January 2009

Welcome to our new newsletter format. As we move ahead into expanding our services, we are creating things to assist you, make your life easier and provide you with vital information and educational tools. This newsletter is now linked to our website, where you will find the full versions of the articles. We welcome your feedback on the changes, as well as our newsletter in general. Please feel free to email me with ideas, thoughts and opinions. Enjoy!

AEC has launched our exciting new website. You'll find it chock full of information about us, and our new service offerings, as well as energy industry information and news. Now we offer you the opportunity to apply for a position on-line, helpful links and the ability to search our site on dozens of energy-related topics. We will be keeping you posted about energy industry news items on our home page. You'll be able to get important information on industry events, using our Calendar to help you plan for networking and sales potential opportunities.  Our interactive Energy Savings Calculator will help those considering an energy-eficient lighting upgrade to acquire a general idea of savings to be achieved. We will also be hosting issues of our newsletter and archiving it there.

Our goal has been to make this a very useful and educational site that you'll want to visit regularly. Whether you are a facility manager, an ESCO sales representative, project manager or energy engineer, a distributor or in any number of other energy-related positions, we've striven to provide information which assists you in success in all of your endeavors. We welcome all feedback about our new site... simply click on the Contact Us page, and email the website administrator. Welcome to the new web world of AEC!

*If you are looking for information on Atlantic Data Concepts, simply click the Data Services link at the very bottom of the left navigation bar. Back to Top

There's good news for building owners making energy-efficient improvements. The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 was signed by President Bush on October 3, 2008. This effectively extends EPAct 2005 for another 5 years, until December 31, 2013. Under the extension, buildings will continue to be eligible for a tax deduction of 60 cents per square foot each for Lighting, HVAC and Building Envelope. To be eligible, a building must reduce any three of these measures by 20%, or a collective reduction of all three of 16.7%.

Over the past 3 years, lighting, by far, has been the most consistently utilized of the deductions. Building owners have chosen to invest in energy-efficient lighting because of the cost-effectiveness of the upgrade and the relatively brief payback period of typically 2-3 years.

It is noted that this extension should give every LEED certified building the opportunity to take advantage of the tax incentive.

Back to Top

Atlantic Energy Concepts now offers services to assist you in attaining the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Existing Building Certification. The USGBC uses the LEED rating system to have a way to define and measure "green buildings."

Performance criteria and specific rating systems are available to allow you to benchmark your building at several award levels.

Atlantic Energy Concepts will join your LEED Project Team and help you pursue the points necessary to receive to LEED O&M (Operation and Maintenance, for existing buildings) certification. Our role in the process can range from overseeing the complete project administration to developing and implementing specific turnkey projects to fulfill prerequisite points or increase your score to achieve your targeted rating. For more thorough information, please visit our LEED Existing Buildings page, or call us today at 1.877.234.1134. You can also obtain direct information by visiting the USGBC LEED Page.

Back to Top

A facility can implement the most robust sustainability practices and achieve very significant energy savings, but if building occupants are unsatisfied or even unable to work optimally, all the accolades for energy efficiency may be false praises.

Case in point...occupancy sensors and automatic shut-offs. This is perhaps the biggest complaint from building occupants, with a new lighting system. However, proper education about how the controls work, what to expect and how to operate them correctly are the most effective means of stemming a possible tide of frustration.

Another way to give occupants more control and accommodate varying needs is to incorporate layering into the lighting design. Overhead lights, accompanied by work station lighting, accent lighting and ambient lighting allows for occupant comfort and satisfaction with a new lighting system.

Never underestimate the use of a natural resource... daylight. Daylighting and artificial light can work quite well together, providing that glare is satisfactorily addressed. The bonus, daylight is not only free, but is shown to improve mood, emotional and physical wellbeing.

Expert Lighting Designers/Engineers know the pitfalls of unhappy building occupants and can design for the best possible outcome. Remember, design well, educate, offer flexibility, and people will embrace the change. Back to Top

It is AEC's pleasure to introduce you to the newest member of our team... Dorn Reppert. Although only with us for a brief time, Dorn's spirit and enthusiasm have quickly made him a valued member of the Atlantic Energy family.

Mr. Reppert's extensive experience in the area of facilities and project management will be very beneficial to our clients. As a Project Manager, he performs many key functions, including start-to-finish oversight of lighting system installation. This work includes a constellation of tasks such as material acquisition, management and scheduling of installation technicians, and resolution of field issues. Dorn fills the role of client contact throughout the installation. Over the course of a project, Dorn is a conduit between the design and installation teams, creating documentation of how and what specific products will be/have been implemented. He will also follow-up with monitoring and verification of the installed system, to ascertain that projected energy and cost savings are being realized.

Possessing a diverse and accomplished background, Dorn has successfully owned and managed his own plumbing, contracting and mechanical systems businesses. He has been an instructor for the PA State Apprentice Program. Dorn also holds the recognition of Master Plumber.

In his very rich personal life, Dorn is quite a varied and interesting individual. He lives in Shoemakersville, PA, with his beautiful wife of 34-years, Ruth Ann, who is a gifted and devoted pre-school teacher. Dorn has four very accomplished sons, Dorn Andrew II, Wesley Jay, Zachary David and Justin Michael. Favorite pastimes include cooking and inventing new culinary delights, fishing, attending auto races and gardening. Dorn also is quite a music entrepreneur, owning his own Indie record label, called Image Records LLC. He also provides band image consulting, lyric writing and video production. Please join us in welcoming Dorn to the AEC family! Back to Top

At the end or beginning of every year, it's a good idea to look at where you have been, where you are now, and where you are going. Before investing time and money into various business strategies, it's essential to take an audit and better understand yourself and your customers.

To enhance your business prowess, complete an audit, asking the following questions: