Bright Ideas
Created by: Patrick Jenkins and Jonathon Dahlen
ENSC‐425 Environmental Science and Sustainability Capstone Project Instructor: Krista James University of Wisconsin – Stout Contents Introduction................................................................................................... 3
Current Conditions ........................................................................................... 4
What are Other Campuses Doing? ...................................................................... 4
UW-Stout Campus Exterior Lighting .................................................................... 5
Lamp Sources and Fixtures .............................................................................. 5
Performance Characteristics ............................................................................ 7
Sustainable Solutions ........................................................................................ 7
Online Calculator Analyses .............................................................................. 8
Option 1 .................................................................................................... 8
Option 2 ................................................................................................... 10
Final Recommendations ................................................................................... 11
References ................................................................................................... 12
Appendix A ................................................................................................... 13
Other Figures ............................................................................................. 13
Appendix B: .................................................................................................. 18
Project Logic Model ...................................................................................... 18
Appendix C ................................................................................................... 19
Email Correspondences ................................................................................. 19
Appendix C ................................................................................................... 21
Project Timeline ......................................................................................... 21
2
Introduction This proposal is a sustainable development project at the University of Wisconsin‐Stout with the goal of replacing all exterior high pressure sodium (HPS) luminaires to light‐emitting diode (LED) luminaires in the future. HPS luminaires that are used on campus have limited performance characteristics. LED technology is becoming the industry standard. The benefits of LED lighting technology are energy efficiency, color, life, lumen maintenance, and cost. LED provides a better light, while significantly cutting energy and maintenance costs. It’s time to make the switch to LED lighting, because it is socially, economically, and environmentally favorable. This proposal will discuss the costs and benefits of converting the parking and walkway lights on campus. It will also plan how to implement this project and track energy savings. 3
Current Conditions On September 12th, 2007, Chancellor Charles W. Sorensen signed the climate commitment to become a Charter Signatory of the American College and Universities President’s Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). This agreement indicates, “…UW‐Stout agrees to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions on campus, with the eventual goal of leaving a neutral carbon footprint while at the same time providing education to students who will, in turn, help society to do the same” (Stout, 2011). With the commitment UW‐Stout has made with ACUPCC, a Climate Action Plan was created to initiate sustainability projects on campus. To measure UW‐Stout’s progress in becoming more sustainable, the Sustainability Track, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) program was implemented in August, 2006. This is a self‐reporting tool that is monitored by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). STARS allows universities and colleges to earn points to achieve a rating of Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum (STARS, 2013). UW‐Stout has the rating of Silver and is in the process of making changes to earn a higher rating. Replacing inefficient exterior lighting on campus is one sustainable project that could help UW‐Stout achieve a higher rating. What are Other Campuses Doing? College campuses