Aflac, a global insurance company, needed to provide better illumination for the parking lot at its support center. The original metal halide fixtures created areas of high contrast, diminished color rendering, and deep shadows, which presented driving and safety concerns. The fixture heads were also throwing up a portion of light into the sky rather than directing it on the ground below.
The project included retrofitting the 61 existing 1000W metal halide fixtures with 53 LED luminaires (each 303W). As a result, the parking lot’s electrical load was reduced by 76%, or 49.8 kW. This is projected to reduce annual energy costs by $17,500 (166,000 kWh) and secure a 3.4-year payback. The lot is now consistently illuminated and parking aisles and spots are easy to navigate.
“We had considered deploying LED lighting for a while to benefit from the significant energy savings of replacing the high wattage lighting in the parking lot,” says Jay Ellis, facilities maintenance and construction with Aflac. “In addition to the energy savings we gained, we significantly improved light levels, making this project a great success.”
Partial funding for the project was made possible through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 and provided through a Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) grant.
INFORMATION AND IMAGES COURTESY OF EATON’S COOPER LIGHTING
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