# Sustainable Economics for Savvy Business Leaders

- Link: https://greenlivingguy.com/2020/03/sustainable-economics-for-savvy-business-leaders/
- Published: 2020-03-29T21:27:42-04:00
- Author: greenlivingguy

#### **_Now let’s talk green LED lighting. Saving energy with Greg Merritt, vice president, marketing and public affairs, Cree, Inc._**

Whether you’re running a business or a household, balancing capital costs with operating
expenses is one of the most integral elements of your spending strategy. Yet too
often, the product and service choices that we make overlook lifetime analysis for
the seductive appeal of low upfront cost. Remember the time you purchased the discount
coffeemaker for the office kitchen that didn’t last 6 months?

We’ve all done it.

The lowest cost choice can equate to lower quality – resulting in failures, insufficient
performance, shorter lifetime, limited functionality and an array of other compromises
to your overall experience. The fluorescent light shown in the [video](https://web.archive.org/web/20120612135959/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbMyY59x8Cs)
below is a prime example of this.

It’s time to switch to a more value-, performance-, and lifetime- driven model that,
at [Cree](https://www.cree.com/), we like to call sustainable economics or green
LED lighting. Here are four smart and simple choices that can amplify savings, improve
user experience and support sustainable economics for any business exec.:

[⌊Green LED Lighting. It’s time to switch to a more value-, performance-, and lifetime-
driven model that, at Cree, we like to call sustainable economics. Here are four
smart and simple choices that can amplify savings, improve user experience and support
sustainable economics for any business exec.: ⌉⌊Green LED Lighting. It’s time to
switch to a more value-, performance-, and lifetime- driven model that, at Cree,
we like to call sustainable economics. Here are four smart and simple choices that
can amplify savings, improve user experience and support sustainable economics for
any business exec.: ⌉[

#### **Choose Efficiency**

Identifying energy efficiencies like [green LED lighting](https://greenlivingguy.com/2011/11/green-lighting-book-campaign-discovering-eco-friendly-lighting/)
is one of the first places to look for reducing operating costs. That’s particularly
since energy represents [30 percent](https://www.epa.gov/statelocalenergy) of the
typical office building’s costs. Moreover it is a property’s single largest operating
expense. Of that, lighting often accounts for [40 percent](https://web.archive.org/web/20160801042417/http://energytrust.org:80/library/GetDocument/2596)
of the electricity bill for most businesses. Switching to green [LED](https://greenlivingguy.com/2010/09/google-gives-the-best-present-to-all-its-employees-green-lighting/)
lighting can offer up to 60 percent in energy savings. Add wireless controls and
you could be doubling the savings!

But why make the switch now when your incandescent bulb or fluorescent lamps are
still working? It’s simple really – **the longer you wait, the more money you will
waste. **It’s time to start looking past that comfortable instant gratification 
of lowest price. I mean now is that time to invest in future savings. As well as
uncompromised experience.

You will notice the difference with the increased quality of light from [green LED](https://greenlivingguy.com/2010/10/green-led-light-bulb-my-smart-energy-choice/)
lighting. As well as the lower maintenance costs, longer lifetimes and the payback
is much faster than you think.

[⌊LED lighting gas Station. You will notice the difference with the increased quality
of light from green LED lighting. As well as the lower maintenance costs, longer
lifetimes and the payback is much faster than you think.⌉⌊LED lighting gas Station.
You will notice the difference with the increased quality of light from green LED
lighting. As well as the lower maintenance costs, longer lifetimes and the payback
is much faster than you think.⌉[

**Evaluate lifecycle costs**

To match the light output and lifetime of a Cree® LED downlight, traditional lighting
would consume 3,250 kilowatt-hours, and need to be replaced about 25 times, costing
over $465. Most LED lighting products are designed to last [50,000 hours](https://www.creelighting.com/why-cree-led),
50 times the life of an incandescent bulb. That’s nearly 12 years in a 24/7 commercial
environment, virtually eliminating maintenance costs. You might never change another
light again. In fact, if you ran one LED lamp for 6 hours per day every day, it 
is projected to last for nearly 23 years. That is five presidential elections, time
for a home remodeling and two generations.

#### **Does the product or service help improve other processes?**

Employee satisfaction and productivity are critical areas in which to invest – offering
fiscal and emotional return. In fact, stress costs companies somewhere between [$200 and $300 billion](https://www.businessinsider.com/surprising-costs-to-the-work-place-2011-11?op=1#ixzz3VtS1MDKx)
each year. While some behaviors take multiple approaches to curb, creating a productive
work environment can support improved employee experiences. The [World Green Building Council](https://greenlivingguy.com/2018/10/university-of-pittsburgh-berg-center-premieres-documentary-focused-on-reducing-food-waste-rescuing-abundance/)
investigated a range of office design factors, from indoor air quality to thermal
comfort and daylighting and more – and found that the design of an office has a 
material impact on the health, wellbeing and productivity of its occupants.

[⌊image⌉⌊image⌉[

Westcor Land and Title insurance, for example, [cited improved productivity](https://www.creelighting.com/applications/case-studies/westcor)
after converting. That’s from unsatisfactory fluorescent office lighting to [Cree](https://greenlivingguy.com/2019/12/lighting-one-of-the-first-energy-positive-schools-cree/)
green LED lighting. Employees and managers thank the new technology’s superior color
quality and rendering as well as quieter ceilings for a better overall working environment,
backed by less maintenance interruptions for fixture replacement.

#### **Consider the cost of waiting.**

Many business owners hold out on investing, waiting for that premium interest rate
for financing or the next big technology advancement before updating PCs or servers,
among other outdated equipment. The question is; does it cost to wait? Sometimes,
as a business owner you must look closer at the immediate opportunity right in front
of you. If you had the opportunity to buy solutions that enabled a 50 percent operating
reduction immediately, would you do it?

Efficient technology like LED lighting has already advanced to the point where waiting
for the “next big thing” results in a loss of gains. Additionally, the upfront investment
to transition to LED is dramatically lower than one might expect. Payback can be
achieved in as little as one year, meaning further gains put money back in your 
pocket – or allow for investment in other mission-critical business objectives.

[⌊Go for the green led lighting ⌉⌊Go for the green led lighting ⌉[

Next time you’re faced with this decision; ask yourself if the cost of waiting outweighs
the alternative.

Calculate your own potential payback for business(es) or for [residential homes](https://creebulb.com/calculator).
Not only can you save on your energy bills, but you will have quality light. Go 
ahead and try it out!

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 greenlivingguy

 The Green Living Guy, Seth Leitman is an independent power producer, a green living
expert, and Editor of the McGraw-Hill, TAB Green Guru Guides. Seth is also an Author,
Radio Host, Reporter, Writer and an Environmental Consultant on green living. The
Green Living Guy writes about green living, green lighting, the green guru guides
and more. Seth's books range from: # Build Your Own Electric Vehicle by Bob Brant
and Seth Leitman (2nd and 3rd editions) # Build Your Own Plug-in Hybrid Electric
Vehicle by Seth Leitman # Build Your Own Electric Motorcycle by Carl Vogel # Green
Lighting by Seth Leitman, Brian Clark Howard and Bill Brinsky # Solar Power For 
Your Home by David Findley # Renewable Energies For Your Home by Russel Gehrke #
Do-it-Yourself Home Energy Audits by David Findley # Build Your Own Small Wind Power
System by Brian Clark Howard and Kevin Shea # and more green living books to follow.

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