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BriteSwitch: Commercial Lighting Rebates Are Still Widely Available

William Attardi on June 18, 2026

As energy demand continues to rise, driven in part by new data centers built to support the growth of artificial intelligence, both homes and businesses are feeling the pressure of higher utility bills. For commercial customers, those increases are bringing renewed attention to energy-saving projects. One of the most familiar options, lighting upgrades, is once again becoming a way for businesses to help offset rising operating costs. Support for commercial lighting rebates remains strong and help make an even stronger case for lighting upgrades. Currently, 75% of the U.S.has access to an active commercial lighting rebate program. Rising Electric Rates Make Lighting Upgrades Worth Another Look

LED-to-LED Upgrades: Emerging Well of Opportunity?

William Attardi on July 25, 2025

As the market for replacing traditional light sources with LED becomes more challenging, a new market is developing around upgrade of early-generation LED installations. This presents an opportunity to achieve greater energy savings, enhance lighting quality, and integrate advanced lighting controls. Supported by a small number of new commercial lighting rebates that are likely to expand in availability, this trend appears certain to grow. LED-to-LED Upgrades: Emerging Well of Opportunity?

Remembering the Solemn Purpose of Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States observed on the last Monday in May to honor and mourn U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the armed forces. The holiday traces its roots to the years immediately following the American Civil War (1861–1865), which caused massive casualties—roughly 620,000 soldiers dead, about 2% of the U.S. population at the time. Communities across the North and South began spontaneously decorating the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers, wreaths, and flags, a practice that gave rise to the original name: Decoration Day. On May 5, 1868, Major General John A. Logan, commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR)—a powerful Union veterans’ organization—issued General Order No. 11. This proclaimed May 30, 1868, as a nationwide “Decoration Day” to honor those who died in the Civil War. After World War I, the holiday expanded to honor all American service members who died in any war, not just the Civil War.  In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act to create more three-day weekends for federal employees. This moved Memorial Day to the last Monday in May, effective in 1971, when it was also officially named “Memorial Day.” As one 1868 quote put it: “That Nation which respects and honors its dead, shall ever be respected and honored itself.”