June 2, 2004—Fastenal, an industrial fastener distribution company, has completed an energy efficient lighting project in its Atlanta distribution center that would reportedly be the equivalent of saving 1,238 acres of trees, removing 956 cars from the road, or saving 613,335 gallons of gasoline over the life of the fixtures.
Fastenal is installing approximately 200 innovative and environmentally friendly lighting fixtures called “The Illuminator” from Orion Energy Systems of Plymouth, Wisconsin. Fastenal says it is already saving 337,334 kWh per year and 6.7 kWh over the lifetime of the energy-efficient lighting in its Indianapolis distribution center alone. In the Atlanta distribution center, Fastenal is installing motion sensors, which is expected to save an additional 15 or 20% when completed.
Fastenal has installed Orion fixtures in its own manufacturing facility and four of its distribution centers so far. The company expects to retro-fit its remaining distribution centers (12 total) by the end of 2004, which will increase the amount of kilowatts Fastenal will save significantly. In addition to substantial energy savings, emissions of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and mercury will also be significantly reduced.
Fastenal was “so impressed” with Orion’s energy-efficient lighting technology that the company has started selling Orion’s lighting systems to all of its customers throughout the US.
Orion’s innovative Illuminator has earned several US patents and recently won Wisconsin’s prestigious Spirit of Ecology Award and Manufacturer of the Year Award. It provides a full-spectrum light while using far less energy than standard fixtures. Using T8 fluorescent bulbs and electronic ballasts, the Illuminator is a fixture that harvests all three hundred and sixty degrees of light using reflector logic and redirects it into the workspace. Full spectrum lighting is the equivalent of sunlight at high noon and is used for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) treatment.
For more information on The Illuminator, visit Orion.