around the country are consistently implementing plans to reduce carbon emissions and increase the number of sustainability initiatives. Updating exterior lighting is one way to accomplish this. Princeton University has initiated The Facilities Organization Project, which could contribute as much as 15 percent toward the Princeton Sustainability Plan of reducing carbon emissions. According to the Director of Sustainability, Shana Weber, “[t]his project has the potential to make this approach more accessible to other college campuses, and may even influence the choices our University community members make at home” (Lillja, 2014). New Mexico State University, Carlsbad, improved lighting performance by retrofitting outdated HPS luminaries to LED. The retrofitting created cost savings due to reduced maintenance and re‐lamping; it also improved nighttime visibility and enhanced campus safety (Kennal, 2013). Another large campus that has converted their exterior lighting is the University of Vermont (UVM). UVM has invested a total of $225,000 to replace metal halide bulbs with LED bulbs. Annual savings in electricity costs are predicted to be about $75,000 a year, which means the investment will pay off in about 3 years (Johnson, 2012). Smaller campuses around the U.S. have also been making the switch to LED exterior lighting. Cerritos College in Norwalk, CA, has 254 parking lot light fixtures and 200 exterior walkway lights that have been converted to LED lighting, resulting in an estimated total savings of $58,000 a year (Cerritos, 2014). Copper Mountain College, another small California community college that retrofitted exterior lighting, will generate a yearly savings of approximately $14,600 (Door, 2014). The University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, a school within the UW System, retrofitted 84 parking lot lights and 17 overhead walkway lights for a projected savings of 246,425 kilowatt‐hours per year and carbon dioxide reduction of 170 metric tons; energy costs should be reduced by $17,000 annually (Knight, 2012). The positive results from 4
these campus projects are proving to be useful in helping college campus administrators understand the value of converting exterior lighting to LED. UW‐Stout Campus Exterior Lighting Different lamp sources have been used for some buildings and new developments on the University of Wisconsin‐Stout campus. Currently, nearly all exterior lighting on campus is High pressure sodium (HPS), consisting of 321 sing pole‐mounted light fixtures, 132 double fixtures, 6 triple fixtures, and 26 old pole fixtures for a total of 485 light fixtures. This excludes the 70 fixtures on buildings. Of the 485 pole‐mounted fixtures on campus, 124 illuminate parking lots and 321 illuminate walkways (Table 1). Table 1‐ Summary of exterior lighting on campus Light Poles Single Fixture Lights Double Fixture Lights Triple Fixture Lights Old Pole Singles Fixtures on Buildings Exterior Lighting on Campus Parking Lots 117 70 94 0 0 25 Walkways 295 251 38 6 26 TOTAL 412 321 132 6 26 45 70 Lamp Sources and Fixtures High pressure sodium (HPS) luminaires make up 95 percent of the light sources on campus, with the exception of the three newest parking lot developments that are illuminated using induction lamp (QL) luminaires. HPS lamp sources are characterized by their distinctive orange glow; they also have a high efficiency and a long life. Most HPS luminaires on campus contain 250 watt bulbs. QL lamp sources emit a white light; they also have a high efficiency and an even longer life than HPS. Nearly all of the 485 pole‐mounted luminaires are mounted in shoebox style fixtures. The light poles on campus are square, made of steel, and tapered. Side walk poles are 15 feet tall. Parking lot poles are either 30 or 35 feet tall. Some of the lights, light poles, and fixtures can be seen in figures 1‐4. In figure 1 it is clear that the induction lighting displays a bright, white light that illuminates all the parking lot and has a stronger color rendering index. The same is true for lot 11, seen in figure 2. Figure 3 compares the light efficiency of LED compared to HPS lighting of the sidewalk between the softball and baseball fields near 18th avenue. Figure 4 demonstrates the CRI of a LED luminaire. The high CRI of LED lights clearly illuminates students from a distance. This ensures safety for students walking home in the dark. 5
Figure 1‐ Contrasts QL lighting with HPS in lot 22
Figure 2‐ Contrasts QL lighting with HPS in lot 11
Figure 3‐ LED light near athletic fields
Figure 4‐ LED light provides usable light with great color rendering
