Cooper Lighting
Customer First Center
1121 Highway 74 South
Peachtree City, GA 30269
T: (770) 486-4800
www.cooperlighting.com
News Release
Contact:
Karin Martin, Karin Martin Communications
(630) 513-8625
Kmartin41@aol.com
Cooper Lighting LED Solutions Add Safe, Reliable, Energy-Efficient Lighting
to Detroit Windsor Tunnel
McGraw-Edison Valet LED Luminaires help Detroit Windsor Tunnel reduce overall
electricity cost by 72 percent.
PEACHTREE CITY, GA, November 8, 2011 – The Detroit Windsor Tunnel, a subterranean passage
connecting the United States and Canada, recently upgraded its lighting fixtures to include energy-saving
LED products from Cooper Lighting, an industry leader committed to delivering innovative products and
driving transformational technology in the lighting industry. Project goals, like providing ample lighting and
reducing energy cost, were easily met with McGraw-Edison Valet™ LED Luminaires featuring Cooper
Lighting’s LightBAR™ technology and patented AccuLED Optics™.
“Meeting standards that also provided quality, cost-efficient lighting was paramount to Detroit Windsor
Tunnel, LLC and the City of Windsor,” said Neal Belitsky, CEO, American Roads and Detroit Windsor
Tunnel. “And, while we know that our upgraded lighting system will help our bottom line, we also know
that it will aid those who utilize the Detroit Windsor Tunnel on a daily basis.”
Before simply deciding on an LED solution from Cooper Lighting, the operation first called upon the
University of Windsor Research Collaboration to study the tunnel. After spending three days
underground, it quickly became apparent that the current lighting system, relying on metal halide fixtures,
was a major cause for concern. Costing more than $160,000 each year, the system wasn’t just
expensive; it was also inefficient. The Collaboration recommended that the Detroit Windsor Tunnel
update to a more efficient system.
From there, Cooper Lighting, working alongside Motor City Electric, was able to quickly select the
McGraw-Edison Valet LED Luminaire as the ideal solution for this particular project. The Valet LED
Luminaire, featuring a rugged and low-profile housing, incorporates patent-pending, modular LED
LightBAR™ technology for impressive performance and energy efficiency.
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Through its superior optical control, the Valet LED Luminaires deliver both uniform and energy-conscious
illumination optimized to improve vehicular movement–ideal for this specific application. Additionally,
patented AccuLED Optics™ provide shaped distributions and scalability and are designed to meet the
exact needs of each specific requirement. For added durability, its one-piece, die-cast aluminum housing
and heavy wall construction offers superior heat transfer and reliable performance for a wide range of
temperatures from as low as -22°F (-30°C) and as high as 104°F (40°C).
“This project has been an incredible opportunity for us to show how choosing Cooper products can help
increase overall efficiencies and performance,” said Mark Eubanks, President, Cooper Lighting. “We’ve
been able to showcase both the great products we offer and our ability to adapt to each specific situation
and deliver superior results. Our Valet™ LED lighting fixtures will no doubt provide ample lighting while
significantly reducing the overall lighting cost within the tunnel. This is a great project and one in which we
have particular pride.”
In addition to providing ample lighting, the Valet LED fixtures helped decrease overall energy
dependency. Key decision makers were able to do this not only by choosing ultra-efficient, long-lasting
LED lighting, but by reducing the total amount of fixtures needed. Due to slow warm-up and cool down
periods, the previous metal halide fixtures needed to be placed every 20 feet on center to allow for
maximum coverage. With an increased light output and instant-on feature, Cooper was able to expand
the distance between the lighting fixtures to 40 feet and cut the total number of fixtures in half, except at
the portals and entrances, which require additional light and closer fixtures.
While the project is slated to be complete this month, initial findings show a significant amount of savings
for the operator and the City of Windsor. The overall number of fixtures has decreased from 570 to just
480, wattage use per hour has dropped a dramatic 135,810 watts/hour from 185,250 to 49,440, and the
cost per year has plummeted about 72 percent from more than $160,000 to just under $45,000. When
evaluating the project over a timeframe of 10 years, the Detroit Windsor Tunnel will have saved more
than $1.18 million dollar on energy costs.
Cooper Lighting offers a range of indoor and outdoor LED lighting products and corresponding
accessories, all of which are specifically designed to maximize energy and cost savings. For additional
information, click here.
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Cooper Lighting – Page 3
About Cooper Lighting
Cooper Lighting, a subsidiary of Cooper Industries plc (NYSE: CBE), is the leading provider of world-class
lighting fixtures and controls to commercial, industrial, retail, institutional, residential and utility markets.
As lighting technologies have advanced over the years, Cooper Lighting has been at the forefront of the
industry in helping businesses and communities leverage the latest technologies to improve efficiency,
reduce costs and enrich the quality of the environment. For more information, visit
www.cooperlighting.com.
About Cooper Industries
Cooper Industries plc (NYSE: CBE) is a global electrical products manufacturer with 2010 revenues of
$5.1 billion. Founded in 1833, Cooper's sustained success is attributable to a constant focus on
innovation, evolving business practices while maintaining the highest ethical standards and meeting
customer needs. The Company has seven operating divisions with leading market positions and worldclass products and brands including: Bussmann electrical and electronic fuses; Crouse-Hinds and CEAG
explosion-proof electrical equipment; Halo and Metalux lighting fixtures; and Kyle and McGraw-Edison
power systems products. With this broad range of products, Cooper is uniquely positioned for several
long-term growth trends including the global infrastructure build-out, the need to improve the reliability
and productivity of the electric grid, the demand for higher energy-efficient products and the need for
improved electrical safety. In 2010 fifty-nine percent of total sales were to customers in the industrial and
utility end-markets and thirty-nine percent of total sales were to customers outside the United States.
Cooper has manufacturing facilities in 21 countries as of 2010. For more information, visit the website at
www.cooperindustries.com.
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