CFA Sets Energy Conservation Guidelines
The California Fashion Association (CFA) has established a set of energy conservation guidelines aimed at reducing the risk of power outages and helping ease the burden on utilities. The guidelines were established at a recent apparel council meeting at the California Mart, which was attended by representatives of the California Manufacturing Technology Center, the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. and others.
The CFA has set these guidelines as voluntary but is urging the industry to take measures in light of recent power outages, supply shortages and other issues. The Public Utilities Commission recently approved fee hikes up to 46 percent for electricity bills, which could double or triple fees for manufacturers and commercial real estate owners. Earlier this month, one of the state’s largest energy suppliers, Pacific Gas & Electric, filed for bankruptcy protection.
Gov. Davis recently engineered a $2.76 billion deal to purchase transmission lines from Southern California Edison to help ease the crisis, but he stressed that power supplies won’t meet demand levels for another five to six years.
The rising energy costs have hit the apparel and textile industries hard, so the CFA is recommending the following:
bull; For HVAC systems (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), set lower heating and higher cooling temperatures in common areas and set occupied areas to 68 degrees. Set hot water tanks below 105 degrees. Set HVAC systems at or below 60 degrees during non-working hours.
bull; Turn off non-essential auxiliary systems such as fountains, ornamental lighting, etc.bull; Don’t run unnecessary circulating pumps.
bull; For lighting, retrofit lighting systems with energy efficient lamps. Use lower wattage lamps. Reduce exterior lighting that would not affect security or liability. Adjust timers or computer lighting programs to reduce occupancy cycles.
bull; In the office, use central printers and copiers. Turn off infrequently used equipment. Replace incandescent lights with fluorescent ones. Install motion sensor lighting in rest rooms. Purchase products with the U.S.’s “Energy Star” logo, which have been tested for energy efficiency.
bull; Web sites for more ideas:
[www.caiso.com] for the California Independent System Operator, which provides status information on the electricity grid.
[www.energy.ca.gov] for the California Energy Commission.
[www.cbee.org] for the California Board of Energy Efficiency.
[www.cpu.ca.gov] for the California Public Utilities Commission and [www.fere.gov] for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
