Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

University of Minnesota Finds Big Savings

  • 11/01/13
University of Minnesota Finds Big Savings in LED lighting

The University of Minnesota is saving both energy and money, thanks to energy- efficient LED lighting.

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (U of M) assessed its energy usage across campus, which identified its illuminated stairwells as a savings opportunity. At the time, many of the stairwells were fully illuminated 24 hours per day throughout 120 buildings across campus.

In 2010, experiments with lighting solutions validated the investment in LED lighting integrated with occupancy control as a cost-effective option for its overuse in stairwell lighting.

“While we were working on the project, we learned there were actually additional innovative ways to make even more energy saving improvements,” says Blaine O’Brien, senior energy auditor for Energy Management, a division of Facilities Management at U of M. “We were introduced to an LED luminaire concept that featured integrated occupancy sensors and dimmers. For us, this was a great match in technology.”

The U of M energy management team was introduced to the W Series LED wall bracket and surface mount luminaries from Lithonia Lighting. The LED luminaires have dual technology micro-sensors for occupancy sensing and optional sequential controls.

In August 2012, a total of 961 fixtures were replaced on the West Bank, approximately one fifth of the campus. The fixtures produce an estimated annual energy savings of 379,392 kilowatt hours, which equates to more than $30,000 annually — just on the West Bank. The LED lighting and digital controls now reduce the energy consumed in stairwells by 90 percent.

Once the project is complete, nearly 6,000 W Series LED luminaires will illuminate stairwells across campus.

For more information about the Lithonia Lighting W Series LED luminaire from Acuity Brands, please visit www.lithonia.com/wseries.

www.lithonia.com/wseries

This article originally appeared in the College Planning & Management November 2013 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Hawaii Elementary School Reopens Following $25M Campus Modernization

    Haʻaheo Elementary School in Hilo, Hawaii, has reopened to students following a three-year, $25-million campus modernization and expansion project that significantly increases the school's instructional space while preserving one of the island's oldest educational institutions, according to local news.

  • University of Kentucky Reopens Scovell Hall

    The University of Kentucky recently reopened Scovell Hall, part of the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (CAFE), following comprehensive renovations to the 120-year-old facility in Lexington, Ky., according to a news release.

  • URI Cuts Underwater Ribbon on New Ocean Robotics Laboratory

    The University of Rhode Island recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new Ocean Robotics Laboratory at its Narragansett Bay Campus, according to a news release. Two students used a remotely operated vehicle to cut an underwater ribbon in a 30-by-20-foot test tank.

  • University of Rochester to Break Ground on New Student Life Center

    The University of Rochester in Rochester, N.Y., recently began construction on a new Student Life building, according to a news release. The first floor will contain campus-wide gathering, program, and rehearsal space; the second floor will play home to the Greenbaum Center for Jewish Life.