Temecula, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/05/2012 -- It’s the end of an era for the fluorescent lamps known as T12s, prevalent in commercial applications, as they will no longer be manufactured as of July, 2012. This means many companies will be affected because as these existing lamps/ballasts fail – replacements will be not be available!

This has prompted a huge “rush” in the lighting retrofit market.

Southern California’s utility company (So. Cal. Edison) has ceased rebates for upgrades from T12 to the energy efficient T8 lamps effective June 30, 2012. This makes sense because - why provide incentives if companies have no choice but to upgrade?

It seems that many companies realized their dilemma only recently, and So. California companies began a huge rush to take advantage of the rebates that ended 6/30/12. In this craze, companies, such as Energy Retrofit Co, continued its installations to the very end. “We installed 2,000+ new T8 lamps and ballasts in the last 30 days alone”, says President/CEO, Chris Kirchwehm, “now we’re getting ready for the big rush in Northern California!”

The good news is that the Bay Area and other Northern California utility companies will continue to offer energy saving rebates/incentives for these T12 to T8, T5 or LED upgrades through December 2012. Very generous, considering replacement T12 lamps and ballasts cannot be purchased after June. “I expect the big rush to hit Northern California this month [July]”, comments Energy Retrofit Co’s Vice President, Rosemary Logsdon, “and we’re ready for it!” As a LEED Accredited Professional, Logsdon is very active in the Bay Area’s energy/environmental movement.

Energy Retrofit Co. is now supplementing their customer’s lighting upgrades with FREE occupancy sensors - saving them even more energy.

Energy Retrofit Co.’s business model is to make best use of incentives available to offer the customer very low cost (or no cost) options to save energy/$$$.

On June 14, 2012, PG&E hosted it’s 2nd annual Trade Pro Alliance Recognition awards event for the year 2011. Energy Retrofit Co. was named the #1 2011 Trade Pro Alliance Annual Recognition Program Winner by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) receiving top awards for kW and kWh reduction – this out of a field of approximately 600 companies. Energy Retrofit Co. was awarded 5 Top Performer Awards and 10 Outstanding Achievement awards. The event was held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Concord. Kirchwehm’s acceptance speech included a story of how years ago, with very young children at home, he brought his business from So. Cal. to Northern California and that the Bay Area utilities have been extremely welcoming and helpful in the endeavor to save energy! The awards celebrate the hard work and success of top-performing companies who – despite the economic downturn–delivered significant energy savings to PG&E customers. The program specifically recognizes Trade Pros who deliver the greatest amount of kW, kWh or Therm savings that utilize PG&E’s Energy Management solutions.

Energy Retrofit Co. has now expanded to Oregon, Washington, Nevada, New Jersey, and Florida.

For more information on how utility incentives can save your company energy/money
visit http://www.energyretrofitco.net, call 877.633.8049, or
email rosemary@allgreenrating.com.