Installing more than $14,000 in dimmable LEDs allowed Library IV to replace incandescent light fixtures in its four dining rooms without sacrificing the restaurant’s ambiance.

LED lighting and dimmers; four high-efficiency rooftop HVAC units; dual enthalpy and electronic fuel-use economizers; programmable thermostats

Neighborhood steak house replaces lighting and HVAC equipment without sacrificing ambiance

Background

The Library restaurants are widely considered among the top steak houses in South Jersey. Each independently owned location features wood paneling, shelves lined with books, stained glass, and fireplaces, creating an academic yet homey feel.

Brian O’Keeney has owned the 40 year-old Library IV in Williamstown since 1985. He has since established the restaurant as an upscale destination for the community. Patrons place their orders directly with the kitchen, encouraging customers to develop personal relationships with the cooks.

Despite recent improvements in the affordability of energy-efficient lighting solutions, O’Keeney had been reluctant to replace the globe-style light fixtures hanging throughout the restaurant’s four dining rooms. The concern was that a change in lighting would take away from the ambiance that patrons had become accustomed to at Library IV.  

Those concerns were addressed with help from New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program™ (NJCEP). Through the Direct Install program, O’Keeney was able to find lighting replacements that matched the style, color and light intensity of his existing fixtures. The program’s incentives also made it possible for O’Keeney to replace the restaurant’s most outdated heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment.

 “Without the Direct Install program, we would not otherwise have had the budget for the full scope of work. It certainly was the catalyst to get a lot done,” O’Keeney said.

Without the Direct Install program, we would not otherwise have had the budget for the full scope of work. It certainly was the catalyst to get a lot done.

Brian O’Keeney
Owner

Library IV Restaurant
1030 N. Black Horse Pike
Williamstown, NJ 08094

Solution

Direct Install is a turnkey solution that makes it easy and affordable for small businesses and municipalities to upgrade to high-efficiency equipment. The program offers a free energy assessment and incentives that cover up to 70 percent of the cost for lighting, HVAC, motors and other equipment upgrades.

O’Keeney was introduced to the NJCEP Direct Install program while attending a presentation by South Jersey Gas to the Delaware Valley Purchasing Group, a trade group of independent food service establishments.

Soon after, South Jersey Energy Service Plus (SJESP), a participating NJCEP contractor, conducted an energy assessment of the 6,500 square-foot Library IV. The assessment found opportunities to replace the incandescent lighting throughout the bar and restaurant areas and to replace the T-12 and T-8 fixtures in the kitchen. SJESP also recommended replacing the restaurant’s six rooftop HVAC units and installation of programmable thermostats.

Prioritizing replacements of HVAC units which were more than 15 years old,  O’Keeney chose to install four new HVAC units. Dual enthalpy and electronic fuel-use economizers were added to each of the package units.

With the Direct Install program covering 70 percent of the cost, NJCEP incentives provided $42,898 of the $61,283 total project cost. SJESP estimated the project would save Library IV an additional 46,767 kWh and 1,417 therms per year, totaling about $9,052 in savings annually.

In the first month after the project, O’Keeney received an electric bill that was several hundreds of dollars less than the month before. The restaurant had not even used the new air conditioning units and, therefore, the initial savings were due entirely to the LEDs.

“It was more savings than I thought we would achieve,” O’Keeney said. “The program is a great way for guys like myself to get new energy-efficient equipment and not have a huge up-front cost.”