Since converting older lighting to low-voltage IR illuminators from Raytec, the Western Quebec School Board is saving 90 percent on energy costs.

By upgrading 66 older metal halide lights in its schools’ parking lots and grounds to energy-efficient low-voltage LED illuminators from Raytec, the Western Quebec School Board, Gatineau, Quebec,has achieved energy savings of more than 90 percent.

Raytec illuminators, which provide energy-saving white light, are capable of providing lighting not only for CCTV systems but also for general area illumination. Based on the increased efficiency of the lighting, Raytec says the school board could save at least $16,000 per year in running costs and maintenance.

Prior to the conversion, the school board had changed each metal halide lamp twice a year for safety purposes, whether the bulb had burned out or not. Naturally, this resulted in high maintenance and replacement costs in addition to the higher price of the less efficient metal halide technology.

Raytec says its lighting is tough and robust, providing a 10-year life, low running costs and zero maintenance, which the company says minimizes the need for regular maintenance — or using cherry pickers for bulb replacements — the schools will also realize labor savings in addition to energy savings. Yet another benefit of the Raytec LED lighting is that it can cut CO2 emissions by 50 tons per year.

A pilot installation demonstrated that the high-quality cool white illumination from the new solid-state low-voltage LED units was shown to be clearer and brighter compared with older lighting technology; including sodium illuminators, which produce a dull yellow glow.

Having been given the go-ahead to make the switch, systems integrator United Security replaced 44 400W units located on various buildings around the site, and 22 pole-mounted 250W lamps in the parking lots with Raytec low-voltage LED illuminators.  Keeping both costs and disruption to a minimum, the lamp-posts themselves were not removed. United Security’s installation team simply upgraded the illuminator unit on each pole, taking advantage of the flexibility and ease-of-installation of Raytec’s technology.

“By working with United Security, we’ve been able to deliver a lighting solution that helps the school board achieve their aims of reducing both the costs and the environmental impact of their site lighting,” says Mike Jamieson, Raytec director for the Americas.

“Well-designed lighting is essential for safety and security, but conventional lights are wasteful and expensive when compared with the latest advances in LED lighting,” he adds.