EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio - May 9, 2012 - (NYSE:GE) - Las
Vegas is best known for the bright lights of 'The
Strip'; but thanks to new LED fixtures from GE
Lighting, the city's surrounding streets are starting
to take on a shine of their own. Far from a gamble, an
investment in new brighter streetlights will soon save The
Entertainment Capital of the World nearly $1.7 million in
annual energy costs by reducing electricity use by more
than 20 million kilowatt hours (kWhs).
Lowering expenses with LEDs
Nearly 6,600 GE Evolve™ LED Roadway fixtures have already
replaced mercury vapor and high-pressure sodium (HPS)
lights on arterial streets and residential thoroughfares
throughout Las Vegas. As a result, the city will consume
approximately 2.2 million fewer kWhs this year, equating to
$175,000 in energy savings.
This spring, Las Vegas will launch the second phase of its
street lighting update, installing 35,000 additional
Evolve LED Roadway fixtures over the next 12 months.
Stage-two utility savings alone will exceed $1.5 million a
year by diminishing electricity use by more than 18 million
kWhs.
Upon project completion, more than 80 percent of Las
Vegas' 50,000 streetlights will be powered by GE
fixtures. And while previous streetlights lasted about four
years on average, GE's new Evolve Roadway LEDs have a
longer life estimated at more than 11 years based on 12
hours use per day-significantly extending the time between
maintenance cycles. The city calculates this will yield an
additional $1 million cost benefit, bringing combined
annual energy and maintenance savings to $2.7 million. The
bright white light produced by the LED light source further
improves visibility on streets.
"Las Vegas has a strong commitment to the environment,
and we are recognized internationally for our green
initiatives," says Las Vegas City Manager Elizabeth N.
Fretwell. "People who don't live in Southern
Nevada may not think of Las Vegas when they talk about the
environment and energy efficiency, but the truth is our
city is a leader in these areas."
Making a local bid
The Las Vegas lighting project was opened to public bid in
late 2010 and allowed for all types of illumination
technologies. Design Concepts, Inc. (DCI), GE
Lighting's authorized Las Vegas representative agency,
met with city officials to tout the advantages of an LED
solution. Among many different competitors and technology
offerings, GE was selected as one of five finalists to
participate in an extended trial that concluded in March
2011.
"This was a long and rigorous testing and qualifying
process," explains Bob King, president and CEO of DCI.
"The city conducted a thorough study in cooperation
with a local engineering consulting firm familiar with the
city's roadway lighting requirements as set forth by
the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Southern
Nevada. Ultimately, the decision fell to a team of lighting
experts who meticulously analyzed performance,
construction, engineered design characteristics, aesthetics
and long-term value."
In April 2011, GE was awarded the contract for the first
6,600 fixtures. In early 2012, the city proceeded with
phase two of the lighting update with an additional 35,000
fixtures. The complete project represents the largest
roadway lighting contract in GE Lighting's history.
"Our products are designed to compete from an overall
performance perspective," explains Pete Porte, western
regional manager for GE Lighting. "From light levels
to street size dimensions to pole heights, the
specification put forth by the RTC of Southern Nevada was
based on meeting myriad criteria. We hit all the marks with
an efficient fixture that yields up to a 60 percent
reduction in energy consumption compared to standard
high-intensity discharge (HID) systems."
DCI coordinated LED fixture fulfillment through local
distributor Crescent Electric Supply Company and electrical
contractor TransCore to provide installation services for
the majority of Las Vegas' new streetlights.
GE and DCI further engaged the city's maintenance and
energy management teams in discussions that produced an NV
Energy utility rebate, while Crescent Electric coordinated
a recycling program for Las Vegas' old HPS fixtures
that will provide the city a direct credit that will be
applied to the purchase of the new LED lights.
An environmental payout
By transitioning to more than 41,000 GE Evolve LED Roadway
fixtures over the next year, Las Vegas will remove more
than 12,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) from its
atmosphere annually. This is equivalent to eliminating the
CO2 emissions of more than 2,300 passenger cars or to
planting more than 3,200 acres of trees.*
Evolve LED Roadway fixtures are designed to meet
recommended luminance and illuminance requirements for
local and major highway and street classifications.
Advanced reflective optic technology effectively directs
light where it's needed, improves horizontal and
vertical uniformity and reduces glare. A refined thermal
management system incorporates a robust heat sink directly
in the fixture to ensure maximum heat transfer for long LED
life. These energy-efficient fixtures can also be paired
with programmable dimming options for even greater control
and savings.
For more information on the GE Lighting products used in
this project, visit www.gelightingsolutions.com.
About GE Lighting
GE Lighting invents with the vigor of its founder Thomas
Edison to develop energy-efficient solutions that change
the way people light their world in commercial, industrial,
municipal and residential settings. The business employs
over 17,000 people in more than 100 countries, and sells
products under the Reveal® and Energy Smart® consumer
brands, and Evolve™, GTx, Immersion™, Infusion™,
Lumination™ and Tetra® commercial brands, all trademarks of
GE. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter
to build a world that works better. For more information,
visit www.gelighting.com.
*Assumptions used for calculations
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