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Safer is Smarter - Kauai Island Utility Cooperative

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I have heard it said that “first impressions are<br />

lasting impressions.” In the case of th<strong>is</strong> month’s<br />

“A Picture’s Worth,” I found th<strong>is</strong> saying to be<br />

pleasantly true.<br />

In the summer of 2006, I had my first<br />

opportunity to v<strong>is</strong>it the Regency at Puakea,<br />

located just across the street from Chiefess<br />

Kamakahelei Middle School, near Puhi.<br />

Th<strong>is</strong> tastefully designed community for retired<br />

and ass<strong>is</strong>ted living residents made a lasting<br />

impression on me.<br />

I had been asked to survey the community to<br />

try to identify energy savings opportunities. I was<br />

impressed by the friendly and capable staff,<br />

pleasant surroundings, amenities, interior décor<br />

and the Regency’s spacious landscaped grounds.<br />

The lobby and other areas were bustling with<br />

planned activities for the residents.<br />

Due to the newness and the quality of the<br />

community—which opened its doors in April of<br />

2004—it was difficult to find energy­saving<br />

opportunities. However, when we did, there was<br />

no hesitation by management in proceeding.<br />

By Paul Daniels<br />

A Picture’s Worth...<br />

One recommendation at the Regency involved<br />

converting elevator lighting from incandescent<br />

lighting to energy­efficient light­emitting diodes<br />

(LEDs), making the Regency one of the first<br />

communities to use LEDs. Another project<br />

involved adding window tinting to reduce air<br />

conditioning costs. The most recent was the<br />

conversion of the Regency’s parking lot lighting<br />

from less efficient metal halide to high­efficiency<br />

induction lighting.<br />

Induction lighting <strong>is</strong> not new, but has evolved<br />

into diverse applications. With its high luminous<br />

output at a fraction of the energy consumption,<br />

th<strong>is</strong> long­lasting (100,000 hours) and reasonably<br />

priced technology makes it a definite<br />

consideration when evaluating efficient<br />

lighting needs.<br />

I am happy to share that all of these projects<br />

qualified for ass<strong>is</strong>tance from KIUC’s Energy<br />

W<strong>is</strong>e Program.<br />

We want to extend a big mahalo to General<br />

Manager Adam Ort, left, Facilities Coordinator<br />

Randie Peters and Regency at Puakea for their<br />

continued support of Kaua‘i’s energy goals.<br />

If you have a<br />

business, large or<br />

small, and want to<br />

participate in the<br />

Commercial Energy<br />

W<strong>is</strong>e Program, call<br />

Paul Daniels at<br />

246.8275.<br />

OCTOBER 2010 7

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