January/February 2012

Vol. 3 No. 1

® publishing affiliate of the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International®

Contents
Features

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14 Cover Story
Net zero energy electrifies sign-maker

Solar roof produces as much electricity as manufacturer consumes Philadelphia Sign Co. has manufactured some notable illuminated signs for prominent customers in the course of its 100-year history—from elaborate, sparkling cinema marquees to luminous storefront signage to elevated, eye-catching channel letter signs for banks and automotive dealerships. Since installing a 910-k W rooftop solar array, the facility produces as much electricity as it consumes.

Bob Mehmet, president and CEO of Philadelphia Sign Co., didn’t set out to pursue net zero energy, and don’t go mistaking him for a granola-munching tree hugger. He installed a 5-acre solar energy array on his manufacturing plant primarily because it made good business sense and secondarily for its environmental benefits.

On the cover: Cover photo of Bob Mehmet by Carver Mostardi for Green Manufacturer.

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22Manufacturers gone zero (landfill) Manufacturers large and small are embarking on zero-waste-to-landfill programs. Hundreds have attended the Green Manufacturer Network’s Zero-Waste-to-Landfill Challenge workshops—the most recent of which included a tour of zero-landfill champion Burt’s Bees. Here is what they learned from those who have achieved zero landfill.

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28Fluid pumping systems—low-hanging fruit for energy savings Pumping systems consume roughly 20 percent of the total electrical energy motors use in the U.S. Taking a whole-system approach, rather than a component approach, offers the opportunity to save up to 82 percent on energy, far more than the 28 percent that may be achieved by a components approach.

325 things manufacturers should know about new lighting standards This January the U.S. DOE has begun enforcing the first phase of the most noticeable changes yet addressing the energy efficiency of lighting fixtures, ballasts, and lamps. Yet as many as 65 percent of consumers are still uninformed about the impending shift in the way we illuminate the world. So, what’s being eliminated, and what’s replacing them?