Switching to LED lights results in incentive money, energy savings for Springdale schools

SPRINGDALE -- Upgrading light fixtures is expected to save the school district's maintenance staff time and to reduce energy costs, officials said.

Southwestern Electric Power Co. has paid the district $65,887.50 for the upgrades.

"They're refunding some of our cost and sure helping us," Deputy Superintendent Jared Cleveland said.

The power company projects an annual savings of about $23,692 in electric bills for the school district, said Peter Main, a spokesman for the company.

Springdale School District began two years ago participating in an incentive program offered by the electric company, said John Snow, master electrician for school district. The utility services 11 district buildings and told district officials about the program.

The maintenance department began by upgrading exterior lighting around Springdale High School, Snow said. The staff turned its attention to gyms at Elmdale Elementary School, as well as the exterior of the campus and the cafeteria stage.

The south side of Southwest Junior High School also has received upgraded lighting inside and outside, Snow said.

The projects have led to more energy efficient lighting primarily in gymnasiums, cafeterias and the exteriors in 11 buildings, Snow said. The program for 2017 includes lighting projects in school libraries.

Most of the projects retrofit lighting fixtures to take LED light bulbs instead of fluorescent light bulbs, but in some cases, such as on the outside of Springdale High School, the district purchases new fixtures, Snow said. He estimates the district has upgraded more than 1,200 fixtures within the past two years.

"We are hoping just to continue it and get as much of the incentive money as we can," he said. "That helps us out with our budgets."

The incentive program has resulted in two payments to Springdale School District: one for $25,903.79 in April and a second for $39,983.57 in December, said Kelly Hayes, the district's comptroller.

The maintenance department is working to install more LED lighting throughout the district, Snow said. With the incentive and the energy savings, the projects pay for themselves within two years.

LED lights use about a one-fourth of the energy as fluorescent lights, create fewer shadows and don't put off any heat, said Jeremy White, the district director of maintenance. The district is tracking trends in the use of electricity, he said. Whereas a fluorescent light bulb will burn for 25,000 hours or more, LED lights are rated to burn from 50,000 hours to 75,000 hours, Snow said.

The project with the Springdale School District is part of the power company's commercial and industrial energy incentive program, Main said. The program also includes commercial buildings and government buildings. Another program exists for residential customers.

The company views projects to conserve energy usage as part of its mix of resources, Main said. Reducing energy consumption by existing customers helps to offset growth in demand and can reduce or eliminate the need for greater energy generation capacity.

The incentives are paid with money from utility customers, Main said. In 2016, the company paid a total of $5.96 million to homeowners, businesses and others who participated in energy efficiency programs.

"It helps customers save energy and money," Main said. "In programs like the school district project, it improves the performance of the buildings, the efficiency of the buildings and their systems. It improves comfort within the buildings."

NW News on 01/17/2017