Like many small business owners, Nadine Lefkowitz of Topanien Global Gifts is trying new strategies to thrive in an unpredictable economy — one of which has paid off in unexpected ways.
Last spring, Topanien won a $3,000 energy-efficiency upgrade from PGE and Energy Trust of Oregon in the 2011 Save More, Matter More campaign.
“Costs are up, sales are down and I was looking at every little line item,” Lefkowitz says. “We wanted an efficiency consultation to see if we could save. I didn’t even know I’d entered a contest.”
PGE Energy Expert Garrett Harris recommended Topanien upgrade its T12 lights to high-efficiency T8s, and its owner is thrilled with the results — including noticeably lower bills and a “brighter, happier-feeling” lighting.
“It gets you excited, so you want to keep doing more.”
Real-life results at Topanien Global Gifts
Measures implemented
- Four, 8-foot T8s installed
- Converted track lights from halogen to LED
Estimated annual electricity savings
- 4,476 kwh or about $450 per year
Benefits
- Lower electricity bills
- Smaller carbon footprint
- Better-quality lighting
- Improved store ambiance
- Better color rendering for merchandise displays
- Less maintenance