Music Mart, Inc., a full line music store and repair center offering both new and used musical instruments and supplies, has operated in downtown State College, PA for more than 50 years. Music Mart President Tom Gallagher enlisted the help of the Penn State Small Business Development Center (SBDC) for an on-site energy assessment by their Environmental Management Assistance Program (EMAP). The assessment found that Music Mart's heavy use of incandescent lighting and spotlights to showcase musical instruments generated a significant heat load that made necessary the use of three window/wall mounted air conditioners, even during winter months. Furthermore, these older air conditioners had a combined seasonal energy efficiency rating (SEER) of only 2.075, as opposed to new air conditioners that have a SEER rating of at least 10 and as high as 15.

As a result of the EMAP assessment, Music Mart began upgrading their lighting to use 15-watt capsule lights, and by December, 2005 they had replaced all 52 incandescent and metal halide bulbs in the retail area with compact fluorescent lights (CFL) with reflectors. The upgrade to CFLs not only reduced lighting energy usage, but also improved customer and worker comfort by decreasing the heat while maintaining lighting level and quality. Music Mart also replaced two of the old air conditioners with ENERGY STAR qualified units with timers. Before the upgrade the air conditioners were still running at Christmas, but with the reduced heat load from the improved lighting, they are now turned off by early October. As a result of this effort, the 1,275 square foot store has reduced its electricity consumption by 29,000 kWh, and is saving $1,840 a year, while reducing CO2 emissions by nearly 47,000 pounds annually.

In recognition for their commitment to energy efficiency, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded The Music Mart with a 2006 Energy Star Small Business Award.

Visit Music Mart's website: www.musicmartinc.com

To read more about the 2006 EPA Energy Star awardees (six out of eight were EMAP clients!),
click here to visit the Energy Star website.

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"For years we’ve been throwing money out the window.  …Customers would complain that [the heat from the lighting] was uncomfortable. …We don’t have that problem now that we upgraded our lights.” 

- Tom Gallagher, President
Music Mart Inc.