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Performance Characteristics Desirable performance characteristics of exterior lighting are energy efficiency, color, life, lumen maintenance, and cost. Energy efficiency is commonly measured in lumens per watt (LPW). The quality of the color can be measured using the color rendering index (CRI). The life of a luminaire is measured in hours. The lumen maintenance refers to the deterioration of the lumen output of a brand new bulb compared to the output when it is reaching the end of its useful life. Since HPS luminaires have been around for so long, their performance is well‐known. HPS are a solid, energy‐efficient choice. The useful life of an HPS bulb is typically around 24,000 hours and the lamp efficacy is around 110LPW (Table 2). Life and lamp efficacy are significant factors in evaluating the cost of exterior lighting. Even though these characteristics for HPS are good, it is important to note that these performance characteristics are increasing more slowly as HPS reaches its maximum potential. The maximum CRI of a light source is 100, so the CRI of HPS scores very low. Another important factor to consider is the lumen maintenance of HPS. With all light bulbs, the output deteriorates over time. According to GE Lighting statistics, by the time a HPS bulb reaches the end of its useful life it is producing only 80 percent of its original lumen output (GE Lighting, 2014). Table 2‐ Performance Characteristics of HPS Lamps (McColgan, 2004) Lamp Source
Lamp Efficacy (LPW)
Life (hours)
Luminous Flux (lumens)
Initial
Mean
250W HPS
104‐116
24,000+
26,000‐29,000 23,400‐27,000
Color Correlated Rendering Color Index Temperature (K)
(CRI)
2,000‐2,100
21‐22
Sustainable Solutions LED technology has become the best solution to exterior lighting. However, exterior lighting of areas such as parking lots and walkways has been dominated by HPS. HPS has been an affordable, energy‐efficient choice, but its performance characteristics are improving at a decreasing rate. As other light sources continue to improve rapidly, HPS is becoming outdated. The benefits of LED luminaires are color, energy efficiency, durability, and life and lumen maintenance. LED offers the triple bottom line of sustainable development. That is, LED is socially, economically, and environmentally favorable. The social aspect of sustainable development means doing what is beneficial, popular, and ethical. One great social benefit of LED lighting is the color. The clean, white light of an LED lamp is a higher quality light, while also being far more attractive than the orange glow of an HPS lamp. The quality of the light can be measured using the color rendering index (CRI). The CRI of the HPS luminaires on campus is 22. A comparable LED luminaire has a CRI of 75. According to the Department of Energy, “[i]n most street and area lighting applications, CRIs of 7
50 or higher are adequate for gross identification of color” (Miller, n.d.). The inability to identify details of illuminated figures and objects can be a safety hazard. LED offers an attractive light that also ensures safety. The economic aspect of sustainable development means doing what is affordable as well as profitable. LED technology has developed to the point where a conversion from HPS is affordable and has a relatively quick payback of the capital investment. As an example, the University of Vermont (UVM) invested $225,000 in LED lighting and expects the annual electricity cost savings to surpass the initial investment in three years. According to UVM, “[t]he savings will be put back in the fund for use in other projects – hence the ‘revolving fund’ moniker” (Johnson, 2012). The environmental aspect of sustainable development means doing what is best for the environment and the planet. This sustainable development project will greatly reduce carbon emissions by reducing the amount electricity used. The University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire recently converted 101 exterior lights to LED, stating, “[the] energy savings is equivalent to reducing 170 metric tons of carbon dioxide each year, or the annual greenhouse gas emissions from 33 passenger vehicles” (Knight, 2012). Replacing HPS with LED is the most sustainable solution for UW‐Stout. The fixtures chosen to use as a model for this project is the Acuity Lithonia area light from Grainger Lighting and the Titan LED. An online tool called the LED Bulb Savings Calculator can be used to analyze different options for making the switch to LED. This calculator requires the following data input.
