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Lighting Upgrade Leads to Big Savings

  • 06/01/16
Cree lighting in school parking lot

Toledo Public Schools realized a large energy savings by switching to Cree lighting, which also led to a large financial savings.

The Toledo Public School’s (TPS) Maintenance and Operations Department supports 42 schools. As the director of Maintenance and Operations, Quintin Reynolds is responsible for finding new ways to save energy. Reynolds along with key staff member, Ron Miller, and TPS’s energy consultant, Palmer Conservation Consulting, worked to save energy by replacing 2,553 outdoor metal halide and high-pressure sodium lights with Cree LED luminaires.

The Maintenance and Operations Department with Palmer Conservation Consulting chose Cree LED lights because of the product longevity, low maintenance and the 10-year limited warranty.

“Cree had a 10-year warranty when everyone else offered seven years or less,” says Miller. “The lighting quality is there and the fixtures are good quality — well built.”

“TPS likes the performance, price point, and how it looks compared to other lights on the market,” adds Ron Miller. “In addition, the lighting enhanced the look of the schools. The luminaires come in many colors so we could choose colors to complement the architecture of each school.”

The crisp, white light of Cree’s luminaries can create a safe atmosphere for students, administrators and visitors. As important, the Cree luminaires are backed by Cree’s 10-year industry-leading limited warranty, providing investment protection. By upgrading the outdoor lighting at all 42 schools with Cree LED luminaires, TPS reduced energy consumption by 2.8 million kWh .

Looking at Start High School, Cree is estimating that they will see a 69-percent energy savings based on watt reduction. Since Cree LED lights are virtually maintenance-free for 10 years, TPS expects a lifetime savings of $125,072 on maintenance costs by not having to send staff and trucks out to replace bulbs. Energy and maintenance combined, the savings equates to a 1.8-year payback period.

www.cree.com/lighting

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

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