GreenTech Energy Services

Rare earth metals get rarer, lamp prices escalate

GreenTech Energy Services — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 19:42:33 +0000

If you are thinking of retrofitting your existing lights with any type of fluorescent lamps, you might want to push this item up to the top of your to-do list because the price of these products is going up fast.

The key factor behind this trend is a growing scarcity of rare earth metals in the U.S. These materials, which include Yttrium, Europium, and Terbium, are processed into the phosphors that are used to produce fluorescent bulbs. The United States stopped mining rare earth metals in 1999 as part of a natural-resource preservation program. This forced manufacturers to purchase the elements from other countries such as China, which currently produces 97% of all rare earth metals in the world.

Unfortunately, the need for these elements has grown within China itself, causing it to drastically cut back on exports. Not only did this allow China to protect its own resources, but it also forced manufacturers who wanted access to cheaper materials to move their operations over there. So, as the law of supply and demand would dictate, we are paying more both for the lamps still made here in the U.S. as well as those made in China for export.

Without U.S. government interference, there’s no reason to expect this crisis to diminish anytime soon. Some old mines in the United States have been re-opened, but it will be several years before they are operating at full capacity.

Lighting up the 2nd Largest U.S. Industrial Park

GreenTech Energy Services — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:38:01 +0000

GreenTech Energy Services of Maple Shade, N.J., and Long Island, NY, has joined the Hauppauge Industrial Association, an organization representing approximately 1300 businesses in the second largest industrial park in the U.S., located in Suffolk County, Long Island. GreenTech, which provides energy efficiency services for commercial facilities, is currently implementing lighting retrofits for several companies in the industrial park housing HIA.

HIA provides a forum for business leaders to network, problem-solve and obtain advice on critical issues facing their businesses. GreenTech will be participating in a number of HIA events, such as the annual Business Trade Show and Conference in May, and will be serving on committees such the Green Industries group, which meets monthly to share information about the environment, energy, and clean technology.

Creating Sustainable Schools That Practice What They Preach

GreenTech Energy Services — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:17:32 +0000

From: The Moorestown Patch
By John Shields

Would you trust a plumber if you visited his workshop and found leaks sprouting everywhere? You shouldn’t. In the same way, should we trust our educators to proselytize the importance of transitioning to sustainability if the school itself wasn’t an example of its own teachings?

Fortunately, we’re beginning to see positive progress in educating green, inside of school buildings that embody the very same principles.

Holy Cross High School in Delran is one in particular that took major steps to cut energy consumption in 2007. They focused on lighting retrofits and contracted with Maple Shade-based GreenTech Energy Services. (Read more: The Moorestown Patch).

Join Us as We Grow!

GreenTech Energy Services — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 18:58:58 +0000

After a great 2011, GreenTech Energy Services is positioned for growth in 2012. We’re looking for a sales rep in Pennsylvania with a proven track record selling lighting retrofit services. Please help us get the word out!

Happy Holidays!

GreenTech Energy Services — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 16:14:19 +0000

Holiday greetings and best wishes for a happy, healthy New Year from all of us at GreenTech (and our talented pets).

Training for Tomorrow

GreenTech Energy Services — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:09:34 +0000

GreenTech is closing out the year with training sessions for sales and operations staff. We have hosted presentations on new products by lighting technology experts, brainstormed over ways to deliver better service to our customers, and brought in a consultant to help us find ways of making internal operations run more smoothly and effectively. We’re looking forward to putting our ideas into action in 2012!

Staples Earns Accolades for Energy Efficiency

GreenTech Energy Services — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 19:20:50 +0000

l-r: Andrew Thorpe-Staples VP Retail Design, Mara LaVoice, GreenTech VP Sales & Marketing, Bob Valair, Staples Director of Energy and Environmental Mgmt.

When the 2011 Platts Global Energy Awards were handed out at a gala dinner in New York last week, Staples stepped up to the podium for the second year in a row to be recognized for its Energy Efficiency program, coming in first in the “end-user” category. GreenTech was pleased to be a participant in the celebration; as a Staples vendor, we have designed and installed lighting retrofits in the company’s distribution centers and retail stores across the country.

The lighting projects are just one component of the “Staples Sustainability Program,” which has made waste reduction and energy efficiency a core value of the nation’s leading office supply company. Other pieces of the energy efficiency puzzle include “smart grid” technologies, heating and air-conditioning optimization techniques, automated demand-response technologies, and “green IT” initiatives. Staples has also launched a multi-year educational campaign designed to teach all its stakeholders that energy-conscious behavior is good for the environment, society, and the company’s bottom line.

Staples was among 21 winners announced in 19 categories at the awards dinner. Nearly 500 energy executives from around the world attend this annual black-tie event, often described as the “Oscars” of energy. Platts, the producer of this event, is a leading global provider of energy, petrochemicals and metals information.

Shedding New Light on Community College

GreenTech Energy Services — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:36:53 +0000

GreenTech is designing and installing an energy conservation project at Hartnell College, in Salinas, California. Lighting is being upgraded in the gym complex, visual arts and theater arts buildings, the garage, and other areas of the college’s two campuses. A rebate from the utility company will offset 50% of the cost of this upgrade. In addition to annual energy and operational savings of $119,748, the college will be reducing its carbon emissions, enhancing the safety and security of outdoor spaces, improving the aesthetics of interior spaces, and complying with new Federal energy efficiency standards.

Community Outreach

GreenTech Energy Services — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:50:51 +0000

At GreenTech Energy Services, our planet-friendly philosophy is not restricted to promoting energy efficiency and recycling. We also support a number of community causes, including food drives for the homeless, the annual Multiple Sclerosis bike race, and even efforts to reduce animal overpopulation. We recently got an opportunity to put our words into action when a family of young cats took up residency on the grounds in front of our office building. We brought the mom and her kittens to the local Animal Welfare Association, which operates a low-cost spay/neuter clinic, and are currently seeking to place them in good homes.

We wish all our customers, along with our four-legged friends, a happy Thanksgiving!

On the Road Again

GreenTech Energy Services — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 19:46:34 +0000

GreenTech will be exhibiting at the annual Green California Schools and Community Colleges Summit & Expo, taking place October 17-18, 2011 at the Pasadena Convention Center. This promises to be a great opportunity for California school officials to hear about all aspects of going green, from funding to new building technologies to implementing green curriculum. Carl Pope, Sierra Club executive chairman and co-chair of the newly-formed Blue-Green Alliance, will be the keynote speaker. For information and to register for the summit, log on to www.green-technology.org or call Cindy Dangberg at 626-577-5700. And if you go, be sure to visit us at booth #114!

Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, we will also be exhibiting at the Mid-Atlantic Buildings and Facilities Management Show and Conference on Nov. 2 & 3 in Somerset, NJ. This conference will focus on LEED, sustainability, energy, building design and much more, for facilities in a wide range of markets, including healthcare, education, industrial, commercial and entertainment. Again, if you plan to attend, please stop by booth #416.