" in the home to manage heating, lighting, laundry via Vodafone's Mobile Wireless Network

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BERLIN - 31 Aug 2012: IBM (NYSE:IBM) and Vodafone today announced a collaboration to combine mobile communications and cloud computing for the remote management of ‘smart home’ appliances.

At the IFA consumer electronics event in Berlin this week, Vodafone and IBM will demonstrate the mobile management of a washing machine and other smart home devices that are connected by Vodafone’s Global M2M Platform running on IBM’s new SmartCloud Service Delivery Platform.

Machine-to-Machine (M2M) technology makes home appliances more intelligent by connecting them wirelessly to the internet. This enables them to feed useful data back to the service provider or manufacturer to achieve a better customer experience through new functionality and enhanced services.

"The smart home market is now a reality and Vodafone is committed to delivering to it,” said Marc Tastayre, Vodafone M2M Global Business Development Manager. “Security is the first important step for connecting devices to the internet and the collaboration between IBM and Vodafone is putting in place an open, efficient and scalable solution for the consumer electronics industry that will enable it to successfully progress the creation of the ‘Internet of Things’.”

IBM and Vodafone anticipate that this M2M initiative could allow consumers to use their smartphones for a variety of remote activities including viewing their home's utility consumption; controlling security, heating and lighting systems; and activating home appliances such as washing machines. Additionally the initiative will enable manufacturers and service providers to collect data from appliances that can be used to inform product development and maintenance and provide better services to consumers.

"This collaboration is a great example of how cloud computing can be used for business innovation versus solely for IT efficiency purposes,” said IBM Telecommunications Industry General Manager Scott Stainken. “Cloud will increasingly be used in new ways that will provide enhanced consumer-centric experiences -- especially when combined with mobile communications.”

The IBM SmartCloud Service Delivery Platform provides a fully integrated, scalable cloud-based platform to give manufacturers a cost-effective and scalable way to manage appliances and to rapidly introduce related new consumer services. Vodafone’s Global M2M Platform offers appliance manufacturers the ability to easily and rapidly deploy managed and secure wireless connectivity to home gateways. By combining the platforms, the two companies will also provide the consumer electronics industry with an example of a truly global, open standards-based approach for Smarter Home connectivity and solutions.

To read more about IBM’s news at IFA, visit this Smarter Planet blog post

About IBM Cloud Computing
IBM has helped thousands of clients adopt cloud models and manages millions of cloud based transactions every day. IBM assists clients in areas as diverse as banking, communications, healthcare and government to build their own clouds or securely tap into IBM cloud-based business and infrastructure services. IBM is unique in bringing together key cloud technologies, deep process knowledge, a broad portfolio of cloud solutions, and a network of global delivery centers. For more information about IBM cloud solutions, visitwww.ibm.com/smartcloud. Follow us on Twitter @cloudchat and on our blog atwww.thoughtsoncloud.com.

About Vodafone
Vodafone is one of the world's largest mobile communications companies by revenue with approximately 406 million customers in its controlled and jointly controlled markets as of 30 June 2012. Vodafone currently has equity interests in over 30 countries across five continents and more than 40 partner networks worldwide. For more information, please visitwww.vodafone.com.

About Vodafone Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communications
Vodafone Machine-to-Machine (M2M) connects previously isolated machines or devices wirelessly to the internet, delivering new functionality and enhanced services without the need for human intervention. Supported by over 20 years’ experience and 200 dedicated staff, Vodafone’s global M2M platform makes it easy for global businesses to centrally manage M2M deployments across multiple territories, with greater control and at a lower cost than previously possible.

Please visit: http://m2m.vodafone.com/home/

Follow us on twitter @Vodafone_M2M 

Master-Planned Community Masters Energy-Saving Street Lighting with GE Evolve LED Fixtures

Press release from General Electric:

28 August 2012

Master-Planned Community Masters Energy-Saving Street Lighting with GE Evolve LED Fixtures

 

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EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio — August 28, 2012 — (NYSE:GE) — When Lake Nona pursued a vision to line its Southeast Orlando streets with new lighting, the 7,000-acre, master-planned community needed to match exacting aesthetic guidelines to leading-edge technology. Community leaders found their answer in GE Lighting’s Evolve™ LED Contemporary Twin Support Post Top and Evolve LED Roadway fixtures. Combined, the energy-saving street lighting fixtures will consume approximately 253,000 fewer kilowatt hours (kWhs) of electricity a year as opposed to traditional high-intensity discharge (HID) lighting – a $27,000 utility cost reduction.

Adjacent to Orlando’s international airport, Lake Nona was established in the late 1980s and has continued to grow into the state-of-the-art community it is today. A recent surge in development caused Lake Nona to consider new energy-saving street lighting to match the modern architecture and design of new businesses, medical facilities and a residential neighborhood of 2,700 homes.

“We wanted to push our energy savings initiatives, so we made the commitment to going 100 percent LED with our street lighting,” said Richard Levey, vice president of planning, Lake Nona. “But none of the decorative fixtures we were being shown had the exact design aesthetic we wanted, and we felt it was critical to install a forward-focused lighting solution to go above and beyond in all aspects of the community to build long-term value for our residents.”

