Dec 8, 2007 10:18 am US/Central
M.O.A.'s Parking Ramps To Go L.E.D.
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (WCCO) ―
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The lights use less than 100 watts, less than half the energy of the traditional sodium lights in the ramp.
CBS
During the holidays, the Mall of America's parking ramp will be a little less a-glow, thanks to a pilot project involving L.E.D. lighting.
A White Bear Lake, Minn. company has installed six L.E.D. lighting, which stands for light-emitting diode, fixtures in the west parking ramp. The lights use less than 100 watts, less than half the energy of the traditional sodium lights in the ramp.
"This is the future," said Joe Brady, owner of Reluminate. "This is technology that's going to be around for a long time."
The lights are manufactured by a Wisconsin-based company, and Brady believes they save the Mall of America between $300,000 and $500,000 in electricity costs.
"They're rated at 105,000 hours which is approximately 20 years with no replacement," said Brady. The traditional high-pressure sodium lights are rated to last approximately three years.
The L.E.D. technology comes at an up-front cost premium. Brady said each fixture costs $200 more than a sodium fixture. The mall has more than 4,000 lights installed in its two parking ramps.
"What we are finding is these lights are very bright, they illuminate very well," said Anna Lewicki Long, Mall of America Spokeswoman.
According to Long, the mall is very pleased with the preliminary results of their pilot project. "It cuts energy usage in half," she said.
The Mall will watch the lights throughout the winter, to make sure they respond well during Minnesota's coldest weather. They also want to make sure the lights provide adequate illumination, as safety is always a concern in a parking ramp.
The environmental benefits are also huge, according to Long. She said the Mall was designed to be eco-friendly; for example, there is no heating system in the mall.
"It's very important for the Mall of America to protect our resources," said Long.
As for the L.E.D. lights, Joe Brady says that other Minnesota corporations and governments have been to the Mall of America to take a look. He believes if the test is successful, and the mall management decides to retrofit the parking ramps, we'll end up seeing L.E.D. lights throughout Minnesota.
"They're a wonderful new fixture that's going to revolutionize the lighting industry in the next three to five years," said Brady.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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