Thomas Edison’s electric light bulb was, in no small way, revolutionary. The light bulb touched every corner of modern society and caused a fundamental shift in the nighttime culture wherever it was placed.

 

Commercial establishments soon saw the benefit of using electricity to light signs at night, and sign companies were quick to provide the necessary skills and service. Thus began the century-plus history of the electric sign industry.

 

The sign industry moved beyond Edison’s light bulb when early pioneers perfected the art and craft of neon, which was vastly more efficient than the incandescent bulb for sign applications. Within a generation, neon signs were used to advertise every kind of enterprise and product imaginable, from Camel cigarettes in Times Square to a good night’s sleep in a motel out West on Route 66. And, with plenty of low-cost electricity available, lighted signs were, for the next few decades, an extremely efficient method of advertising.

 

In terms of upfront costs, operating and maintenance costs, and useful life, few other methods of advertising delivered the same bang for the buck as an illuminated sign. A century later, this is still true, given the myriad choices for advertising in today’s high-tech environment.

But electricity is no longer something most people can afford to think of as low cost and plentiful, so energy efficiency in electric signs has become more of an issue these days. 

 

METRICS AND WATT KNOTS

Energy efficiency is an elusive concept when it comes to illuminated signage. Efficiency can be measured from a strictly scientific perspective—how many kilowatts does it take to produce how many lumens in a certain device—but the resulting data may not describe its efficiency from the perspective of a return on investment, its noticeability, sales increase or environmental impact.

 

How does the source, intensity and quality of light used in signage affect consumer buying decisions—or in other words, what are the dollars-per-lumen? How do these affect advertising and public relations?

 

All of these variables will affect system efficacy—the ability to produce the intended result in the most efficient and economical way—of a lighted sign and ultimately, the bottom line of the business that owns it.

 

A light source’s efficacy needs to take into account the full cradle-to-grave process in order to best evaluate it in comparison to other light sources. Metrics such as the availability and cost of materials (raw or recycled), research and development, refining processes, manufacturing processes and transportation must be considered to have a complete picture of efficiency.

 

Illuminated signage is recognized globally as an effective and efficient means of advertising and communication.

For example, besides lumens per watt measurements, efficiency data should also include the costs required to transport raw materials and technological expertise to factories in Asia, then to transport finished products back to markets in the United States and Europe.

 

Efficacy also includes the impact sign lighting has on the environment: measures necessary to reduce or eliminate undesirable by-products from the manufacturing process that result in water and air pollution, as well as the costs of measures necessary to mitigate light pollution and light trespass during use. 

 

So, light sources may stack up differently depending on whether it’s a strictly lumens-per-watt comparison, a lumens-per-dollar comparison or a dollars-per-lumen comparison.

 

THE MERCURY FACTOR

Environmental considerations too, must be weighed against alternatives. For example, mercury is a heavy metal, and over-exposure to it can cause health problems in animals and humans. So it seems logical to eliminate the chance that mercury can escape and contaminate air and water, or get into the food chain. 

 

Neon has been an effective light source for many decades.

One way to do that could be to eliminate mercury from a whole class of products, such as the millions of fluorescent tubes used in retail and office environments and the new CFLs that are being used to replace millions of household incandescent lamps. But mercury compounds are also commonly introduced into the atmosphere as a by-product of burning coal to generate electricity. 

 

Although the burning of coal is declining, its use is still quite prevalent. According the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration, in 2008 almost half of the total electricity generated in the United States was derived from the burning of coal. And, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, coal-burning power plants account for more than 50 percent of human-caused mercury emissions in the U.S.

 

So, in places where mercury content is outlawed in neon or fluorescent tubes, if power generation is from burning coal, there could be a net increase in mercury pollution by comparison because of a potential increase in electricity consumption needed for other light sources. Furthermore, if mercury is contained and retrieved properly from those products at their end of life, the chance of contamination becomes considerably less.

 

APOLLO’S SUN CIRCUS

Solar power is all over the news these days. And, as reported previously in Sign & Digital Graphics, it has a lot of potential not only as an additional source of power generation that is added to the grid, but for off-grid applications in which the photovoltaic panels are more cost effective than pulling wires to a remote location.

 

An off-grid solar or wind-powered sign can be valuable for places without electricity, but if power from the grid is available, it’s not usually deemed worthwhile from a pure ROI point of view, compared to connecting to the grid.