Lake Nona architects connected with GE Lighting engineers to arrive at a decorative fixture solution that matched the community’s contemporary look and feel. The fixture uses the same energy-efficient LED technology as other GE Evolve LED post top fixtures; the base and pole being specially designed for Lake Nona.

More than 370 Evolve LED fixtures now illuminate Lake Nona where a 175-watt metal halide system had been originally proposed. GE’s 86-watt LED fixtures will save the community about $18,000 a year by drawing 170,000 fewer kWhs.

Orlando’s local electric utility, Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) also helped make Lake Nona’s decision easy with its OUC Convenient Lighting Program. This program bundles pole and luminaire purchases, installation, design, expertise, maintenance and energy costs all into one convenient point of contact.

“The payback for us has been almost immediate – we’ve essentially seen savings since day one,” said Levey. “Lake Nona’s unique relationship with OUC coupled with OUC’s long and successful partnership with GE Lighting ensured this project would proceed flawlessly. The LED technology is so efficient that, when paired with an energy credit also earned from OUC, it didn’t make sense not to install the new fixtures. It was a win-win.”

Throughout Lake Nona, GE’s Evolve LED Contemporary Post Top fixtures also reduced glare commonly cast onto lawns or into homes by conventional street lighting.

“This lighting is exactly what we wanted. It fits perfectly with our vision — it’s the right scale and the right character. GE did what we didn’t think was possible — they took an idea, really a picture, from us and turned it into a phenomenal product in record time,” said Levey, explaining Lake Nona received the first fixtures in time to satisfy the project’s aggressive timeline.

Around Lake Nona, new lighting on more heavily traveled arterial and collector streets was also installed. GE’s Evolve LED Roadway fixtures, drawing 130 watts each, avoided a 250-watt high-pressure sodium (HPS) fixture design, saving 83,000 kWhs annually, or nearly $9,000. The 134 fixtures feature advanced reflective optics to more efficiently aim light where it’s needed. A unique heat sink design further provides excellent thermal management to extend LED life.

GE Evolve LED Contemporary Post Top and Roadway fixtures have helped Lake Nona achieve its goal of creating a community both contemporary and futuristic in nature. And this represents only 10 percent of total project completion. In coming years, Lake Nona anticipates more than 5,000 GE outdoor LED fixtures will be installed at community education, medical, retail, residential and recreational facilities.

LED lighting installations are just one component of a larger corporate relationship between Lake Nona and GE. GE’s ecomagination℠ and healthymagination solutions are being showcased in hospitals, homes and clinics as part of Lake Nona’s commitment to developing an innovative health and sustainability community. Among GE’s innovative, energy-efficient products currently available in Lake Nona homes are compact fluorescent (CFL) light bulbs and ENERGY STAR-qualified appliances including refrigeration, laundry and water heater units.

“The specific example of the LED streetlight project speaks about the level of this kind of relationship between Lake Nona and GE,” said Cody Bunce, Associate, GE Enterprise Team. “The fact that the Lake Nona team brought realistic ideas of what they wanted to accomplish with LED light fixtures made their big ideas, like creating a lamp to call their own, very doable.”

For more information about the GE Lighting products used in this project, visitwww.gelightingsolutions.com.

About Lake NonaLake Nona is a 7,000-acre master-planned community within the city limits of Orlando that will be home to world-class education, medical and recreational facilities, a medical city, diverse workspaces, retail centers, entertainment choices and residential options for all types of people seeking the best the city has to offer with all the conveniences of living within a dynamic, vibrant community. Lake Nona is being developed by Lake Nona Property Holdings, owned by Tavistock Group, a private investment company with a broad portfolio of assets around the world.

For more information on Lake Nona, visit www.learnlakenona.com.

About Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC)Established in 1923 by a special act of the Florida Legislature, OUC—The Reliable One is the second largest municipal utility in Florida. OUC provides electric and water services to nearly 225,000 customers in Orlando, St. Cloud and parts of unincorporated Orange and Osceola counties. Visitwww.ouc.com to learn more about our commitment to reliability, affordability and sustainability.

About GE Lighting
GE Lighting invents with the vigor of its founder Thomas Edison to develop energy-efficient solutions that change the way people light their world in commercial, industrial, municipal and residential settings. The business employs over 17,000 people in more than 100 countries, and sells products under the Reveal^® and Energy Smart^® consumer brands, and Evolve™, GTx™, Immersion™, Infusion™, Lumination™ and Tetra^® commercial brands, all trademarks of GE. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter to build a world that works better. For more information, visitwww.gelighting.com.

Indoor Spaces Speak in New Accents with LED Architectural Lighting from GE Lighting Solutions

Press release:

23 August 2012

Indoor Spaces Speak in New Accents with LED Architectural Lighting from GE Lighting Solutions

 

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EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio — August 23, 2012 — (NYSE:GE) — Lighting designers, specifiers and property managers can shape indoor spaces in engaging new ways with GE Lighting’s LED Architectural Lighting portfolio. New GE LED Accent, Tetra® PowerGrid and GE LED Wall Washer lighting systems add rich layers, bold backdrops and dramatic accents to retail shops, hotels, offices, restaurants, and a variety of other commercial spaces.

