Conservation and Choice Make Lighting Upgrades Easy

Lighting Upgrades

Great performance along with guaranteed energy conservation made Cree the obvious choice when it came to replacing 2,553 lights at Toledo Public School facilities.

The Toledo Public Schools (TPS) Maintenance and Operations Department supports 42 schools in Toledo, Ohio. 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.

In addition, TPS wanted to turn the opportunity into a teachable moment for students by building an interactive energy dashboard providing real time energy usage data.

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,” says Miller. “In addition, the lighting enhanced the look of the schools. Cree luminaires come in many colors so we could choose colors to complement the architecture of each school.”

During the lighting project, outdoor lighting at 42 schools was upgraded in a one-to-one replacement with Cree LED lights. Using existing poles, OSQ Series luminaires replaced flood and area lights in the parking lot, CPY Series replaced canopy lights at the school entrances, Cree EdgeTM Series replaced walkway lights, and XSP Series Wall Packs replaced existing accent lighting.

The crisp, white light of Cree’s luminaries 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.

www.cree.com/lighting

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • CSU Pueblo Installs Solar-Powered Charging Benches

    Colorado State University Pueblo (CSU Pueblo) recently announced that it has installed four solar-powered charging benches from Bluebolt Outdoor, LLC, according to a news release.

  • Minnesota District Partners with Kraus-Anderson on Four Construction Projects

    Stillwater Area Schools in Lake Elmo, Minn., recently announced a partnership with Kraus-Anderson for construction projects at four schools in the district, according to a news release. The projects’ funding comes from a $175-million referendum passed in November 2023.

  • California School District Starts Construction on Public Safety Center

    The San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) recently announced that construction has begun on a new public safety center that will house the district’s safety and security programs. According to a news release, the James Ramos Center for Public Safety will measure in at 17,140 square feet and contain the district’s Police Department, Office of Emergency Management, and cadet program.

  • University of Kentucky Stormwater Harvesting System Receives Award

    The Utilities and Energy Management team from the University of Kentucky recently received a Grand Award at the 2025 Engineering Excellence Awards, according to a university news release. The award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Kentucky was for the university’s Central Utility Plant (CUP) Stormwater Harvesting System, which activated in fall 2023.

Digital Edition