 Number of lights to be replaced  Energy Rate  Wattage  Hours of Operation (hours/day, days/week)  Price  Labor cost  Usable life After entering this data using the LED Bulb Savings Calculator, the total annual costs, total cost, total savings, and break‐even point are produced. This is useful information for planning this sustainable development project. Online Calculator Analyses Option 1 The LED Savings Bulb Calculator was used to analyze the HPS and LED light fixtures (Table 3). The two LED fixtures included in the analysis were Grainger lighting, which offers UW—Stout an agreed upon 10% discount, and Titan LED, which offers a 6% discount if 10 or more fixtures are purchased. Both LED fixtures show better results in all characteristics except for the lumens/watt (efficiency) category; however the HPS bulb is only slightly higher compared to the Titan (104 versus 102, respectively). Life span, annual electricity cost, total annual cost, true cost, and greenhouse gas emissions are the same for both LED fixtures, due to the similarities of their performance characteristics. The initial cost for all 485 fixtures and the 8
lifespan are used to evaluate the savings and break‐even points for all lighting types. The projected savings is estimated to be $1 million by the end of the total life cycle for both LED fixture types (Grainger and Titan). Table 3‐ Analysis of the existing HPS light fixtures and the potential future LED fixtures using the LED Savings Bulb Calculator # of Light Fixtures Wattage Total Wattage Lumens/Watt (Efficiency) Color Rendering Index (CRI) Life Span Life Span when used for (14 hrs, 7 days a week) Kilowatt per Hour Annually (14 hours, 7 days a week) Carbon Emissions (tons CO2/year) Price per Fixture Initial Fixture Cost Electricity Cost Electricity Cost Annually Total Annual Cost True Cost (after 19 yrs, 6 mo, 25 days) Total Savings Break‐even point HPS 485 250 121,250 104 22 25,000 4 yrs, 10 mo, 21 days 619587.5 Grainger (LED) 485 110 53,350 78 67 100,000 19 yrs, 6 mo, 25 days 272618.5 Titan (LED) 485 110 53,350 102 72 100,000 19 yrs, 6 mo, 25 days 272618.5 420 $350 $169,750 $0.054 $33.457.73 $66,171.95 $1,295,200 n/a 196 $1,044 $506,340 $0.054 $14,721.40 $14,721.40 $289,134.00 $1,006,006 7 yrs, 5 mo, 25 days 196 $799 $387,515 $0.054 $14,721.40 $14,721.40 $288,889 $1,006,311 5 yrs, 2 mo, 3 days 9
Option 2 The initial cost of replacing all 485 fixtures at one time could be a financial challenge. Another option could be a five year plan to replace a fraction of campus fixtures each year until the project is complete (Table 4). The first year investment for purchasing 97 LED fixtures would be $101,000 for the Grainger LED or $77,503 for the Titan LED. However, that investment cost would be reduced each year due to the annual savings accrued. For example, by the fifth year, 97 LED fixtures would cost $51,908 for the Grainger or $28,411 for the Titan. Table 4‐ Five‐year Investment Plan for phasing in LED fixtures (LED Savings Bulb Calculator) First Year Investment Fixtures Purchased Annual Savings Second Year Investment Fixtures Purchased from Savings Fixtures Purchased Annual Savings Third Year Investment Fixtures Purchased from Savings Fixtures Purchased Annual Savings Fourth Year Investment Fixtures Purchased from Savings Fixtures Purchased Annual Savings Fifth Year Investment Fixtures Purchased from Savings Fixtures Purchased Annual Savings Grainger LED Titan LED $101,000.00
$77,503.00 97
97
12272.79
12272.79
$88,727.21
$65,230 12
11
85
86
24,545.58
24,545.58
$76,454.42
$52,957 23
23
74
74
36,818.37
36,818.37
$64,181.63
$40,685 35
35
62
62
49,091.16
49,091.16
$51,908.84
$28,411.84 47
47
50
50
61,363.95
61,363.95
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Final Recommendations The limits and constraints of this project are the initial costs. After presenting the findings to Keith McCarten, the best option appears to be spreading out the project over a number of years. This will reduce the total upfront costs, but the cost per fixture and savings per fixture would remain the same. With the Titan LED, the estimated cost per fixture would be $799, and the total annual savings per fixture would be $106. Each LED fixture is estimated to last about 19.5 years, so the total savings per fixture would be $2,074. In conclusion, UW‐Stout will convert all exterior lighting to LED. This project is not a question of, “if,” but a question of, “when.” When planning new projects on campus, the university is already telling contractors that all new lighting installations must be LED. It is just a matter of time before the University gets the opportunity to replace the current HPS fixtures. It is hoped that the information compiled in this proposal will help UW‐Stout reach this goal. 11
References Cerritos College Green Cerritos Campus Sustainability Initiatives. (2014, September 19). Retrieved October 22, 2014. Dorr, P. (2014, September 8). California Community Colleges Board of Governors Announces Winners of 2014 Energy and Sustainability Awards. Retrieved October 22, 2014. Johnson, T. (2012, December 20). A conversion to efficiency in UVM lighting: UVM invests in LED lighting on campus. Retrieved October 21, 2014. Kennal (2013). LED Exterior Retrofit Brightens College Campus. (n.d.). Retrieved October 22, 2014. Knight, J. (2012, December 8). New UW‐EC lights ecofriendly. Retrieved October 28, 2014. LED Bulb Saving Calculator. (n.d.). Retrieved November 19, 2014, from https://www.ledwaves.com/led‐calc.html Lillja, C. (2014, August 20). Lighting improvement project will enhance campus sustainability. Retrieved October 22, 2014.