“Lighting evokes emotion in its subtle sophistication,” said Sarah Truman, GE Lighting Architectural LED Lighting Product Manager. “What we’ve done here is given professionals a ‘matched set’ of tools for easily constructing more inspired designs whether in a dining area, lobby, conference room, hallway or showroom.”

All of GE’s new LED Architectural products work in harmony with each other and other lighting systems. These architectural lighting products also feature long life and are backed by the quality and energy efficiency synonymous with the GE brand.

GE LED AccentThese low-profile fixtures are ideal for use in tray ceilings, underneath desks and cabinets, within toe kicks and in other tight spaces where accent lighting can enhance the feel of the room and other technology won’t physically fit. Strips of ultra-thin LED modules less than half an inch thick can be cut to a variety of lengths to fit any need, even around corners. Each module is equipped with a lens that diffuses light in an even distribution pattern without the “dots” that plagued early LED systems. This 0-10V dimmable LED system is available in a variety of color temperatures, and an optional mounting track allows for even easier installation and additional angling.

Tetra® PowerGridThis modular 0-10V dimmable LED lighting system replaces traditional fluorescent lighting in backlighting applications that require broad, uniform light, such as lighting behind translucent panels, walls and ceilings. These modules also can be cut to fit to length, lending brilliant, consistent, evenly diffused light in depths as shallow as three inches deep.

GE LED Wall Washer SeriesGE’s LED Wall Washer Series brightens and emphasizes textures on vertical surfaces from ceiling to floor of large areas, such as lobbies, upscale offices and long hallways. Designers can choose from three different optical options that work with three specific applications:

• Wall Washing

Uniformly lights vertical surfaces and hides imperfections on flat surfaces; these fixtures are typically mounted in a recess a few feet from the wall

• Wall Grazing

Emboldens the character of a space by highlighting and accenting textured surfaces; these fixtures are typically mounted less than a foot from the wall in a slot or recess

• Cove Lighting

Evenly distributes light over the ceiling and the upper part of walls; these fixtures are typically mounted in a cove recess

These fixtures can be installed in mounting tracks and angled in ten degree increments (up to 50 degrees) in either direction giving users greater focus and flexibility in their designs.

All GE LED Architectural Lighting products have a long rated life of 50,000 hours, carry a five-year limited warranty, produce no UV emissions and are RoHS compliant. Designers can visit www.gelightingsolutions.com to learn more about these new energy-efficient LED lighting systems.

About GE Lighting
GE Lighting invents with the vigor of its founder Thomas Edison to develop energy-efficient solutions that change the way people light their world in commercial, industrial, municipal and residential settings. The business employs over 17,000 people in more than 100 countries, and sells products under the Reveal^® and Energy Smart^® consumer brands, and Evolve™, GTx™, Immersion™, Infusion™, Lumination™ and Tetra^® commercial brands, all trademarks of GE. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter to build a world that works better. For more information, visitwww.gelighting.com.

Ohio Hospital Cures Costly Outdoor Lighting, Delivers New GE LED Fixtures in Parking Lot

Press release:

09 August 2012

Ohio Hospital Cures Costly Outdoor Lighting, Delivers New GE LED Fixtures in Parking Lot

 

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EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio — August 9, 2012 — (NYSE:GE) — Since 1892,Aultman has served Canton, Ohio, with exceptional health care services. In 2010, Stark County’s largest hospital and employer launched a project to serve patients and staff with exceptional new parking lot and parking deck illumination. Evolve™ LED lighting systems from GE Lighting proved the right prescription. Onlookers are remarking on an “incredible difference,” and Aultman found that it has delivered a healthy $13,000 annual energy cost savings to its campus.

The hospital first trialed GE’s Evolve LED Area Lights in its new employee parking lot in May 2010. Impressed with light quality and uniformity, Aultman moved quickly to retrofit a second older lot using high-pressure sodium (HPS) fixtures with the same LED solution.

Thirty-two Evolve LED Area Lights replaced 52 HPS fixtures in the lot, creating a much-improved sense of security among associates, according to Pooley.

“Our security team stood on top of our building and looked down into the lot – everything was completely evenly lit, the continuity of light was absolutely incredible,” said Betsy Pooley, director of building services for Aultman. “With the old fixtures, you had a blob of light, but then you’d go two parking spaces over and it was dark. That wasn’t there anymore. It was a dramatic difference, from making out the color of a car to reading a license plate with our security cameras.

“The hospital is right in the middle of a residential area, so one of the concerns administration had was, ‘Are the neighbors going to be upset?’ We haven’t received any negative feedback – visibility is excellent and light pollution isn’t an issue whatsoever.”

Aultman’s average expense to light the HPS-equipped lot was $1,500 per month including the cost of an electrical contractor to replace lamps at the end of life. Since the LED conversion, the hospital found that its utility bill has fallen to $400, and Pooley hasn’t placed a service call yet.

