Street Lighting is an essential component for any successful municipality; it illuminates our roadways, sidewalks, buildings, and ultimately, keeps citizens safe. However, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, streetlights account for an estimated national total of over $2 billion in energy costs, most of which is paid for with public dollars. Moreover, the average age of a streetlight fixture is over 25 years, which is leading to increased maintenance costs for cities.
Answering to the demand of new, cost-saving options to replace old streetlights is LED Lighting. Today, LED lighting is the least expensive it has ever been, and it can save cities millions of dollars with a short payback. Not to mention it is the most durable and longest lasting lighting option available on the market. The city of Los Angeles recently completed an LED conversion of over 140,000 streetlights, and as a result, has saved over 60% on energy, amounting to $7.7 million annually. While LED lighting currently costs more initially, the short payback and reduction in costs nullify the incipient expenses, resulting in enormous savings. For instance, Los Angeles estimates a simple payback of only 7 years.
Not All LEDs are Created Equal
While the LED is a revolutionary lighting technology, not all LEDs are well built, and it is important to understand the difference between quality LEDs and substandard LEDs. Topping the list of LED manufacturers around the world is Nichia, a Japanese LED company producing LEDs with extended life cycles and minimal lumen depreciation. Shuji Nakamura recently won the Nobel Prize in Physics for developing the blue LED while working for Nichia.
Deco Lighting selects only the highest quality components for its lighting fixtures, and Deco’s exclusive use of Nichia LEDs in its fixtures allows them to offer the industry’s first 10-year, 100,00-hour warranty that includes labor and lumen depreciation.
Title 24
The Title 24 energy standards were enacted by the California legislature in 1978 with the goal of reducing energy use in homes and commercial buildings. In order to be granted a building permit from a city or county, you must first submit a Title 24 energy report that confirms your proposed design is compliant with the Title 24 standards.
All Deco LED lighting products comply with the Title 24 Lighting Non-Residential standards, which are intended to reduce the use of energy without compromising the lighting quality. Accordingly, Deco Lighting offers the most advanced optics and smart lighting LED solutions in the industry. One such product is Deco’s Lucera LED luminaire, a replacement for 2’ and 4’ T8 fluorescent fixtures that is controlled by two external motion sensors which turn the fixture on when they detect human traffic, delivering a safe environment while conserving energy.
How to Get More Bang for Your Buck
Deco Lighting, is a pioneer in LED lighting with numerous lighting options designed for municipalities including parking lot and parking structure lighting as well as area and pathway lighting. Deco’s D823-LED area light is a perfect example of how versatile Deco fixtures truly are, suitable for roadways, building perimeters, parking lots, and virtually any application requiring high levels of light. Additionally, Deco’s 10-year warranty removes the need to consider maintenance costs. Check out more of Deco’s LED street lighting options for cities and municipalities here.