Lucalox Standard. (2014, October 1). Retrieved October 28, 2014. McColgan, M., Bullough, J., & Vasconez, S. (2004, July 1). Parking Lot and Area Luminaires. Retrieved October 28, 2014, from http://www.lightingresearch.org/programs/NLPIP/PDF/VIEW/SRParking.pdf Miller, N. (n.d.). LED Application Series: Outdoor Area Lighting. Retrieved November 25, 2014, From http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&ved=0CFUQFj
AD&url=http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/publications/pdfs/ssl/silsby_msslc‐
phoenix2013.pdf&ei=0QR1VLi4FfDisATlj4KgCQ&usg=AFQjCNG70zfJa6z4C1fOB6QXb1RC
YmbiCQ&bvm=bv.80185997,d.cWc STARS Overview. (2013). Retrieved October 30, 2014. University of Wisconsin ‐ Stout Climate Action Plan. (2011) Retrieved from University of Wisconsin‐ Stout website: http://www.uwstout.edu/sustainability/upload/CAP‐2011.pdf 12
Appendix A Other Figures Figures of the five sections of UW‐Stout campus. Displays sidewalks and parking lots on campus. 13
14
15
http://media.wix.com/ugd/5a89ab_c2025514bbec451ea52bef97446f323e.pdf 16
http://www.grainger.com/product/21P660?gclid=CMqcx4itycICFQESMwodeXYAjg&cm_mmc=PPC:GOO
GLEPLAA‐_‐Lighting‐_‐Outdoor%20LED%20Light%20Fixtures‐_‐
21P660&ef_id=VAPG2QAAAckui2eN:20141216005535:s 17
Appendix B: Project Logic Model Inputs: Research/Experts
(get in touch with
physical plant)
completed on Nov. 7
Activity: Complete
on 10/29
Surveying Campus
Collecting Data
• Literature
Reviews
• Amount and types
of fixtures and
bulbs
• Lamp efficieny,
bulb life, lumens,
CRI
Midterm Goals: Choose
Manufacturer/Retailer
and Specific Product
Numbers, Complete Data
Comparison Between
HPS and LED
completed on Nov. 7
Intended Audience:
Client-Kieth McCarten,
Stout Community
initial meeting: Sept. 24
Outputs: Proposal
including 5-Year
Implementation Plan
Final Presentation
Final presentation on Dec 9
Final draft on Dec. 16
Outcomes
Knowledge:
-Energy
Conservation
-Energy Usage
-Costs
-Attitudes:
-Doable
-Investment
-TRIPLE
BOTTOM LINE
Skills:
-Choosing light
bulbs/fixtures
-Measuring light
output
Longterm Impacts:
-Project pays for itself in 5-6
years
-Reduced Energy Costs ($20,000
annually)
-Lower Carbon Emissions (20018
metric tons annually)
Appendix C Email Correspondences From: Rykal, Sarah
Sent: Wednesday, September 17, 2014 4:24 PM
To: Mccarten, Keith
Cc: Dahlen, Jonathan; Jenkins, Patrick
Subject: Exterior LED Lighting Capstone Project
Hi Keith,
I’m writing to introduce you to Jonathan and Patrick (copied here), students in the
sustainability capstone course. They are interested in working on an exterior lighting
assessment for parking lots and possible walking paths, to look at converting lighting to LED
and seeing the cost and payback. I think it would be best for the four of us to meet this week
or next, so I’ll let Jonathan and Patrick schedule that meeting.
