News

26 May 2010

 

University of Central Florida joins Cree LED University program

LED chip, lamp and lighting fixture maker Cree Inc of Durham, NC, USA says that the University of Central Florida (UCF) has joined its LED University program with the installation of LED lighting in its student union.

Launched in April 2008, the LED University initiative is an international community of universities working to evaluate, deploy and promote the adoption of energy-efficient LEDs across their campus infrastructures (in areas such as offices, student housing, parking garages, walkways and streets). The aim is to save energy, protect the environment, reduce maintenance costs, and provide better light quality for improved visibility and safety.

UCF estimates that it can save at least $10,000 annually in energy and maintenance costs in its Key West Ballroom simply by replacing recessed downlights and troffers with Cree LR6 LED downlights and LR24 LED troffers. The new LED fixtures consume about 85% less energy than the old fixtures, cutting energy consumption from more than 10,000W to less than 1500W. The traditional T8 fluorescent light fixtures in the student government offices were also replaced with 17 LED fixtures.

“When you consider the Key West ballroom lights are on for 16-18 hours each day, the payback is less than two years,” says Rick Falco, associate director of UCF’s Student Union. "The LED lighting also has better light quality - it's easier on the eyes and it's dimmable, which gives us greater flexibility for the wide range of events held in the ballroom,” he adds.

“I commend the UCF Student Government Association for taking the lead in bringing LED lighting to the student union, showing the impact students can have in driving green initiatives on their campuses,” comments Cree’s LED programs manager Deb Loving. “In addition to becoming a greener campus, UCF can reap the benefits of energy and maintenance savings for years to come.”

Cree LED University participants include North Carolina State University; Marquette University; University of Arkansas; University of California, Davis; University of California, Santa Barbara; Notre Dame; Madison Area Technical College; University of Alaska, Anchorage; University of Miami, Milwaukee Area Technical College; Joliet Junior College; Tianjin Polytechnic University in China and the Universities at Shady Grove.

UCF joins Cree LED University’s inaugural participant North Carolina State University as well as University of California at Santa Barbara, the University of Arkansas, Marquette University, the University of Notre Dame, University of California, Davis, the University of Miami, the University of Alaska at Anchorage, Arizona State University, Alfred University, Universities at Shady Grove (USG), Madison Area Technical College, Milwaukee Area Technical College and Joliet Junior College in the USA, as well as the University of Western Ontario in Canada and Tianjin Polytechnic University in China.

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