| The understanding that energy efficiency is good for | | | | provider profits by receiving midstream financial |
| the environment has become balanced by the | | | | incentives and increasing its business; and the |
| realization that it is financially beneficial to companies. | | | | customer profits by implementing energy efficient |
| However, in order to save money through | | | | design in an affordable fashion. In many cases, |
| energy-efficiency, you have to spend money to | | | | retrofitting a building through a DSM program can |
| implement it, and the cost can be significant. Because | | | | reduce implementation cost by 70 percent or more. |
| energy efficiency retrofits can reduce companies' | | | | Companies that implement energy-efficiency retrofits |
| yearly utility costs by 35-60 percent, they typically | | | | through DSM programs may not have the same range |
| deliver an impressive ROI that makes their upfront | | | | of choices as companies that implement energy |
| cost seem negligible. Even so, there still are many | | | | efficiency retrofits without DSM. But one of the retrofit |
| companies that cannot pay for energy efficient | | | | options commonly chosen by DSM customers and |
| technology upfront, and traditionally these companies | | | | non-DSM customers alike is lighting retrofits. When a |
| have been left without options. Today, however, | | | | company opts for energy-efficiency lighting, an |
| energy efficient design is becoming increasing | | | | energy-efficiency consultant performs a technical and |
| affordable through the outgrowth of Demand Side | | | | financial analysis of it lighting system and presents a |
| Management (DSM) programs. | | | | comprehensive lighting solution. Because the goal of |
| Demand Side Management Programs-also known as | | | | energy efficiency is to reduce energy usage as much |
| energy demand management-are programs that | | | | as possible, the solution will pertain to every aspect of |
| encourage energy users to incorporate energy | | | | a company's lighting, from desk lighting to corridor |
| efficient design. DSM programs typically involve four | | | | lighting to exterior lighting. In addition to implementing |
| parties: an energy supplier, an energy efficiency | | | | energy efficient lighting fixtures, the consultant will also |
| provider, a government organization and the customer. | | | | suggest implementing automated lighting controls that |
| The energy supplier acts on a state mandate that | | | | can adjust lighting according to work schedules, |
| says that a certain percentage of energy users must | | | | security measures, the presence of natural light, etc. If |
| use energy efficient solutions by a certain date. The | | | | your company has an old lighting system that needs to |
| energy efficiency provider helps the energy provider | | | | be replaced but you don't have the budget to pay for |
| accomplish this by offering attractive financing or other | | | | the changes in full, contracting with an energy |
| financial incentives to the customer. When the program | | | | efficiency provider through a DSM program may be |
| is successful, the energy provider profits by receiving | | | | the answer. |
| upstream financial incentives; the energy-efficiency | | | | |