“We drive by the lot every day to ensure everything is OK, but we haven’t touched it at all since the lights were installed nearly two years ago,” she said, adding it costs just $60 a month to light Aultman’s newest lot where the LEDs were initially installed.

During this time Pooley also evaluated a competitive fixture on the ground level of the hospital’s three-tier parking deck but determined budget would not permit outfitting the entire structure. At a trade show later that year, she discovered GE’s Evolve LED Garage Light fixture.

“We knew at once, ‘This is the one!’ The quality of light was better, the distribution was better. It was a much sturdier fixture than what we had, and the price point was right,” she said.

Aultman has since replaced all T12 strip lighting in the lower level of its 250,000-square-foot garage with new LED fixtures. When the parking deck project concludes later this year, more than 120 Evolve LED Garage lights will brighten the first and second tiers, with more than 60 Evolve LED Area Lights illuminating the open rooftop.

“We’ve had such success with GE’s lighting systems that as we move forward renovating parking lots or looking at buildings, the Evolve LED is the new standard for the Aultman campus,” Pooley said.

Combining the latest in LED system electronics, thermal management, and mechanical and optical design, high-efficiency GE Evolve LED fixtures make the advantages of LED lighting a practicality in parking lots and general lighting applications. They provide an estimated 10-year service life (50,000-hour rated life) that is four times the recommended service interval of traditional high-intensity discharge (HID) lighting. Additionally, Evolve LED optics offer more directional focus of light, reducing spillover to surrounding areas.

For more information on the GE Lighting products used in this project, visitwww.gelightingsolutions.com.

About AultmanThe Aultman Health Foundation is a not-for-profit healthcare organization serving Stark and surrounding counties. The vertically integrated institution includes Aultman Hospital, the locally managed health-insurance provider AultCare, The Aultman Foundation and Aultman College of Nursing and Health Sciences. With 682 beds, 530 active physicians and a staff of more than 5,000 employees, Aultman is Stark County's largest hospital. For more information, visit www.aultman.org.

About GE Lighting
GE Lighting invents with the vigor of its founder Thomas Edison to develop energy-efficient solutions that change the way people light their world in commercial, industrial, municipal and residential settings. The business employs over 17,000 people in more than 100 countries, and sells products under the Reveal^® and Energy Smart^® consumer brands, and Evolve™, GTx, Immersion ™, Infusion ™, Lumination^™ and Tetra^® commercial brands, all trademarks of GE. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter to build a world that works better. For more information, visitwww.gelighting.com.

Michigan Hospital Lights Parking Deck for $170,000 Less with GE LED Fixtures

Press release:

09 August 2012

Michigan Hospital Lights Parking Deck for $170,000 Less with GE LED Fixtures

 

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EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio — August 9, 2012 — (NYSE:GE) — Spectrum Health, one of Michigan’s largest not-for-profit health systems located in Grand Rapids, has an aggressive customer-centered sustainability program. When focusing on revamping their parking decks used by patients, visitors, and employees, they had three goals in mind: improve security, reduce maintenance costs and save energy. After retrofitting 1.25 million square feet of parking garage space and more than 3,500 parking spaces with 1,500 GE Evolve™ LED Garage fixtures, Spectrum accomplished its three goals at the medical center.

Lighting is a vital component when updating security measures in a parking facility. “Our patients and employees are our first priority,” said Tom Theoret, director of facilities for Spectrum Health. “It’s important that everyone feels welcome and secure while at our facilities. GE Lighting’s LED fixtures not only met this requirement but also reduced our energy consumption and reduced burdensome maintenance.”

The GE Evolve LED Garage fixture uses cutting-edge technology, featuring an advanced LED low glare optical system coupled with a unique thermal management system to ensure long life and excellent photometric performance—that is, casting light where it’s needed without trespassing into areas it’s not.

The upgrade has saved the facility nearly $170,000 annually in combined energy and maintenance expenses, helping to further fulfill Spectrum’s environmental efforts. By replacing older 175-watt high-pressure sodium (HPS) fixtures, with GE’s 60-watt Evolve LED lights, the hospital will see a 67 percent energy reduction, yielding 1.6 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of energy savings annually.

Spectrum also installed 50-watt GE Lumination™ LED Recessed Troffers in ceilings in entrance/exit corridors, replacing 150-watt high-intensity discharge (HID) fixtures. The 2'x2' troffers are as thin as the width of a finger and emit a crisp, uniform light to brightly illuminate spaces inside the garage.

Combining overall savings from maintenance costs, energy costs, a Novation rebate, and a Consumers Energy utility rebate, Spectrum will realize project payback in just three years.

For more information about the GE Lighting products used in this project, visitwww.gelightingsolutions.com.

About Spectrum HealthSpectrum Health is a not-for-profit health system in West Michigan offering a full continuum of care through the Spectrum Health Hospital Group, which is comprised of nine hospitals including Helen DeVos Children's Hospital, a state-of-the-art children's hospital that opened in January 2011, and 190 service sites; the Spectrum Health Medical Group and West Michigan Heart, physician groups totaling more than 600 providers; and Priority Health, a health plan with 625,000 members. Spectrum Health is West Michigan’s largest employer with more than 18,000 employees. The organization provided $176.5 million in community benefit during its 2011 fiscal year. In 2011 and 2010, Spectrum Health was named a Top 10 Health System by Thomson Reuters.

