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How Schools can be Improved by Optimal Lighting

Posted by Natalie Young

Feb 14, 2014 11:33:00 AM

prop 39 optimal lighting for schoolsThis article is the first in a 4 part series on Prop 39 Funding. 
The California Clean Energy Jobs Act, known as Prop 39, was adopted in December 2013. The bill allocates funding to support energy efficiency and alternative energy projects, as well as improvements and repairs to help cut down on operating costs and improve health and safety conditions in public schools.
Over five years, schools will receive about $2.5 billion through the act.

 

School administrators have to balance many considerations as they strive to provide the best education possible for their students. Maintaining an optimal environment for learning is a top priority, so factors such as comfortable furniture, temperature, and break time figure into the equation. However, one essential feature that’s sometimes overlooked is lighting. Without proper illumination in the classroom, both students and teachers can suffer from fatigue and problems paying attention. Studies have shown how schools are improved by optimal lighting, especially when they install high efficiency LED lighting.

  • Boosting Student Productivity

To appreciate how schools are improved by optimal lighting, it’s important to understand how LEDs work. This type of technology replicates natural daylight, using both blue and white tones to simulate the sun’s rays. The result makes the classroom experience feel as if it's taking place outdoors. Students at schools that have installed LED lighting improved standardized test scores and completed projects faster when compared to pre-LED levels.

Students also reported that they actually feel better with the new lighting. They’re able to pay attention for longer periods without suffering from exhaustion. The science behind this phenomenon is founded in circadian rhythms, which regulate the human body’s response to environmental factors. LED lighting stimulates this effect to make a person feel more alert in the morning.

  • Benefits for Teachers

While students are a key focus when analyzing how schools are improved by optimal lighting, school administrators should not overlook the advantages it provides for teachers. No matter what grade level, teachers deal with various sources of stress throughout the day in their classrooms. When comparing feedback from teachers before and after LED lighting installation, many reported that they actually felt more invigorated. The mid-afternoon, right after lunch, is a notorious time period when teachers’ energy levels dipped. With the new lighting, they experienced less fatigue.

  • LEDs are Cost Effective

Despite substantial proof of how schools are improved by optimal lighting, many school administrators are reluctant to implement LED bulbs. Looking at the considerable benefits it provides to teachers and students, there is the assumption that these systems are cost prohibitive. However, the same studies that measured productivity, test scores, and alertness in the classroom also weighed the energy consumption of LEDs. Not only were the schools’ electric bills reduced by up to 70%, but they also saw lower costs related to broken and replacement bulbs. While the upfront expense of implementing an LED lighting system might seem high, amortizing the cost over several years proves that it's a smart investment.

Reviewing the benefits detailed by schools that have installed high efficiency lighting, it's easy to see why more and more administrators are going the LED route. Student test scores increased, while they also report feeling more alert and fight less to stay awake. Teachers experience less grogginess and higher energy levels throughout the day. When weighing these advantages and seeing the utility savings, we can expect LED lighting to be installed in more schools in the coming years.

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Topics: Energy Control Solutions, adding value through lighting and energy solutions, prop 39, lighting for schools

Does Your Southern California Business Office Really Need a Light Control System?

Posted by Jimm Reifsnyder

May 1, 2012 7:15:00 AM

lighting control systemEvery business in America is looking for ways to cut expenses and save money. So why in the world would you want to look at installing a light control system in your business office?

If you’ve ever walked through an office building after hours, you’ve probably seen the signs hanging over the light switches in the conference rooms or over the light switches by the front or back door that implore employees: “If you’re the last one out, please turn off the lights!”

Maybe it’s struck you as odd that the reason you can read those signs so well is that most of the lights are still blazing, because the last employee to leave wasn’t really sure if he or she was the last one—or just forgot to turn the lights out.

How much money is being wasted by lighting space that nobody is using? In most office buildings, lighting accounts for 39% of annual electricity use. The figures climb higher in specialized settings such as healthcare facilities (43%) and hotels (55%). With today’s energy costs, those are figures too big to ignore.

A whole building energy control solution can dramatically improve your energy efficiency. The New York Times, for instance cut $600,000 from its annual lighting costs after installing the Lutron Quantum® system. And a business in Houston saved $50,000 on its electric lighting bill, plus saw a $16,000 reduction in air conditioning expenses with the same installation.

 

Your office situation may be different, but the point is that controlling your energy use can have a big impact on your bottom line—or on the line of a business building you manage.

Western Energy Control Solutions is the exclusive Southern California representative for Lutron Electronics, Inc. We can help you find the right light and energy control solution for your specific needs. Contact Matt Sedlock (matt@westernecs.com) or Jen Moore (jen@westernecs.com) with any questions, or to find out how we can help you better manage your energy resources—and put money back on the bottom line.

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Topics: Energy Control Solutions, Light Control System, Energy Efficiency

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