Case Study:
George Mason University, Manassas/Fairfax, VA
Goal:
Reduce energy costs and maintenance expenditures, while employing environmentally friendly lighting technologies.
Products Installed:
SYLVANIA OCTRON® XP SuperSaver ECOLOGIC®
SYLVANIA PENTRON® T5 HO ECOLOGIC
SYLVANIA Micro-Mini CFL
SYLVANIA BR30 CFL
SYLVANIA DULUX EL CFL
SYLVANIA METALARC®
SYLVANIA QUICKTRONIC® QHE Ballasts
Savings:
Indoor:
Energy: 1,366,456 kWh/year
Cost: $53,213/year
Outdoor:
Energy: 1,237,505 kWh/year
Cost: $53,213/year
Maintenance:
Cost: $28,299/year
Background:
Located in Northern Virginia, George Mason University is an institute of higher education with a total enrollment of over 30,000 students. With 152 buildings across its three campuses, George Mason University saw a window of opportunity to make significant reductions in energy consumption and maintenance costs with energy-efficient technologies. George Mason University initiated a number of campus-wide upgrades, in collaboration with Siemens Building Technologies, in an effort to reach these goals and lessen its environmental impact.
George Mason University’s campus lighting was one area that Siemens Building Technologies identified as an opportunity for considerable energy and maintenance savings. With the guidance of SYLVANIA Lighting Services (SLS), a division of Siemens subsidiary OSRAM SYLVANIA, George Mason University identified areas of its Fairfax and Prince William campuses that would best help the institution achieve its goals of reducing energy costs and maintenance expenditures with environmentally-friendly technology. Beginning in November 2009, the SLS team proposed efficient lighting solutions in seven installation areas and assisted with the creation of mock-ups to help the project achieve University approval.
Indoor upgrades were made in a number of areas. Building interiors included the Bull Run Building, Occoquan Building, The Patriot Center, The Freedom Center and Discovery Building; 32W T8 fixtures were retrofitted with 28W T8 lamps and high-efficiency ballasts. Additionally, SLS and George Mason University replaced existing HID fixtures with energy-efficient T5 fluorescent fixtures. Occupancy sensors were integrated into all upgrades to create smarter lighting systems and provide the university with additional savings. In total, the indoor retrofits have provided George Mason University with 1,366,456 kWh in energy savings per year.
In outdoor areas, SLS retrofitted street and walkway HID fixtures with LED fixtures, in an effort to help George Mason University reduce maintenance costs. Besides providing energy and maintenance savings, the LED street light fixtures also improved the safety of the installation areas and enhanced the color rendering of the light. SLS retrofitted campus parking lot lighting with LED as well. The Mason Pond and Sandy Creek Parking Decks were outfitted with EPA-branded 2-lamp weatherproof fixtures. These fixtures utilize SYLVANIA PENTRON T5 lamps and energy efficient ballasts.
Each of these project areas have yielded significant cost reductions for George Mason University. The indoor installations provide $133,913 in energy cost savings per year, and the outdoor street lighting and parking garage installations have resulted in energy cost savings of $53,213 per year. Furthermore, the University has estimated that the installations will yield maintenance cost reductions of $28,299 per year. In all, George Mason University will see an estimated annual cost savings of $195,425 thanks to lighting upgrades from SLS.
The final phase of this installation is slated for completion in 2010. Thus far, George Mason University has seen positive acceptance of the lighting upgrades, receiving wide-ranging accolades for the installations.