Two major industries in the United States have recently been working to expand their use, and evaluation, of energy efficient lighting. Two of the most iconic casino resorts in Las Vegas are in the process of switching to commercial LED lighting for many of their indoor spaces. And the real estate industry is set to add a blueprint that will make it much simpler for multiple listing services to add "green fields" to their systems that accurately appraise the added value of smart lighting amenities.
Those separate, yet comparable, efforts are showing how large industries in the United States are increasingly realizing the many energy saving LED lighting systems can bestow on businesses and homes. That realization should help set a standard for the country's future, as more contractors and builders will likely take up the mantle of energy efficient lighting technologies after seeing how effective they are in reducing costs for big business, and once they know homes will be properly valued after installing them.
Vegas changes course
Anyone who has ever set foot on the Las Vegas strip at night will be impressed by the dazzling lights that make it almost feel as if it's still the middle of the day. At the same time, it's hard to ignore the massive amount of energy it takes to provide that effect.
The Venetian and The Palazzo, adjoining casinos owned by Las Vegas Sands Corp., have both recently begun to alter that reality by introducing indoor LED lights to many of their conference rooms. That upgrade has not only been beneficial from a cost standpoint, it's also helped establish a more attractive and welcoming atmosphere.
"The GE LED lighting installed in The Venetian Palazzo meeting rooms is crisper, has more lumens, has a better color rendering, but also is more energy efficient," said Katarina Tesarova, Las Vegas Sands' executive director of global sustainability. "It helps us save energy, but also provides a better customer experience for our clients."
Better valuations of energy efficient homes
For some time, one of the biggest drawbacks for people who installed environmentally friendly lights in their homes has been that when the time comes to sell, they don't receive proper value for their efforts. That should soon change, though, as two research and advocacy groups – the National Home Performance Council and CNT Energy – are set to release their "Blueprint to make Energy Efficiency Improvements Visible in the Real Estate Market."
That blueprint, along with a major campaign by the NAR's Green Resource Council, will make the process of appraising homes that feature smart lighting technologies much more standardized. Other aspects of the campaign include a new national certificate that will be issued by the Building Performance Institute Inc., and the enlistment of major commercial data vendors who supply information to multiple listing services to help in the process, making it cheaper and easier for them to appraise and list properties that have switched to energy efficient lighting.
