MGM Grand Casino Bets On LED

MGM Grand recently installed over 3117 LED's in their 61 acre parking garage in Detroit, MI.  They expect to cut their electricity use in the garage by 80%, with payback under 2 years on the $1.4 million dollar project.  MGM has won numerous awards and recognition for  their efforts.


 MGM's LED overhaul

Read more about MGM's LED initiative!


MGM: Green Key designation

The Future Of LED Light

New Technology In Development For Wireless LED Data Transmission

LED lighting applications are being researched and tested as a possible new way to boost and bridge cellular and WiFi networks - prototypes have been presented and demonstrated at tech meetings across the globe. 

Wireless high speed data transmission through visible LED light (Li-Fi) is faster than WiFi and may prove beneficial to areas where WiFi radio frequencies are blocked or inaccessible such as in hospitals, airplanes, and power plants. 

Since a line of sight to LED light is needed, it is not likely to replace WiFi or cellular technology.  However, it could enhance connections where connectivity is poor or where networks interfere with each other in a building using their own lighting infrastructure.

Sports Facilities Score with LED

Duke University in Durham, NC is replacing 1500 watt metal halide fixtures with LED at their Williams Field at Jack Katz Stadium, expecting to save 70% on energy costs, by reducing the number of fixtures by 1/3 yet increasing light output. 

Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MO replaced over 1000 flood and spotlights with LED and cut lighting demand by 90% in many areas.

Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI replaced the Munn Ice Arena's lights last fall with LED and the result is remarkable.  Lighting is now clean, bright, and uniformly distributed across the ice and has enhanced the goalies and ability to see the puck and the fan's experience.  They expect the $575K expense to be paid back in 5-7 years.

Boston University in Boston, MA wanted to achieve savings and eliminate the distracting and loud constant buzz from 127 aging metal halide fixtures at the Track and Tennis Center - achieved with LED high bays and integrated controls.  They are expecting a 40% reduction on their total energy use at the center.

Weber State University in Ogden, UT cut their energy consumption at their  Dee Events Center basketball arena by 70% or $25K per year converting metal halide lighting to LED.  The overhaul cost approximately $200K, $156K of which was covered by utility incentive programs.

War Memorial Arena in Syracuse, NY replaced it's circa 1951 metal halide fixtures at the ice hockey arena two years ago with LED, and spectators were amazed at the effect.

Traditional arena high intensity discharge metal halide lights can take up to 30 minutes to strike on, so cannot be turned off during events, whereas LED lights reach full brightness in 1.5 seconds and can be individually controlled and programmed - making for limitless possibilities for entertainment between games!

LED Installations the Best Medicine for Hospitals

Case studies around the world 

 

#1:  The Princess Alexandrea NHS Trust Hospital, a 489 bed hospital in Essex, England found lighting to be approximately 45% of their entire monthly electric bill.  A conversion to LED lighting in 2013 resulted in an instant 83% reduction with a 2.2 year payback for the up front costs.  The hospital was the first full LED convresion in a UK Hospital. 


#2:  Mercy Hospital & Medical Center in Chicago, IL converted hallways in their 485 bed building to LED lighting as part of a larger whole green inititative they have undertaken to reduce their carbon footprint and save energy.  They received a $72,288 utility incentive, with a project payback period of just 2.4 years, saving them over $98,700 per year in electricity costs.


#3:  Sarasota Memorial Hospital in Sarasota, FL is the second largest public hospital in the state.  They replaced 250 watt metal halide lights with 75 watt LED lights in it's parking lot, reducing electricity use by 67%. 


#4:  Hawaii Pacific Health is a cluster of four hospitals and 44 clinic sites on the islands that initiated an LED lighting retrofit of all 48 facilities consisting of hallways, waiting areas, cafeterias, offices, and parking garages.  Payback was over 15 months and savings were expected to be in excess of $1.2 million dollars per year.


#5:  University of Utah Hospital slashed their KwH more than 50% by just changing 85 units to LED in one part of their hospital, with a 2.5 year payback and relieved the problems associated with maintaining and changing bulbs in difficult to reach high ceiling locations. 


See this interesting informative article by the US Dept. of Energy:
"Energy Efficient Hospital Lighting Strategies Pay Off Quickly"

Auto Dealerships Showcase Vehicles with LED  

Dealerships are discovering they can extend their outdoor sales into the evening with LED lighting.  Outdoor lot are beautifully illuminated with wide beams of uniform crisp clean light, reducing and eliminating dark areas and shadows.   Smart technology allows automatic dimming overnight and instant full brightness when motion sensors are tripped.

