LED LIGHTING PROJECT AT SOUTH PASADENA MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL IMPROVES ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND SAVES MONEY
SOUTH PASADENA, Calif. (August 27, 2019) – This fall, after the students, teachers and staff have left for the day, South Pasadena Middle School will undergo a subtle, yet illuminating transformation. Thousands of lights at the school will be replaced with LED bulbs and components.
“For this lighting project, we focused on the two biggest power-using sites within the District,” said Assistant Superintendent Dave Lubs. “Research showed that retrofitting the lighting campus-wide would save us money in the long run. We replaced the high school’s lighting components last year, and now we are converting the middle school. In addition to saving money, the District will be using less energy and will be more environmentally friendly.”
GonLED, the contractor working on the project, will replace the lighting in three different ways depending on the location and need. Each fixture will either be replaced with a brand new fixture, retrofitted with new LED components while still using the existing fixture, or completely re-lamped by bypassing the existing ballast and installing a new LED lamp. All the work takes place during a swing shift after school, which means there will be no impact to the students’ school day. Once the work is complete, there will be full LED lighting at the middle school, with the exception of the auditorium, which will be upgraded when the structure is renovated in the future. The high school lighting was fully converted during the 2018-2019 school year.
“LED lighting uses less energy and the bulbs have longer life spans,” said Lubs. In addition to using less energy for a particular fixture, the control system allows classroom lights to be dimmed, to be half-way on or off, as well as offering a timed, automatic-off system for when the lights are left on accidentally.”
In addition, LED lights last much longer than incandescent bulbs and fluorescent lamps, plus they are made of non-toxic materials and are 100 percent recyclable. The majority of the LED fixtures installed at the schools will consume 60% less energy than the prior lighting fixtures. LED lights do not contain hazardous mercury which will contaminate the environment when disposed of in landfills. When the contractor removes any existing CFL and fluorescent lamps, they are properly recycled.
Starting in mid-September, the middle school conversion will be completed before winter break 2019.
About South Pasadena Unified School District
Established in 1886, the South Pasadena Unified School District (SPUSD) serves approximately 4,800 students within five schools including three elementary schools, one middle school and one comprehensive high school in South Pasadena, California. Nestled in the West San Gabriel Valley, SPUSD has earned a reputation for providing high quality public education, attracting families who value challenging academic programs and outstanding teachers. Consistently recognized for superior performance, SPUSD students earn honors at the local, state and national level. The District draws vital support from parents and community members through the South Pasadena Educational Foundation, local PTAs and booster clubs.
For more information, contact: South Pasadena Unified School District, Office of the Superintendent, [email protected].