31 January 2012

North Carolina Water Reclamation Facility chooses Cree LED Lighting

As part of a city-wide goal to reduce energy usage and improve nighttime visibility and overall facility safety, the South Durham Water Reclamation Facility has installed energy-efficient LED lighting from Cree Inc of Durham, NC, USA. The new lighting simultaneously addresses the facility’s competing exterior lighting requirements: the need to improve safety and light levels and the need to reduce energy usage and maintenance costs.

“Not only were we able to increase visibility and provide our workers with a safer, more productive work environment, but we also reduced our energy consumption by nearly 64% for the fixtures that were replaced with the new Cree lighting,” says Joel Reitzer, director of the city’s General Services Department. “It really is a ‘win-win’ for the city’s bottom line and ultimately, Durham’s environment,” he adds.

The South Durham Water Reclamation project was part of an overall effort by General Services, Community Development, Water Management and the City-County Sustainability Office to reduce energy use in the city. Cree says that 45 of its ‘THE EDGE’ LED area luminaires were installed in the processing area and at the front gate of the South Durham Water Reclamation Facility. The facility operates 24x7, and monitoring of the system often occurs at night.

“The city anticipates significant maintenance savings in both material and labor,” says Reitzer. “We are realizing a significant reduction in energy usage and savings in energy costs while dramatically improving visibility and overall safety. The installation and lighting costs are short-term, but the energy savings, lower maintenance costs and safety benefits will endure,” he adds.

“Facilities with 24/7 operation have unique lighting requirements,” notes Al Safarikas, Cree Lighting’s director marketing. “Cree is committed to developing innovative LED lighting solutions that address the diverse needs of our growing customer base,” he adds. “For the South Durham Water Reclamation Facility, Cree provides energy savings, reduced maintenance, and the illumination needed for nighttime productivity and safety.”

To fund the $106,000 lighting project, the City of Durham used federal grant funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the US Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program. The installation was completed in April 2011.

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