Lexus South Atlanta replaced High Intensity Discharge metal halide lights outside in their lot and got much more, for less.  Going from 400-1000 watt lights to 101-217 watts, they save between 79-87% on their energy bills (up to $49,000 each year) and turned shadowy lots into beautiful well lit outdoor showrooms!   

Click to read article:

At Home - efficiency blogger discovers & shares how he cut his electric bill.

Office/Warehouse Buildings Save Big With LED

Smarter business solutions 

One of New York City's largest commercial landlords, SL Green Realty Corp. completed their second installation last  year for a total of 24,000 LED lights in 24 buildings, and are now under way with their third phase after saving $950,000 annually with phases 1 and 2.  The first installations cost a total of $2.5 million dollars, $200,000 of which was expected to be covered by rebates and programs, with a 2.5 year payback.

Phase 3 involves over 6000 LED lights at 9 properties, and is expected to save an additional $370,000 annually.


NYC accounting giant Ernst & Young calculates they will save nearly 50% on their energy bill, saving $1 million dollars each year with their LED lighting conversion, with occupancy sensors at their 82 floor Times Square office building.  Their cost was approximately $2 million dollars, with just a 2 year payback.  They cut their demand from 6.2 million KwH to 2.9 million KwH.

REPLACING FIXTURES IS MINIMALLY DISRUPTIVE TO

OCCUPANTS/TENANT

Property management firm Steiner Development, Inc. increased tenant safety and reduced maintenance needs at a multi unit office-warehouse property they manage with improved quality of light thanks to total conversion of exterior fixtures (high pressure sodium metal halide and halogen) to LED.  They reduced KwH by 75% immediately, with an expected payback of under 3 years.

Thinking About Solar? Upgrade Your Lighting First for the Best Results

Benefits of High Efficiency Lighting

Electrical Contracting expert Stephen Cadieux, explains how jumping to solar without upgrading your lighting first can be inefficient and expensive.

"Solar power is fantastic renewable energy, particularly when combined with energy efficient lighting - but the cost of solar equipment can be a barrier.  Upgrading your lighting to high efficiency is much cheaper and quicker to implement than solar, and should be done first - as you will find you will then need a smaller and thus less expensive solar system.  Solar equipment costs substantially more than lighting components, so it makes sense to reduce your energy requirements beforehand.  By making your lighting as efficient as possible first, you substantially reduce your energy use and the capacity needed for solar -cutting your upfront costs and makes your payback time much quicker." 

How Much Money Can You Save With LED Lighting? Ask Macy's

More light at less wattage saves energy, requires fewer natural resources, reduces your carbon footprint, and your electric bills. Savings can be substantial, as many major department store chains have discovered.   

Payback periods for retrofits are often very short and can be under 2 years.  This was the case for retail giant, Macy's, whose payback for their conversion was 1.6 years. 

Macy's teamed up with NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority) and received a $200,000 incentive from NYSERDA's Existing Facility Program to do a pilot program in New York.

Macy's initially retrofitted 17 New York stores with over 24,000 LED lights in a pilot program, netting savings of nearly 73% (over $674,000) per year.  

For retailers, light output and color rendering are critically important considerations for selling products.  Macy's replaced 47 watt halogen lamps with 12 watt LED after discovering the LEDs provided a superior quality of light nothing like the earlier versions.  In fact, many color temperature filters and tones can be achieved to suit.  This includes at the newly constructed building at the Westfield South Shore Mall in Bay Shore, NY (Suffolk County).

So pleased with their results, Macy's reportedly then installed over 1.1 million LED's in more than 800 Macy's & Bloomingdale's stores across the United States (savings figures from the additional installations are not available) and have pledged to using LED fixtures exclusively in any new construction or store renovations.

Macy's isn't stopping there - energized by the dramatic changes, they are adding solar panels and other efficiencies to stores as part of a broader sustainability initiative they have committed to, rising to one of the top five companies in the nation using solar energy as of 2012  (Walmart was at #1, joined by GM, Ikea, and Kohl's).

Macy's joined the U.S. Department of Energy's Better Buildings Challenge to be a role model for other buildings to go greener.