Access Fixtures lighting specialists were recently approached by Noot Electric, an electrical contractor looking for an energy-efficient option to replace high-pressure sodium fixtures for Park City, Utah. The city is beginning a pilot program for the eventual conversion of all city lights to LED to save energy and reduce maintenance costs. The first stage of the conversion would be to replace the pathway lighting outside the local library. As the contractor hired to begin the transition process, Noot Electric needed an energy-efficient option that would be a subtle but cost-effective switch. Dark sky bollard lights were selected. More on this project below.
Replacing Old, Dim, Inefficient HPS Lighting
Park City is a resort town in the mountains of Utah. The city council has begun an initiative to convert all of its lighting to LEDs to save energy and maintenance costs.
However, in doing so, they wanted to ensure that the look and feel of the town was maintained and that the skies were kept as dark as possible. Utah’s beautiful night sky is a huge reason tourists flock to the city during and following the ski season.
Finding a Dark Sky Compliant Option: Beginning with Dark Sky Bollard Lights
Dark sky bollard lights are compliance ensures that the light emitted by a fixture is directed downward and that it prevents excessive light pollution from affecting the visibility of the stars. It also protects local wildlife, which may experience disruptions in their migratory, sleeping, or eating habits due to light pollution.
The original pathway lighting outside the library was provided by 100w high-pressure sodium bollards, which have a low Kelvin temperature of 2100, making the light they produce dim and warm. LEDs tend to be much brighter than traditional fixtures, and the company wanted to make sure the replacements would not be too jarring of a change. Our specialists recommended the 32w LED round dome top bollards with the lowest-offered Kelvin temperature of 3000k to ensure the new lighting would not be overly bright.
Energy-Efficient LED Bollards for Pathway Lighting
In comparison to the original HPS bollards, which had an efficiency of 95 lumens per watt (LPW), the new dark sky compliant 32w LED dark sky bollard lights provide an efficient 138 LPW. The customer chose to add a custom louver option to ensure the extra lumens would not contribute to light pollution.
Thanks to Noot Electric and Access Fixtures, the library now has energy-efficient, dark sky compliant LED dark sky bollard lights pathway lighting that will last up to 100,000 hours and save the town money on energy and maintenance costs.