Orion Energy Systems: NBS Data Management Receives Environmental Stewardship Award

Contact: Joe Tafs, NBS Data Management, 651-994-2009; or Steve Heins, Orion Energy Systems, 920-698-1868.

Energy Efficient Lighting Project Saves NBS 1.53 Million kWh

May 8, 2006. Eagan, MN. NBS Data Management received the Environmental Stewardship Award from Orion Energy Systems of Plymouth, WI yesterday. NBS’s Eagan facility was honored for the significant environmental impact of the recent energy efficient lighting project, which saves 76,970 kWh annually. With a third-party incentive provided by Excel Energy, the energy efficient lighting project has a payback of 15 months.

Over the sustainable lifetime of the project, NBS will save over 1.53 million kWh, which is the equivalent of removing 218 cars from the road or saving 127,370 gallons of gasoline or saving 3,033 barrels of oil. The actual environmental impact for the project is a reduction of emissions that include 1,501 tons of carbon dioxide, 409 tons of carbon, 6.5 tons of sulfur dioxide and 3.1 tons of nitrogen oxide, according to the EPA formula.

The NBS facility is 40,000 square feet. By installing Orion’s patented fixture using 224 watts of electricity instead of the legacy metal halide using 465 watts, NBS also increased their light levels by more than 105 percent on the new energy efficient lighting system. In addition, NBS expects to save over $1,000 in annual maintenance.

According to Tom Hagen, Letter Shop Foreman of NBS Data Management, “We are very pleased with the new energy efficient lighting project for several reasons. (1) It has delivered large energy savings; (2) It has helped our quality control and print quality; (3) We were able to installed the Orion fixtures ourselves with ease, because their plug and play design; (4) Our employees now enjoy light that is far superior to the metal halide we previously used; and lastly, our facility is in a high growth area, which has meant some electricity interruptions for us from time to time and Orion’s “instant on” feature, which means we don’t have to wait twenty minutes for the lights to get to full power.”

In the last year alone Orion lighting systems helped customers save more than $37 million, 75 megawatts and 600 million kilowatt hours (kWh). Based on EPA estimates, Orion’s current installations remove 11.7 million tons of greenhouse gas (carbon dioxide) from the atmosphere over the lifetime of the fixture and will remove 3.2 million tons of carbon. Other savings include the removal of 50,880 tons of sulfur dioxide (SO2), which affects acid rain; 24,540 tons of nitrous oxide (NOX), which is another greenhouse gas, and 444 pounds of mercury. This reduction in electricity usage is the environmental equivalent of removing 1.7 million cars from the road, saving 99.9 million gallons of gas or 23.6 million barrels of oil.

“The sustainable savings of electrical consumption by NBS Data Management should serve as a blueprint for all of Minneapolis metropolitan area,” stated Neal Verfuerth, CEO of Orion Energy Systems. “By presenting the NBS team with the Environmental Stewardship Award, Orion wanted to highlight the fact that this energy efficient lighting project was good for everyone: It was good for NBS’s bottom line, good for improved productivity, good for the environment, good for Minnesota’s economic development and finally good for the work environment of our employees because of the better quality lighting.” “We are pleased that we have been honored with the Orion Environmental Stewardship Award,” stated Joe Tafs, NBS President. “It isn’t often when a company can save money, improve productivity, enhance the workplace and have an positive environmental impact all at the same time.”

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About National Business Systems, Inc.

Eagan, Minnesota-based NBS is a document management service bureau providing among other services printing and mailing of financial-related documents. Founded in 1972, the company has expanded from its original data entry and microfiche business to complete document management services including, digital imaging, scanning, data capture, database management, high speed laser printing, inserting-mailing, web presentment, and archiving. For more information call Joe Tafs at 651-994-2009.

About Orion Energy Systems

Orion Energy Systems has been innovating in the energy business since 1996. The company recently won the Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year Grand Award in the Emerging Growth category, given by the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce Association, the Wisconsin Business Friend of the Environment Award, was chosen as a “Success Story” for the 2002 Governor’s Summit on Capital, and owns numerous patents.

Orion is an energy services company (ESCO), which manufactures and markets energy efficient lighting solutions for the school, gymnasium, manufacturing, warehousing, and commercial markets. Orion provides capacity displacement solutions for supply side management, transmission management, and demand side management for the electricity industry. For more information, please contact Stephen Heins, Vice President of Corporate Communications, Orion Lighting & Energy Services, sheins@oriones.com; 920-892-9340, ext. 226 or visit the web site at http://www.oriones.com.