Duke University began a project to upgrade street lighting fixtures and cut the school’s energy usage. According to Duke Today, the year-long project will involve the replacement of existing outdoor light bulbs with new, energy efficient light-emitting diodes (LEDs).
Duke officials expect the new installations will reduce the amount of energy the street lighting use by 75 percent and also cut the school’s environmental footprint by eliminating 631 metric tons of carbon emission, equivalent to the average amount of electricity used by 94 homes every year, Duke Today reported.
The street lighting retrofits are part of the school’s Climate Action Plan that was developed in 2009. The plan serves as a guideline for the school to help it become climate neutral by 2024, Duke Today reported.
“Cutting down our energy use was the main driver for this project since our street lights are on quite a bit,” said Steve Palumbo, energy manager for Duke’s Facilities Management Department. “We’re also able to bring a uniform look and lighting scheme across campus.”
The new LED bulbs will replace 1,460 existing lamps on campus and save the university as much as $188,000 on energy and operational costs, according to school officials.
Duke will save a significant amount of money on maintenance costs because of the longer lifespan of the LEDs. According to the school, the new bulbs will last for at least 40,000 hours – four times longer than the old bulbs used to light street lamps on campus.
Many universities and colleges provide street lights throughout campuses in order to ensure the safety of their students. If a school or university is considering upgrading to energy efficient lighting like LEDs, contact the lighting specialists at Lumenistics for more information on how your school can save money on energy and maintenance costs while reducing your school’s environmental footprint.