About GE LightingGE Lighting invents with the vigor of its founder Thomas Edison to develop energy-efficient solutions that change the way people light their world in commercial, industrial, municipal and residential settings. The business employs over 17,000 people in more than 100 countries, and sells products under the Reveal^® and Energy Smart^® consumer brands, and Evolve™, GTx, Immersion ™, Infusion ™, Lumination^™ and Tetra^® commercial brands, all trademarks of GE. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter to build a world that works better. For more information, visitwww.gelighting.com.

GE Fills Walgreens Prescription for Vibrant Lighting and Energy Efficiency

News release from General Electric:

12 July 2012

GE Fills Walgreens Prescription for Vibrant Lighting and Energy Efficiency

 

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EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio — July 12, 2012 — (NYSE:GE) — When consumers walk into their neighborhood Walgreens (NYSE, NASDAQ: WAG) store, they may notice a difference as they walk down the aisles. Nail polish on cosmetic shelves may appear more vibrant and magazine covers may be easier to read. GE Lighting helped Walgreens recently upgrade its general lighting across 80 percent of its nationwide locations. The change is subtle, but noticeable to customers and to Walgreens' energy budget.

“Creating the very best shopping experience for our customers is our top priority, and lighting helps us achieve that goal,” said Tim Schmid, divisional vice president of facilities management, energy and sustainability with Walgreens. “With our new lighting upgrade, colors appear more vibrant and more like they would in daylight, so customers don’t need to second guess themselves in the cosmetics aisle. Plus, the change is saving us money and energy at the same time.”

Walgreens new lighting initiative meant installing lamps with a higher color temperature and color rendering index (CRI), causing tones to appear more vivid and vibrant. Because different types of light produce different color temperatures, lighting can affect how shoppers perceive the colors of different products. Color accuracy at a store widely known for its cosmetics selection is critical.

New linear fluorescent fixtures from GE Lighting will increase energy efficiency by nine percent and extend re-lamp cycles by 10 percent. Walgreens achieved greater energy efficiency by switching from 28-watt to new 25-watt GE F25 T8 linear fluorescent tubes. Though the difference in wattage is only three watts per light, the change means thousands of dollars saved as it impacts more than 4.3 million lights at nearly 7,000 stores.

Walgreens was recently recognized with GE’s annual ‘Retailer of the Year’ award in 2011 for demonstrating how energy-efficient lighting can improve the visual aesthetics of a store. The nation’s largest drugstore chain is also GE’s largest employer of F25 technology.

For more information on the GE Lighting products used by Walgreens, visitwww.gelightingsolutions.com.

About Walgreens
Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) is the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2011 sales of $72 billion. The company operates 7,907 drugstores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Each day, Walgreens provides nearly 6 million customers the most convenient, multichannel access to consumer goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services and advice in communities across America. Walgreens’ scope of pharmacy services includes retail, specialty, infusion, medical facility and mail service, along with respiratory services. These services improve health outcomes and lower costs for payers including employers, managed care organizations, health systems, pharmacy benefit managers and the public sector. Take Care Health Systems is a Walgreens subsidiary that is the largest and most comprehensive manager of worksite health and wellness centers and in-store convenient care clinics, with more than 700 locations throughout the country. 

About GE Lighting
GE Lighting invents with the vigor of its founder Thomas Edison to develop energy-efficient solutions that change the way people light their world in commercial, industrial, municipal and residential settings. The business employs over 17,000 people in more than 100 countries, and sells products under the Reveal® and Energy Smart® consumer brands, and Evolve ™, GTx, Immersion ™, Infusion ™, Lumination™ and Tetra® commercial brands, all trademarks of GE. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter to build a world that works better. For more information, visitwww.gelighting.com.

Southern Supermarket Chain Rings Up $235,000 in Energy Savings with Full Cart of GE Lighting Solutions

Press release:

26 June 2012

Southern Supermarket Chain Rings Up $235,000 in Energy Savings with Full Cart of GE Lighting Solutions

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EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio – June 21, 2012 – (NYSE:GE) – Brookshire Brothers (Lufkin, Texas) operates 72 retail supermarkets in an area covering Texas and Louisiana. Supporting its simple mission to “Create a satisfied customer!” the company recently launched a facility-wide lighting update including in-store, parking lot, exterior signage and refrigerated case fixtures. Using a myriad of new linear fluorescent lighting (LFL) and LED technologies from GE Lighting, Brookshire Brothers will, once all of its stores have been completed, reduce its annual operating costs more than $235,000 while establishing a model for energy-efficient lighting renovations at its stores.

“When we looked at options to impact our total energy costs, we identified several areas at different stores where new lighting, including LED fixtures, made a compelling case, both indoors and out,” said Eric Johnson, director of construction for Brookshire Brothers. “Shortly after we met with our GE Lighting team to understand the anticipated electricity and maintenance savings, then made what was an easy decision to move forward.”

