Success Stories
San Francisco Energy Watch has assisted a wide spectrum of industries, including restaurants, schools, retail stores, offices, residential properties, hotels, and more. The primary purpose of this program is to reduce energy use in San Francisco in keeping with the city's long-range plans to make San Francisco more environmentally sustainable.
If you participated in San Francisco Energy Watch in the past and would like to be featured in our web site as a success story, please contact us.
Featured Participants
1700 California Street is a combined residential and commercial building in San Francisco. Twenty-one tenants occupy five floors of commercial space.
Throughout the historic facility, Calvary replaced approximately 268 incandescent bulbs, including PAR lamps, MR16s and halogen lamps, with energy-saving lamps and CFLs. Calvary also replaced four Exit signs with energy-efficient LEDs, which can save up to 80% in energy usage compared to incandescent lamps.
Founded in 1887 as an independent Catholic school, Schools of the Sacred Heart, San Francisco, carry on the educational mission of the Religious of the Sacred Heart. Over 1,000 students attend Convent & Stuart Hall, four single-sex schools — two elementary K-8 and two high schools 9-12. Schools of the Sacred Heart are among the oldest and largest independent schools in California and comprise the only Northern California schools to offer single-sex classroom education while maintaining a coed community.
More than 100 energy efficient T8 linear fluorescent lights with electronic ballasts and reflectors were installed in Dollar Market. The installation process was quick and without disruption to business. The upgrades did not only result in annual savings of $2,884 but also brightened up the merchandise.
The Glide Memorial Church provides Meals, Women's Center, Health Clinic, HIV/AIDS Project, Recovery Program, Family Services, Walk-In Shelter, and Training and Employment for people in need. The City and County of San Francisco's Department of the Environment is proud to be able to help such a vital community resource.
Hotel Nikko employed their own contractors to replace incandescent bulbs and MR-16s lamps with 2,270 energy saving bulbs, CFLs, in guestrooms, elevator and escalators. About 340 CFLs were installed in the lobby and 64 in the exterior of the hotel. In the swimming pool area, 30 T8s linear fluorescent lights were retrofitted and 26 energy-saving bulbs were installed.
Through San Francisco Energy Watch, Jordan Housing replaced 245 incandescent light bulbs with energy savings bulbs in each of its apartment units. The management also upgraded 20 linear fluorescent lights in the common areas, including the ground floor, electrical room and entertainment TV room. Occupancy sensors were installed in the trash area and laundry area to reduce energy use even more.
Lombardi replaced approximately 250 metal halides with T8 fixtures with electronic ballast in the retail store and in the garage. Timers were also installed, which added about 10 to 20% efficiency. These energy-efficient upgrades cut Lombardi’s utility bill by about half within the first year after the installation was completed.
Precita Clean replaced 52 older T12 lamps containing magnetic ballasts with 32 energy saving T8 linear fluorescents lights, electronic ballasts, and reflectors. Although the number of fixtures in the facility was reduced the brightness in the entire establishment actually improved. Additional retrofits performed include the replacement of 12 halogen lamps in the basement and the exterior area with efficient floodlights.
The Watermark is a 22-story residential property located in downtown San Francisco, built in 2006. It consists of three parking garage levels, two-story townhouse units on Beale St. and Bryant St., and condominiums in the tower above.
Thirsty Bear recently replaced 300 light bulbs with energy savings bulbs and has seen a reduction of their energy usage. The program incentives made a lot of sense to them and they are happy with the results.
The Presidio YMCA retrofitted interior T8s in the basement, installed exit signs, and upgraded custom induction lighting in the pool area. Within a couple of months after the upgrades were completed, there was a reduction of about 20% in energy cost.
Top of page
