Green Innovation in Electrical Design & Perfecting Pizza Delivery Abby Thompson Care Technology provides technological solutions to the needs of customers through innovations like energy-efficient LED lighting and transportable heat sources that operate without power racks or induction heaters. We spoke to co-founder Belinda Wong about the production of their sustainable offerings and the benefits of green technology. What does Care Technology do? Care Technology’s expertise is in developing innovative technologies and providing solutions that satisfy our customers’ needs. The company holds several patents in the areas of wireless monitoring technology, medical devices and softwares, LED lighting and heating technologies. Our mission is to care for the health, lifestyle and environment of our customers. Our team members and advisers have advanced degrees, (Ph.D., M.S., etc.) in the fields of electrical engineering and computer science, wireless electronics and sensors, optical engineering, flexible electronic circuits manufacturing, bio-medical engineering, bioinformatics, project management, renewable energy and finance. Our founding team is comprised of scientists and engineers with over a decade of experience working together. We built the company through inventions which have profoundly changed people’s lives, while remaining environmentally friendly. Our technologies focus on the state of the art in green technologies, design, science, and engineering. What is your role there? I co-founded Care Technology, and hold patents in the area of medical monitoring devices, green technologies in LED lighting, flexible heating technologies and portable heating devices. My responsibilities include managing the company’s accounting and finance, and I’m also involved in every aspect of growing the business– from raising capital to selling our products. In November 2013, I participated in the first Cox Business and Inc. Magazine “Get Started Rhode Island.” Competition. I won the first prize in presenting Care Technology’s manufactured patented high output, full spectrum intelligent LED lights. You have two green technologies — white LED lighting fixtures and the Dual Power heated delivery system. Tell us a bit about both. 1. White LED lighting fixtures: Care Technology white lighting linear fixtures are part of our patented intelligent LED Lighting System. These are highly energy-efficient and environmentally friendly and provide daylight spectrum, which profoundly improves the quality of lighting in buildings. Our intelligent LED lights were originally designed for placement in health care facilities because of their approximation to daylight (hence, “Care” Technology.) However, shortly into marketing the product, we saw a universal demand across the spectrum. Incidentally, the healthcare lighting market has technical specifications which are also addressed in peripheral markets, including Green & LEED certified buildings. This natural progression of gaining market share was very important for our success. Our LED products are listed on Designlight Consortium (DLC), the US Federal Department of Energy (DOE) Lighting Facts Qualified Product List, and the California Lighting Facts Qualified Product list. These listings allows utility companies in the US to acquire rebates for using our product, and this approval has distinguished us as an elite global lighting manufacturer, overcoming the hurdle faced by the majority of the light manufacturers in the world. Our patented LED light fixture design offers tremendous flexibility and a unique form factor that addresses a wide variety of linear lighting design solutions in buildings for both retrofits and new installations. In addition, Care Technology provides turnkey solutions to commercial enterprises, from lighting energy auditing services to installation, allowing us to convert traditional fluorescent lightings to our LED lights. Our Patented Intelligent LED Lighting systems provide upgrade solutions to existing large commercial enterprises to monitor and control their lighting facilities. How does LED lighting works to save costs? Why are LEDs considered environmentally efficient? LED lights are highly energy efficient light converters, which mean a very high percentage of the electrical energy is converted to light energy over a wide visible spectrum. A significant portion of the electrical energy generated by incandescent lights is converted to heat, which warms the air, making them environmentally inefficient. LED lights generate the same amount of light energy (with a better spectrum) but only 10% of the electrical energy usage. Therefore LEDs are considered highly environmentally efficient. “Linear LED Lightings would save [at least] 50% in energy savings over fluorescent lamps, and save 90% over incandescent lamps. Lighting costs represent 35~50% of the total monthly electricity bills for many businesses and families. This cost savings is very significant to improve cash flow for businesses