Indoor retrofits return significant savings…Re-lamping of linear fluorescent lighting (LFL) fixtures is now complete at 69 Brookshire Brothers locations where GE’s more energy-efficient 28-watt T8 has replaced 32-watt bulbs in approximately 450 four-lamp fixtures per 30,000-square-foot supermarket. These efforts include the replacement of existing ballasts with GE’s high-efficiency UltraMax® electronic ballasts as needed. Each UltraMax ballast installed will create additional energy savings of approximately eight watts per fixture.

Brookshire Brothers will save an average $3,200 per store per year in electricity expense after switching to GE’s 28-watt solution – a more than $220,000 annual cost benefit to the company based on a $.09 kWh electricity rate and 12 hours use per day. The company plans to explore even more efficient 25-watt GE lamps and UltraStart® ballasts to suit future needs.

Outdoor area light efficiency adds up…Five supermarket parking lots, including company headquarters, have thus far been retrofit with GE Evolve™ LED Area Lights, bringing high-quality white illumination and energy savings to these spaces. Brookshire Brothers first worked closely with GE to create improved new lighting designs in the lots. GE’s 210-watt Area Lights displaced 400-watt high-intensity discharge (HID) fixtures in two lots while in the others, 1,000-watt HIDs were replaced by 270-watt Area Lights.

As a result of this substantial watts-per-fixture reduction, Brookshire Brothers will save more than $14,000 annually in electricity costs and further stands to diminish maintenance time and expense. Where its 400- and 1,000-watt HID fixtures had been rated for 20,000- and 15,000-hours life respectively, GE’s new Area Lights have a rated life of 50,000 hours.

Other LED installations cut cost…Brookshire Brothers’ outdoor lighting updates further included aesthetically attractive Wallighter™ Luminaires mounted on buildings for extra security around entrances and walkways. Several locations have also incorporated GE Tetra® LED Lighting Systems to complement the enhanced exterior appearance of the stores. Delivering up to 80 percent energy savings, reduced maintenance and long service life, GE’s commercial signage technology provides more uniform light compared to traditional fluorescent and neon options.

GE’s Immersion™ RV40 LED lighting is meanwhile enhancing color and light-level uniformity in refrigerated display cases in four Brookshire Brothers locations, which house 100 frozen food doors on average. GE’s lighting system virtually eliminates distracting light-source glare and wasteful light spill typical of fluorescent-equipped displays. The LED lights will deliver a 60 percent energy reduction and are rated for 50,000-hours life – four times longer than the fluorescent lighting they replaced.

“When I walk into a store that hasn’t been converted, I know I’ll find at least seven doors that aren’t lit for one reason or another,” explains Johnson. “Our electrical contractor told me, ‘You wouldn’t believe how much of the work we do for you is to repair fluorescent door lighting.’ In the stores that have been converted everything is lit 100 percent of the time. That adds up to sales right there.”

Johnson further plans to specify Immersion LED lighting in a forthcoming conversion of medium-temperature open cases to closed-door cases in a number of stores.

Additionally, wine displays in two stores have been lit with GE’s energy smart® LED Replacement Lamps, ideal for applications in which a narrow, focused beam spread is preferred. Forty-five 75-watt halogen lamps (940 lumens) in each store were changed to long-life GE 10-watt PAR30 LED floodlights (500 lumens). Previously, Brookshire Brothers had replaced an average 50 halogen bulbs per location each year. Now, the company will count $3,200 in combined annual energy and maintenance savings, meaning GE’s wine display lighting solution will pay for itself after only 13 months.

GE’s energy smart® LED Replacement Lamps will soon be added to several other supermarket displays as well to continue the optical enrichment of customers’ shopping experience.

“The store directors have all been impressed,” Johnson said. “The parking lots shine, the signage is crisper and the colors of the products show much better. There have only been very positive comments. I feel we’ve found our standard for lighting moving forward.

“In each case where new LED lighting was specified, it was easy to support that decision financially through decreased energy consumption, reduced maintenance, increased dependability and extended lamp life.”

Johnson added that GE’s LED lighting solutions will be considered in time for 32 convenience store locations also operated by Brookshire Brothers.

High efficiency LEDs and fluorescent lamps come in a range of brightness options. For more information about the GE Lighting products used in this project, visit www.gelightingsolutions.com.

About Brookshire BrothersFounded in 1921, Brookshire Brothers has 72 retail supermarkets in predominantly rural markets and in the outskirts of the Houston metro area. With 6,000 employee-owners in two states, the company is also one of the largest retail outlets of Conoco fuel. Brookshire Brothers also operates thirty Polk Pick It Up convenience stores in the markets it serves.

About GE Lighting
GE Lighting invents with the vigor of its founder Thomas Edison to develop energy-efficient solutions that change the way people light their world in commercial, industrial, municipal and residential settings. The business employs over 17,000 people in more than 100 countries, and sells products under the Reveal^® and Energy Smart^® consumer brands, and Evolve™, GTx, Immersion ™, Infusion ™, Lumination^™ and Tetra^® commercial brands, all trademarks of GE. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter to build a world that works better. For more information, visit www.gelighting.com.

