CMP PROCESSING

Learn more about R&D chemical mechanical polishing by requesting our FREE informational CD.

News

17 October 2007

 

Ann Arbor joins LED City initiative

After Raleigh, NC, USA, and Toronto, Canada, the city of Ann Arbor, MI, USA is to become the third city to join the LED City initiative. Launched by the City of Raleigh and LED maker Cree Inc of Raleigh last February, the initiative aims to create a community of cities committed to the evaluation, deployment and promotion of LED lighting in city infrastructure applications. Member cities will share their experiences with LED lighting trials and deployment to foster the creation and adoption of best practices for LED lighting.

As part of the initiative, Ann Arbor aims to be the first US city to convert 100% of its downtown streetlights to LED technology, and early next month will begin by installing over 1000 LED streetlights. Full implementation of the initiative is projected to cut the city’s public lighting energy usage by half and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2425 tons of CO2 annually. Ann Arbor expects a 3.8-year payback on its initial investment.

The new streetlights use just 56 Watts each and are projected to last for 10 years, compared with the current fixtures which use 120 Watts and last for around two years.

Following three years of research on the energy and maintenance savings associated with LED lighting, the City received a $630,000 grant from the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority to fund retrofits for the downtown lights.

“This initial installation should save the City more than $100,000 per year and reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 294 tons of CO2. Our plan is to retrofit all downtown lights with LED alternatives over the next two years.” says Mayor John Hieftje.

“We applaud the tremendous efforts by Ann Arbor’s civic leaders to make energy efficiency a priority for the City,” says Cree’s chairman and CEO Chuck Swoboda. “We are especially pleased that Ann Arbor is joining the LED City program to share the results of their product testing and surveys with other municipalities to help accelerate the adoption of LED lighting worldwide.”

The LED streetlights currently installed in Ann Arbor are based on the New Westminster Series made by Lumec Inc, which contain LED light engines from Relume Technologies Inc, based on Cree’s XLamp LED.

See related items:

Toronto joins LED City initiative

Cree and Raleigh launch ‘LED City’ municipal lighting initiative

Search: LEDs Cree

Visit Cree: www.cree.com/xlamp

Visit Lumecon: www.lumecon.com