How do you reduce energy consumption at a port? Look at the lights. Fall 2015 marks the beginning of a two-year project to invest in new energy efficient LED lighting across Port facilities. While new lighting may seem like a small change, it adds up to big energy savings. The new upgrades will reduce power consumption – saving 1,020 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually!
The project converts old lighting to new LED lighting, swapping them out on existing poles at marine terminals, Portland International Airport (PDX) parking lots, roadways and maintenance facilities. The new lighting affects over 80acres of parking lot and 30acres of roadway and includes wireless lighting control capabilities.
LED stands for Light-Emitting Diode, and they use 60% less energy than traditional lighting. LEDs are tiny! How small? The size of a pin tip, or only a few millimeters. Their lamp life is three to four times longer, reducing maintenance and waste.
LEDs can also illuminate more targeted areas, preventing light pollution. In designing upgrades at the Port, engineers conducted a photometric analysis evaluating the illumination “footprint” to make sure lights brighten only the needed areas.
Bright white LED light also provides safety advantages for roadways and public parking lots. For example, it won’t be so hard to find a red car at night as their light quality mimics daylight, making colors easier to distinguish.
The Port’s energy efficiency upgrades link to a broader strategy to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions across all facilities. The project supports the Port’s 2020 aggressive goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to less than 15% of 1990 levels.
Stay tuned as the Port’s environmental programs implement more conservation projects to achieve environmental objectives and targets.
For more information on installing LED lights at your own home, visit the U.S. Department of Energy website: http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/led-lighting.