GE LED Lamps Bring New Glow to New Zealand’s Wanganui City Bridge

22 June 2012

GE LED Lamps Bring New Glow to New Zealand’s Wanganui City Bridge

 

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New Zealand — June 22, 2012 — (NYSE:GE) — The Whanganui River is New Zealand’s third longest river and holds special significance in Māori culture. At the mouth of the river is Wanganui, an area renowned for culture, heritage, the Wanganui National Park and river adventures. The rich history of Wanganui is displayed throughout the city center in its beautifully conserved heritage buildings and tree-lined avenues. One of the few road bridges across the Whanganui River is the Wanganui City Bridge.

The Wanganui District Council embarked on a trial of different LED light sources as an alternative to conventional technology used for the Wanganui City Bridge. Besides improved illumination for this key roadway, the district council aimed to explore alternatives that would conserve precious energy resources.

With the aim of providing the same light levels on the ground while offering adequate savings to justify the replacement of the conventional light sources, Evolve NZ Ltd, an engineering firm in Sydney, provided the district council with a solution using GE’s 80W R150 LED lamps. The fittings have the backing of a local supplier in New Zealand and the support of GE Lighting.

Today, the Wanganui City Bridge sports a refreshing new look at night as a result of the new GE LED luminaires. The 14 new fittings on the bridge will save the Wanganui District Council up to NZ$9,000 (USD $7.4K) over the life of the fittings in terms of reduced power and maintenance costs. This translates into a payback period of 6.2 years.

GE’s LED fittings are a better choice compared to the Wanganui City Bridge’s existing Sodium Lights, as they offer the following benefits:

• Energy savings: from 165-watts to 80-watts: Each LED fitting consumes only 80 watts of power (less than the amount of power consumed by a 100-watt bulb in your home). There is a 52 percent power saving from the previous Sodium Light fittings. The new luminaires direct the light to where it is needed while reducing the glare from the fitting to less than 5 percent. There is no wasted upward light leakage from the new fittings.
• Reduced maintenance: LEDs have a longer life than Sodium Lights and can last between 12 to 15 years. Over the same period, the existing Sodium fittings would have to be changed 3 to 4 times.
• Improved light output: White light, produced by the installed LEDs, makes driving at night a pleasure. Colors are rendered more accurately, so drivers can see more clearly while behind the wheel. Security cameras also become more effective with the improved color rendition.

Mr. John Birks, General Manager of Evolve NZ Ltd, described the result in providing a far more natural environment, where people report feeling safer. “The white LED light makes for a more modern and vibrant atmosphere in the night space, where it is easier to see the real colors of life. We are expecting that this type of lighting will bring more people out to enjoy the city where we live.”

Councilor Ray Stevens, Chair of the Infrastructure and Property Committee of Wanganui District Council added, “There are clearly a range of potential benefits and savings for the public. The public will notice that the new LED light fittings create a ‘white light’ rather than an ‘orange glow’ from the Sodium Lights which were previously installed.”

The Wanganui District Council will progressively replace conventional fittings with LED light sources when these fittings reach end of life.

About GE Lighting
GE Lighting invents with the vigor of its founder Thomas Edison to develop energy-efficient solutions that change the way people light their world in commercial, industrial, municipal and residential settings. The business employs over 17,000 people in more than 100 countries, and sells products under the Reveal^® and Energy Smart^® consumer brands, and Evolve™, GTx, Immersion ™, Infusion ™, Lumination™ and Tetra^® commercial brands, all trademarks of GE. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter to build a world that works better. For more information, visitwww.gelighting.com.

GE Lighting’s Iberia LEDs Light One of the Longest and Most Modern Bridge in Morocco

News release:

22 June 2012

GE Lighting’s Iberia LEDs Light One of the Longest and Most Modern Bridge in Morocco

 

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Rabat, Morocco — June 22, 2012 — (NYSE:GE) — The Moulay el Hassan Bridge in Rabat, Morocco, is one of the longest and most modern bridges in the Alaouite Kingdom and is now illuminated thanks to GE Lighting’s Iberia LED, a versatile outdoor luminaire that combines design excellence with energy savings and an extraordinary luminous quality.

In the last decade, Morocco has undertaken an ambitious infrastructure modernization plan that has made its construction sector one of the most active in the Maghreb. The capital of Rabat has benefited from the modernity of contemporary architecture and all the monarchy’s efforts to attract foreign investment.

The Moulay el Hassan Bridge is the result of this massive nationwide renovation project. It replaces the old bridge that joined the cities of Salé and Rabat in the estuary of the Bouregreg River. The new structure forms part of the “Bouregreg” tourism complex, a 60-million-square-meter site where there are plans to build hotels, apartments and shopping and recreation centers in an attempt to revitalize the zone.

This bridge, named after the firstborn child of King Mohammed VI, Moulay el Hassan, and one of the most modern in the country, is 1,200 meters (m) long, 46 m wide and 12.8 m high. The Moulay el Hassan Bridge will ensure a smooth flow of traffic between the two sides. Marc Mimram, an internationally known consulting firm, designed and managed this project. SGTM (Morocco), the company in charge of the project, is responsible for executing the work begun by the king in December 2007.

