LED In the City

Flood Leflector; Bright White Beam; MR16 replacement Model: TT8014CP See details Market price: $45.00 Our price: $36.00 save 20%

We are now living in a day and age where going green is not just the politically correct thing to do, it is a necessity.  Whether it is in everyday little actions or in changes that have a widespread impact, acting in an eco-friendly manner is something we need to take very seriously.  Many of us are doing our part even though we don’t always see immediate differences.  In some cases however, widespread changes can function to create global impact, and today’s metropolitan areas are doing just that to ensure that even at the big city level, going green is a priority.  One way that today’s major metropolitan areas are doing this is through the use of LED light technology.  Big cities are beginning to utilize LED lights in their infrastructure because of their long-term energy efficiency. As a result these cities are getting the new sought-after designation of a “LED City.”

Switching cities lights to LED light technology is an obvious choice for major cities when it comes to energy conservation.  These cities are making global impact by conserving energy.  But energy conservation is not the only change being seen.  Savings on taxpayer’s dollars are astronomical when cities convert to energy efficient lights.  LED light technology works to save cities money because these energy efficient lights last longer and reduce labor time in maintenance.

Raleigh, North Carolina
There are many ways that LED cities are saving money and conserving energy through the use of LED light technology.  Raleigh, North Carolina is one city that has become a groundbreaker in terms of using the technology.  Conventional public light fixtures are being converted to the diode version bulb. Parking garages were one of the first areas that Raleigh targeted for the new lights where sodium lights that functioned at high pressure capacities were replaced with LED energy efficient lights. 

From a budgetary standpoint, though the fixtures are more costly, the city expects to see their costs recovered from savings in at least two years.  The first year the city expects a savings of $100,000 in maintenance costs alone.  From an energy perspective, 40% is expected to be conserved immediately because of the switch to LEDs.  With quantifiable energy and budget conservations, the city expects to move towards LED light technology in public stadiums, parks, gyms, schools, and any other public venue within the next two years.

Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Cape Cod is another place that is entering the popular grouping of LED cities.  There are currently 15 towns located in Cape Cod, and ten of fifteen currently have refitted all of their stop lights with LED light technology.  The towns in Cape Cod that are working toward becoming LED cities include Harwich, Barnstable, Yarmouth, Bourne, Truro, Brewster, Sandwich, Dennis, Orleans, and Falmouth.  These LED cities have seen an energy savings of as much as 80% with stoplights lasting as much as 10 times longer than their incandescent counterparts.  This is all due to the fact that incandescent lights last for only about a year before replacement is required, whereas LED light technology can last as long as 7 to 10 years.  Further, LED traffic lights are more practical from a traffic perspective as they are brighter and appear more consistent than the incandescent light bulbs, even when they are located in direct sunlight.

Cape Cod began their campaign to become a group of LED cities as far back as 2003.  Since then, they have outfitted many of their towns with more than 900 traffic lights that are providing the cities grouping a savings of energy units of over 330 kWh annually for each installation.  As a whole, the group of Cape Cod LED cities is saving 300,000 kWh in energy every year since the switch just in their traffic lights.  The cost of installing the LED cities grouping of LED energy efficient lights was estimated at $114,000 and the energy saving costs are estimated at $37,000 a year.  Cape Cod then will see the LED energy efficient lights essentially paying for themselves, and saving energy, in as little as three years.

The battle against climate control very often is a battle that competes with city budgets that are ever decreasing.  With changes such as LED light technology and energy efficient lighting, LED cities can now rest easy knowing they are saving both the environment, and city budgets, all at the same time.

~Ben Anton, 2008

http://www.lightsandknives.com/led_in_the_city.htm