BACKGROUND:​

Founded in 1964, OFG Bancorp is one of the leading banking financial services companies in Puerto Rico.  Through its main subsidiaries, Oriental Bank and Oriental Financial Services, the company is distinguished by its highly experienced and customer-focused staff, which provides an exceptional level of service to its clientele, and the bank was the first in Puerto Rico to be listed on the American Stock Exchange.    

In early fall 2017, Transcon Lighting System, a local Energy Service Company (ESCO), approached Oriental Bank with a recommendation on how to save money and energy and improve its light quality in its 17-story headquarters and parking garage.  This would be accomplished by upgrading the traditional lighting to SYLVANIA LED lamps and luminaires from LEDVANCE.  In North America, LEDVANCE LLC offers SYLVANIA advanced LED lamps, standardized luminaires and smart lighting solutions, as well as a wide range of traditional light sources.   After evaluating all of its options, including other lighting manufacturers, Oriental Bank selected Transcon and the SYLVANIA LED lighting.

“We decided to partner with Transcon and install the SYLVANIA LED lighting products for several reasons.  First, both Transcon and LEDVANCE have a strong local presence here and are very responsive.  That helps with peace of mind,” said Victor Rivera, Facilities Engineer at Oriental Bank.  “In addition, the SYLVANIA LED lighting provided excellent energy savings and illumination, which would help us save money and create a more inviting environment for our employees and tenants.”

Then, on September 20, the world watched as Hurricane Maria pummeled Puerto Rico, plunging the island into darkness and chaos.  The Category 4 storm was the strongest to make landfall in Puerto Rico in 85 years with sustained winds of 155 mph.  Even with Mother Nature against them, the LEDVANCE and Transcon team worked tirelessly to get the products to the Oriental Bank headquarters.  “Saving energy was always a priority,” said Fernando Sosa, VP of Operations at Transcon, “but now being energy efficient is even more important.  Every watt of electricity saved can be used in other areas, such as air conditioners, and is more energy that is available for other organizations that need to use generators.”  Even with crowded shipping ports having to prioritize receiving life critical supplies like food and water, the LEDVANCE/Transcon team were still able to ensure product delivery and have been ahead of schedule with the installation. 

THE SOLUTION

Fluorescent parabolic troffers in the office ceilings created a “cave effect” with the illumination focused on the floor and leaving the ceiling too dark.  To address this, they were replaced with SYLVANIA Volumetric Troffer LED Luminaires.  This improved the overall illumination and created a much cleaner, brighter and more modern look.  They were also chosen for office ceilings because they allowed a reduction of luminaires per square foot since they offer more light volume and better energy efficiency.  Oriental Bank’s previous traditional lighting consumed between 120 and 160 Watts and the new SYLVANIA LED luminaires only use between 35 to 42 Watts.  In addition, they have twice the density of lighting per square foot.  In other words, a space that used 10 traditional luminaires could be illuminated by six LED luminaires that consume less energy.  The volumetric design also minimizes glare with a lens that extends into the frame, preventing light leaks.

Also in some of the offices, compact fluorescent PAR lamps were replaced with SYLVANIA ULTRA LED™ RT4 and RT5/6 HO Recessed Downlight Kits.  The SYLVANIA ULTRA RT Series provides excellent color rendering (up to 90 CRI) and a selection of color temperatures (2700K, 3000K, 4000K and 5000K).  The products reduce energy consumption by up to 82 percent and have up to a 50,000 hour life (L70). 

Traditional T8 lamps that provided cove lighting were replaced with long-lasting, energy-saving SYLVANIA SubstiTUBE® IPS LED T8 Lamps.  With a 50,000 hour life (L70), these LED T8 lamps contain no mercury, provide instant light and a uniform light distribution.  Engineered to operate on existing instant start and select programmed rapid start electronic T8 ballasts, these lamps minimize labor and recycling costs.  Because the SubstiTUBE IPS LED T8 is not affected by switching cycles, the use of occupancy or vacancy sensors can be installed with the existing instant start ballasts for optimal energy savings. 

In the mechanical and electrical rooms and the stairwells, traditional 4 and 8 foot T8 lamps were replaced with SYLVANIA Vapor Tight LED Luminaires.  Available in 25, 40 and 50 Watt versions and delivering up to 140 lumens per watt and 67 percent in energy savings, the luminaire is IP65 rated, ETL Sanitation certified for NSF splash zones, and offered with integrated sensor and emergency backup options.   

SYLVANIA Canopy LED Luminaires replaced fixtures in the parking garage that used 8 foot T8 fluorescent lamps.  Available in 40 and 55 Watt versions and delivering up to 117 lumens per watt and 78 percent in energy savings, the extremely durable luminaires have a slim design that is beneficial for installation in tight ceilings spaces.

THE BOTTOM LINE

“Transcon has trusted SYLVANIA lighting products for 15 years because of their superior quality,” said Sosa, “and these new LED products have helped us meet the needs of Oriental Bank.”  The San Juan headquarters is now enjoying beautiful light and annual energy cost savings of $144,023, thanks to the SYLVANIA LED lighting from LEDVANCE.  As a result of the LED lighting upgrade, the office building is saving approximately 578,559 kWh annually, resulting in an anticipated 647,595 pounds of CO2 emissions also reduced each year. 

"Our previous lighting often needed to be replaced, which increased our labor costs.  The SYLVANIA LED technology requires little or no maintenance during its long life.  We can lower our operational expenses without sacrificing light quality," said Rivera.  “You really could tell the difference the next day after the lighting had been replaced.  The illumination was greatly improved,” said Rivera.

“We have several projects in place to make the building more efficient,” said Rivera, “and this lighting upgrade is a key part of our overall plan to improve the workplace as well as the energy efficiency.  It is also good for Puerto Rico because it is saving energy when parts of the island are still without power because of Hurricane Maria.  I’m proud we are doing our part for our building occupants and for Puerto Rico.”

*based on US EPA e-grid data 2017, calculated on a national average