and reduce family monthly expenses.” — Care Technology website 2. Dual Power Heated delivery System: Heated food delivery systems allow restauranteurs to maintain food temperature, which is important as more restaurants provide delivery services. Care Technology LLC invented the Dual Power Heated System, a patented, light weight technology, which allows users to directly plug the delivery bag(s) into 110v AC (without a power adapter) or 12v DC in the car or battery. This means there is no power lost to the environment through adapters in the system. The Dual Power Heated Delivery System eliminates the need for power racks or induction heaters, since the unit connects to any 110v AC outlets, making this very convenient. The design increases energy efficient and occupies less space, as all the electricity goes to heat the bag– it is a 100% green technology! The System can keep pizzas or hot foods warm in the store or in the cars. The Dual Power Heated System provides: 1. food safety, 2. preserved taste, and 3. desirable food properties – hot, crispy, food with quality texture. Our Dual Power heated delivery bags, which can hold four 14inch pizza boxes, can keep pizza at a crispy temperature with less than $35 of annual electricity usage. Furthermore, since our system does not use any induction heaters or power adapters, it is extremely light weight, an efficient user of heating space, and highly portable. This makes it ideal for a heated delivery system, especially it can be alternatively powered by any car electrical 12Vdc outlet too. What was the process of developing the Dual Power Heated Delivery System? What was challenging and what was the most rewarding aspect? The process of developing the Dual Power Heated Delivery System involved first performing a market survey on the needs of restaurants owners, and providing a solution to these needs. Instead of sending out emails or online surveys, Care Technology engaged directly with a heated food delivery service to deliver food side by side with their delivery team. We supplied our Dual Power Heated Delivery System and obtained direct feedback from the customers and the delivery personnel. We were able to complete beta, field testing and fine tuning of the product. Then, we tackled marketing, engaged distributors, and noted the adaptation rate. The most rewarding part was when we took the patented system from R&D to launch during the Las Vegas International Pizza Exhibit & Conference. What do you hope to accomplish by including green technologies in your product line? By going green, we hope to encourage more users to adopt green technology products. We all can help to sustain the world we live in. To conserve our natural resources for future generations, we have to be good stewards for the environment, to preserve and sustain, by creating environment friendly products. About Belinda Wong Belinda is an inventor; entrepreneur, who worked in International & Foreign Exchange Dept. at Baybank Harvard Trust, MA in the 1980s. She is a Life member of Certified Chartered Institute of Banker, London, UK. She holds patents and has patents pending in the area of medical monitoring devices and system, green technologies in LED lighting, flexible heating technologies and portable heating devices. She was the key team members in developing the Care Grant, Care Homemaker software programs and Heating and LED technologies. She co-founded Care Technology in 1998, as executive VP, her responsibilities include managing the company finance, accounting and involving in every aspect of growing the Company from raising capital, to selling products. Interested in lighting and electrical design? Check out Ken Lovorn’s free Electrical Design Checklist and access lists for Lighting Plans, Device/Power Plans, Power Single-Lines, Fire Alarm, Signal Systems… and more! The Sustainable Women Series, powered by RenewableEnergyWorld.com, will be bringing you case studies of women-backed sustainability projects that are building and powering a better world. Check HeatSpring Magazine regularly for our #SustainableWomen features! Thank you to our amazing media sponsors for making this series happen! Do you know a women-backed or women-led sustainability project? Tell us about it! Email abby (at) heatspring (dot) com with details! The Power Generation Week Woman of the Year Award is given annually in an effort to inspire young women to pursue careers in energy by showcasing highly successful women in the power industry. Get more information and nominate a woman here! Uncategorized Originally posted on June 30, 2016 Written by Abby Thompson Abby is HeatSpring's Product Marketing Manager located in Boston, Massachusetts. She is passionate about people and education, particularly in diversifying the burgeoning fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Abby works with instructors to build new courses and engages with our community of students and experts through HeatSpring Magazine and social media. More posts by Abby