EMerge Alliance Forms Advisory Council

Thought leaders in design, energy, facility management selected to assist in
guiding the new EMerge commercial building technology standard

SAN RAMON, Calif.--(Business Wire)--
The EMerge Alliance - an open industry association promoting the rapid adoption
of safe, low-voltage direct-current (DC) power distribution and use in
commercial building interiors - today announced that eight professionals
representing a broad spectrum of organizations with interests in the design,
construction, energy efficiency and use of commercial facilities will serve on a
newly created EMerge Advisory Council.

Members of the Advisory Council include:

* Larry Eisenberg, facilities planning and development director, Los Angeles
Community College District
* Karl Johnson, research director and program manager, University of California
- California Institute for Energy and the Environment (CIEE)
* Ben Kaplan, vice president, Turner Construction
* Naomi Miller, principal, Naomi Miller Lighting Design
* Tom Paladino, CEO, Paladino and Company
* Gary Saulson, director of corporate real estate, PNC Financial Services Group
* Jeff Shepard, president, Darnell Group
* Alok Singh, design and engineering services manager, Southern California
Edison

According to EMerge Alliance Chairman Brian Patterson, the purpose of the
Advisory Council is to incorporate broad public- and private-sector thought
leadership from design, construction, energy and the environment into the
strategic direction of the Alliance and its standard.

"One of the many strengths of the new EMerge Standard will be the guidance that
comes from leading organizations and professionals involved in buildings, as
well as the power, control and device supply chain," said Patterson, who is with
the building products division of Armstrong World Industries, an EMerge Founding
Member. "Members of the new Advisory Council will directly influence the
strategy employed to create and deploy this new standard, developed around the
use of safe, low-voltage DC power. Their input and recommendations will be a key
ingredient in the EMerge Alliance`s strategic planning and in our success."

Traditionally constrained by fixed overhead lighting and a wide variety of
electrical devices that typically have been permanently wired for a building`s
lifetime, rather than occupants` changing needs, building owners have been
seeking systems to make buildings more adaptable and energy-efficient. The
Advisory Council will contribute to the EMerge Alliance`s focus on addressing
these widespread needs for greater flexibility, efficiency and sustainability.

"Builders and end-users alike need smarter, more flexible power systems as the
presence of digital devices becomes more pronounced and enhanced energy
efficiency takes on an even more important role in our buildings," said Advisory
Council Member Ben Kaplan with Turner Construction, the nation`s leading builder
of green buildings. "A hybrid DC power system can bring significant advantages
through increased flexibility for building owners and managers adapting to
changing needs and the more efficient use of new alternative energy sources."

The EMerge Standard will provide for the selective and scaleable distribution of
low-voltage DC power within common infrastructures already present in commercial
interiors, such as those typically found in the ceiling plane, providing
facility managers with the ability to readily arrange and rearrange lighting,
sensors, and other devices without the need for rewiring. The standard also will
embrace the move toward alternative energy by providing a more efficient, direct
connection between new energy sources and interior electrical loads, like
lighting and controls.

Founding Members of the Alliance at the Governing level include Armstrong World
Industries, Johnson Controls, Nextek Power Systems, OSRAM SYLVANIA and WAVE.

Participating Members include Crestron Electronics, Delta Power, Finelite,
Herman Miller/Convia, Kanepi Innovations, Lighting Science Group, Southern
California Edison, Steelcase, WattStopper and Zumtobel. Eden Park Illumination
is a General Member, and Supporting Members include Apex Consulting, AVP,
Brinjac Engineering, CleanTech Commercialization, Green Plug, Houston Advanced
Research Center, JB Electrical, Los Angeles Community College District,
Metropolitan Lifelong Learning Center, OneSource Building Technologies, Paladino
and Company, Sensor Switch and Webcor Builders.

The EMerge Alliance is continuing to accept new members interested in developing
or supporting the EMerge Standard. Membership is open and available at a variety
of levels, from those interested in contributing to or making products
compatible with the new standard, to companies and organizations supporting the
overall development of this new platform. The Alliance is professionally managed
by Global Inventures.

About the EMerge Alliance

The EMerge Alliance is an open industry association promoting the rapid adoption
of safe, low-voltage DC power distribution and use in commercial building
interiors. EMerge is focused on developing a global standard that integrates
interior infrastructures, power, controls and a wide variety of peripheral
devices, such as lighting, in a common platform. Building owners can gain
unprecedented design and space flexibility along with reduced energy usage and
improved sustainability. Alliance membership is broad-based in nature, comprised
of entities such as architects, interior designers, consultants, engineering
firms, government and code groups, academic and industry groups, product
manufacturers, and building owners. For more information, or to find out how
your organization can join the Alliance, please visit www.EMergeAlliance.org.

for EMerge Alliance
Christi Chesner, 214-635-3023
media@EMergeAlliance.org
Blake Lewis, 214-635-3020
media@EMergeAlliance.org

Copyright Business Wire 2009