Seeking the Ideal SolutionSGTM was aware of the importance of quality lighting because of the bridge’s relation to the royal family. For this reason, there were three fundamental conditions to be met: low maintenance costs, an aesthetically attractive design and a recognized brand that would assure the quality of the product and customer service. It was particularly important that GE offer strong technical support together with an excellent delivery time — essential requirements for building the bridge.

“We needed a brand that would assure a good product quality, and this was provided by GE Lighting with its factories in Europe, which boosted our trust in the manufacturing, finishes and speed of delivery,” said Mr. Mehdi Meziane Belfkih, Director of Maroc Signal.

Seventy-two Iberia LEDs have been used to light the new bridge. They have been installed at a height of 11 meters to ensure visibility on the three traffic lanes in each of the directions. In addition, the Moulay el Hassan Bridge has a pedestrian and cyclist crossing and a platform for two tramcar lines. For these reasons, energy-efficient lighting was essential to increase safety on the bridge.

The Iberia LED offers a considerable increase of both vertical and horizontal uniformity. This, together with the high chromatic reproduction of the LED technology (white light), facilitates facial recognition and boosts visual comfort. Thanks to its advanced design, the light can be specifically targeted to where it is supposed to be. The long useful lifetime of the LED — 50,000 hours — considerably reduces maintenance and replacement costs, which make it a particularly suitable solution for public lighting whenever considerable cost reductions are sought.

Referring to these luminaires, Ana Cantero, GE Product Manager Outdoor Fittings EMEA, says, “The elegant design of the Iberia LED, together with its advanced optical system, makes this luminaire the ideal solution for illuminating this bridge. GE Lighting has achieved the environmental friendliness objective pursued by the lighting project for the bridge.”

With the installation of this new system, GE Lighting has provided the city of Rabat with significant savings in energy and maintenance costs, which was one of the objectives of this project that sought the most modern, technologically advanced systems available.

About GE Lighting
GE Lighting invents with the vigor of its founder Thomas Edison to develop energy-efficient solutions that change the way people light their world in commercial, industrial, municipal and residential settings. The business employs over 17,000 people in more than 100 countries, and sells products under the Reveal^® and Energy Smart^® consumer brands, and Evolve™, GTx, Immersion ™, Infusion ™, Lumination™ and Tetra^® commercial brands, all trademarks of GE. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter to build a world that works better. For more information, visitwww.gelighting.com.

John Lewis Specifies GE Lighting’s CMH Ultra

News release:

22 June 2012

John Lewis Specifies GE Lighting’s CMH Ultra

 

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United Kingdom — June 22, 2012 — (NYSE:GE) — GE Lighting’s portfolio of CMH Ultra lamps have been specified by John Lewis, a household name of department stores in the UK, for the retailer’s new build and refurbishment program. Embodied into Edge Lighting’s range of high-efficiency luminaires, GE’s CMH Ultra optimizes light output and provides superior color rendering and uniformity. Consequently by design and specification, John Lewis has reduced energy consumption by more than 50 percent, while also improving the look and feel of its stores.

John Lewis department stores operate throughout the UK and are owned by the John Lewis Partnership. The retailer’s flagship store on Oxford Street is the largest branch in the partnership and was one of the first stores to benefit from a retrofit with GE Lighting lamps.

GE Lighting’s CMH Ultra range has been designed specifically for retail environments, providing high efficiency, long life and superb overall lighting quality — ideal for enhancing retail displays and optimizing merchandise illumination.

Barry Ayling, Lighting Design Manager at John Lewis Partnership commented, “As a responsible retailer, John Lewis endeavors to minimize its impact on the environment. By specifying GE Lighting’s CMH Ultra range, we have significantly reduced energy consumption without compromising the look and feel of our stores. Visually, the stores and merchandise appear more vibrant in color, and energy and maintenance costs are reduced and sustainability is optimized.”

James Fleet, GE Lighting’s Specification Sales Manager adds, “John Lewis has continually demonstrated its proactive adoption of energy-efficient technology. CMH Ultra satisfies all project parameters and we are delighted with the results.”

As the European Union continues its phase-out of inefficient light bulbs, it's crucial that retail users start making the switch to modern alternatives, as traditional lamps may no longer be available when it comes to eventual replacement. In addition, the sooner the switch is made, the sooner retailers can reap the benefits of energy-efficient lighting.

Whether it is a new store construction or an existing store retrofit, GE Lighting has some of the most innovative lighting solutions specifically designed for retail applications. GE Lighting is a leader in the retail lighting channel and has a proven track record of helping customers present merchandise in the best possible light, while reducing operating costs.

About GE Lighting
GE Lighting invents with the vigor of its founder Thomas Edison to develop energy-efficient solutions that change the way people light their world in commercial, industrial, municipal and residential settings. The business employs over 17,000 people in more than 100 countries, and sells products under the Reveal^® and Energy Smart^® consumer brands, and Evolve™, GTx, Immersion ™, Infusion ™, Lumination™ and Tetra^® commercial brands, all trademarks of GE. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter to build a world that works better. For more information, visitwww.gelighting.com.