 

“It really depends on the state and the incentives,” says Allen DeNyse of Atlanta-based DeNyse Signs. “We’re also finding that a lot of people are trying to become LEED certified. “It seems that even if it’s a small effort, like using solar panels to run your signage, it’s still a big talking point.” He says some of those clients are extremely sensitive to energy efficiency and earth-friendly business practices and will only consider using those types of products.

 

In situations in which there is a need for signage but it’s impractical to bring power, a self-contained solar powered sign is a cost effective solution.

Photovoltaics is still a technology that needs to be further developed, but advances are interesting and promising. For example, at MIT, researchers are working on developing new highly efficient solar cells that mimic photosynthesis and the cell-rebuilding process that occurs in plants.

 

To date, the single biggest impediment to a timely return on investment from an off-grid solar power system is associated with storage batteries, although advances—in large part driven by the electric car industry—continue to improve that technology.

 

TITLE 24

California’s “Title 24” went into effect earlier this year, with standards designed to eliminate the need for the state to build additional power plants. The initiative is ambitious and not without its detractors, but moves in the direction of better use of energy resources and may serve as a model for similar initiatives in other states. Title 24 regulates any product sold in California that has a plug or wire attached to it, and sets minimum standards for power consumption. Specific standards for signage are found in Chapter Seven.

 

The introduction to Chapter Seven says in part, “The Sign Lighting Standards conserve energy, reduce peak electric demand, and are technically feasible and cost effective. They set minimum control requirements, maximum allowable power levels and minimum efficacy requirements.” 

The standards regulate most indoor and outdoor sign lighting applications in the state by mandating automatic shutoff controls, dimming controls and demand responsive controls for electronic message centers.

 

CUSTOMER CONCERNS

Other variables that affect the efficiency of signage are less about light physics and chemistry and more about design and return on investment. 

 

An integrated PV panel charge controller and battery pack supply power to LEDs mounted to the left and right of this retail center map. (Courtesy DeNyse Signs)

“Right now, I think there’s an increased sensitivity to the initial cost of everything, especially with a start-up business,” says DeNyse. “They will worry about longevity and energy efficiency when they stay in business for three or four years, but at first, people are really focused on the dollars.”

 

DeNyse says he believes the affluence of the client and the size of the company are also important factors. “A really small mom-and-pop want the cheapest thing; a larger organization can operate at a different level of awareness. They see it as more of an investment.”

 

As its name suggests, Danbury, Conn.-based Efficient Lighting & Maintenance works with commercial and industrial clients to reduce the cost of their overall lighting needs.

Founder Thomas A. Phillips says that while the company is not involved in manufacturing or installation, sign repair and upgrading falls under its service umbrella. This includes neon repair as well as retrofitting with LEDs.

 

“Most times, customers aren’t calling specifically for a sign upgrade,” says Phillips. “When we do a lighting project and the customer has a sign, we’ll try to include that into our project and look for a solution that can reduce the kilowatt hours needed to light the sign.”

 

There’s a concerted effort in the state of Connecticut to reduce energy consumption. Phillips believes the demand is not being driven as much by regulation as by energy costs, which in his state are among the highest in the country.

 

Bryan Strickler, owner of New Oxford, Pa.-based W.J. Strickler Signs Inc., says he’s disappointed that energy efficient signage doesn’t come up more in conversations with clients. There is some interest in signage that is labeled “energy efficient,” but so far he believes it’s been minimal due to the cost of the PV units needed for the Northeast.

 

Nevertheless, his company has recently begun developing and promoting solar off-grid sign systems and Strickler feels optimistic that interest in the technology will grow.

 

Mark Oatis, Creative Director for YESCO’s Las Vegas branch says the promotion of energy-efficient, retrofit service work is a major initiative for the company, but dollar savings are still the biggest consideration.

 

“On new projects, LEED standards are in place so LEDs are typically used,” Oatis says. “Nevada provides energy rebates, so often the cost of a retrofit, plus the rebate, will equal ROI within the first year. We are retrofitting parking garages, hotel interior and exterior lighting and signs, porte cocheres, chasing raceways, soffit and overhead lighting.”

 

He says that modern advancements in lighting sometimes mean that signs can be less bulky, but for energy efficiency, LEDs and electronic transformers have had the greatest impact on the efficiency of illuminated signage in recent years. LEDs are most often specified, especially in programmable strip lighting and today’s LED boards use a fraction of the energy of earlier-generation boards.

 

“We design signs and displays in consideration of the traditional objectives of impact, effectiveness and appropriateness,” Oatis says. “Sign specifications and dimensions may change due to the use of new technologies, and innovative materials and lighting effects can be employed because of those new technologies.”