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LED maker Cree Inc of Durham, NC, USA has launched the LED University program, an international community of universities working to accelerate the adoption of energy-efficient LEDs. In addition to evaluating, promoting and deploying LED lighting, the aims are to work toward increasing energy savings, protecting the environment, reducing maintenance costs and providing better light quality for improved visibility and safety.

Inaugural participant North Carolina State University along with Marquette University, University of California at Santa Barbara, University of Arkansas and Tianjin Polytechnic University in China have committed to evaluating and deploying LED lighting in areas such as offices, dormitories, parking garages, walkway lighting and streets across their campus infrastructures.

Each participating university is conducting LED lighting pilots to determine the cost and environmental benefits of switching to LED lighting in campus applications. Initial installations include the following:

• North Carolina State University has installed LED recessed can lighting from Cree in the chancellor’s office and a dormitory, and is installing LED parking garage lighting from BetaLED.
• Marquette University has installed LED T8 replacements from LED Dynamics in the office of the vice president for administration and is installing LED recessed and task lighting.
• University of California at Santa Barbara has installed 23 LED streetlights from BetaLED on a campus street and has reported that, compared to its traditional streetlights, it is achieving a 44% reduction in energy use as well as better light distribution and color rendition.
• University of Arkansas has installed the first set of what it plans will be 1700 recessed LED lights from Cree in university buildings, starting with lighting the chancellor’s residence.
• Tianjin Polytechnic University installed 1,500 LED streetlights designed by its graduate students on the campus’ main roadway.

“Our commitment to become the first university in Cree’s LED University initiative marks an important milestone for NC State University,” says NCSU’s chancellor James Oblinger. “Part of our mission is to develop and implement real-world solutions that have global impact,” he adds. “NC State has a strong heritage in energy research and conservation – including LED research… Cree was founded by NC State graduates based on research work conducted in our engineering labs. It’s the basis for our commitment to this partnership,” he continues.

“As a Catholic, Jesuit university, stewardship of the earth’s natural resources is an important part of our mission,” comments Marquette’s VP for administration Art Scheuber. According to the US Department of Energy, 22% of electricity used in the US powers lighting. “By participating in the LED University initiative, we’re able to develop and share research on new lighting technology,” he adds.

“Outfitting our new buildings with LED is one of many steps that we are taking to make our campus sustainable and energy efficient,” says Nick Brown, executive assistant for Sustainability at University of Arkansas. “We look forward to adopting this technology widely across our campus, in both indoor and exterior applications.”

“Tianjin Polytechnic University is proud to be among the first to join this important lighting and energy conservation initiative,” adds professor Pingjuan Niu.

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