Sincerely,
Sarah
Keith McCarten Jonathan,
I’ll run this by Physical Plant to see what works best.
Keith
From: Dahlen, Jonathan
Sent: Tuesday, October 07, 2014 4:28 PM
To: Mccarten, Keith
Cc: Jenkins, Patrick
Subject: Contact Information
Dear Keith,
We were wondering if you knew any information about the light bulbs and fixtures for each
parking lot and sidewalk. From the Excel spreadsheet you sent us, I noticed that there are
about 500 light poles. We are wondering about some details on pricing, wattage, energy
usage, size, or even retailers? This would be of great help to us. Would you be able to assist
us with this information or do you know anyone that could help us with this?
Sincerely,
Jonathan Dahlen
University of Wisconsin-Stout
Environmental Health Undergraduate
19
I’d also suggest you email Zenon Smolarek to set up a meeting. Zenon is the Asst. Director of
Physical Plant and I’ve given him you names and a brief overview of your project. Zenon is
great to work with and should be able to assist you with data about our current lighting
installations and energy costs.
Keith
Zenon Smolarek Dear Zenon,
Jonathan Dahlen and I are doing some research for Keith McCarten to develop a proposal
for converting exterior HPS lighting on campus to LED. We need to know the specifics of
current lighting conditions on campus.
Where can we find manufacturer data for the lights we use on campus in the parking lots and
campus walkways? Is there any way to find out how much UW-Stout is spending on energy to
power lights in parking lots and walkways? When do the lights come on, and when do the
lights turn off? We need data to compare HPS bulbs to their LED counterparts. If we switched
to LED is there a certain manufacturer we'd be ordering from, or one that you'd recommend?
We also noticed there's a walkway light northeast of the Price Commons that is already
converted to LED. Is there already some plan in place to switch the walkway lights to LED?
Why is this light LED and not HPS?
Any details you have would be helpful. We're not sure where to look for some of the
information we need. Would it be possible to meet with you sometime to
discuss these questions and our project? The best times that Jon and I are both available to
meet would be this Friday from 11:00AM-2:00PM or next week Tuesday, Wednesday, or
Thursday from 4:00PM-5:00PM.
Sincerely,
Patrick D. Jenkins
(920)-650-4028
jenkinsp0367@my.uwstout.edu
20
Appendix C Project Timeline September 17th: We met with Sarah Rykal, the Sustainability Coordinator at UW-Stout, to
discuss about a potential process which we then accepted it by the end of the meeting.
September 24th: Meeting with Keith to discuss the project and what he is looking to get out of
this project. We talked about different lighting structures and light bulbs, as well as scotopic
vision and coloring rendering index.
September 25th: Presented our 2 slides to the class of the problem and what are solutions
were. Students gave advice and tips to help us with our project. We then proceeded to work
on our logic model sheets in class.
October 2nd: Our first meeting with Krista James. We prepared our logic model diagram and
presented it in the meeting.
October 21st: Sent an email to Zenon Smolarek to obtain all schematics of the lighting on
campus and all energy information (kWh, costs, carbon emissions, etc...)
October 22nd: Surveyed the UW-Stout campus to observe current conditions of exterior
lighting and took pictures of different luminaires used on campus.
October 23rd: Meeting with Keith to further discuss progress on our project.
November 7th: Met with Zenon Smolarek to discuss lighting on campus.
December 9th: Presented our project to Keith and Krista.
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