An Interview with Keith T.S. Ward, President & COO EYE Lighting, on enLIGHTen America

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Ed: We are hearing more and more about enLIGHTen America. What is it and what is NEMA’s objective for this group?

Keith: NEMA is acting as a coagulator to deliver a unified message about the value of renovated lighting systems to the building management market. We plan to explain the potential energy savings and the improved productivity, and how lighting contributes to sustainable design. America is really about Energy savings, ROI and Sustainability, improving the US industry’s competitiveness while managing our carbon footprint—leaving a better planet for our next generations.

Ed: Who will benefit from any success the EA initiative has?

Keith: Those who own buildings and those who occupy buildings both will benefit from improved lighting systems that save energy and provide 30-50% ROI for their properties and or business. Building owners will also benefit via high occupancy rates and increased values for their real estate investments. These improvements make America’s industries more globally competitive…thus more sustainable in the decades to come. And, of course, all of us in the lighting industry will benefit from any growth in this market.

Ed: Who are some of the members of the task force?

Keith: The task force is comprised of impressive talent from Acuity Brands, GE, Osram-Sylvania, Philips, Hubbell, Universal, , Juno, Leviton, Cooper, EYE Lighting (Iwasaki Electric.) These are the active members, but there are many others that are supporting indirectly but outside of the task force. Many of the members have marketing expertise. The task force was funded in November 2006 and we meet every week for a conference call. In addition, we have had four face to face meetings. The commitment and dedication is quite good.

Ed: That is a lot of work and I am sure most of our readers have no idea how much effort has already gone into this project. Does the enLIGHTen America Task Force want involvement from all lighting companies?

Keith: It started with NEMA, which works with about 50 lighting companies that represent 90% of the market. Everyone will benefit, though, NEMA members as well as Non-NEMA members.

Ed: I am familiar with the Energy Cost Savings Council which Jack Briody led a decade ago. Your humble editor attended the first meeting of that task force, which was also a NEMA-led initiative. How is your organization different than the ECSC?

Keith: First, we have an amazing alignment of the issues facing our industry. One cannot pick up a newspaper, watch TV, or listen to the radio without hearing about $4 gas, skyrocketing transportation costs or escalating electricity costs. When it comes to high electricity costs, our industry is very united in offering tremendous energy savings. Jack didn’t have this at that time as energy was relatively cheap back in 1998. Also, we did not have globalization to the extent nor scale of today’s environment. The world is a much smaller but more competitive place, being a low cost provider is critical to being able to compete.

In addition, we have tremendous financial support from NEMA. NEMA leadership developed the original strategy and has put significant funds behind the effort. The initiative is funded for the next 2 years and we are aggressively looking to add another year…through 2010. However it is in the interest of all property owners to hear this story and upgrade their operations now.

Ed: That is great about the support and obviously funds are important for this activity. How is the task force spending that money?

Keith: There are a variety of marketing vehicles and mediums that we will use. First, we displayed at LIGHTFAIR 2008 in Las Vegas. The industry movers and shakers got to see us as did nearly 20,000 visitors. We really had a tremendous reception at LIGHTFAIR. In addition, many NEMA member companies had enLIGHTen America marketing pieces in their booth.

Second, working with NECA we developed an editorial video that will reach both contractors and building owners and operators. Obviously, the lighting renovation market is a huge opportunity for NECA too since many of their members will participate in the installations. They have skin in the game.

Ed: How else are you getting the message to end users?

Keith: Third, we are getting help from the DOE. David Rogers, Deputy Secretary for Energy Efficiency, attended LIGHTFAIR and we walked him around. He got to see these leading edge technologies first hand. Ron Runkles, NEMA Lighting Industry Director, said that David Rogers said he may bring a whole team to LIGHTFAIR in New York next year. DOE is a friend of ours.

Fourth, NEMA is sponsoring a special section in the August Building Operating Management magazine, driving right to the heart of our target market. Look for no less than 6 feature articles about all aspects of lighting upgrades. From the rapid ROI to the sustainability aspects.

Further, NEMA will be active in trade shows that reach building owners and operators. We will participate at the IFMA show in October in Dallas; the National Facility Management show in March in Baltimore; and the BOMA show in June 2009.

And there are one or two more we are discussing. This will allow us to take the message personally to the marketplace

Fifth, we are developing a very exciting website, a virtual lighting community for all those in need of understanding lighting solutions. The site will be launched in August at www.nemasavesenergy.org. It will become THE destination for lighting information. All of the NEMA organizations will be inside this location. Think of the analogy of LIGHTFAIR and these will be mini-booths within the site. There will distributor as well as contractor information. Our vision includes distribution and contractor information so we can provide turnkey lighting solutions to the marketplace. A second component of the site will focus on lighting education, and webinar capabilities. If a luminaire manufacturer wants to have a big product launch, they can run the medium at this site. A third component will be energy and financial calculators, CAD/CAM layouts, and rebate information.

Sixth, we will have a “dimensional” direct mail campaign to C-level executives at the 1000 largest corporations throughout the US. We are very pleased that the mailing will include a letter from Samuel Bodman, the Secretary of Energy.

Finally, we have published a 4-page brochure which provides an overview our lighting upgrade message. The brochure will be the centerpiece of direct mail campaigns to facility managers. We encourage all your readers to contact NEMA for a copy.

Ed: What will be the actual message to the CEO’s?

Keith: While I think we will get the early adaptors and innovators right away…the key is reaching them with a simple message and a clear indication of what they need to do to participate. The balance of the market, which of course is the majority, will take longer…however with $4.00 gasoline, rising energy costs, and a very challenging economic environment…these companies will need strategies to reduce their costs and remain globally competitive businesses. With today’s highly efficient lighting systems they can have all of this and actually improve the lighting in their operating companies… it is clearly a win-win.

Ed: Keith, I congratulate you and the task force for the countless hours you have put into this effort. It looks like you have a real winner and I especially like the virtual lighting community and the direct mail campaign. As a member of the industry that will benefit from this work, I really appreciate all that you have done and I hope you will keep in touch with the EdisonReport.Net and share your many successes.

Keith: Thanks, we believe this initiative will greatly benefit the lighting industry, not to mention the entire country.