SUMMARY
In order to balance the total costs of operating the streetlights with the revenue generated, the City of Gresham partnered with King Luminaire Co. Inc., a division of The StressCrete Group, to replace their high-pressure sodium (HPS) streetlights with highefficiency light-emitting diode (LED) lights. The new cost-saving decorative LED fixtures allow Gresham to return their streetlight fund back to financial sustainability. The LED conversion also resulted in lowered maintenance costs. As a result, Gresham is one of the first cities in Oregon to complete the transition to LED luminaires and was recognized with the 2015 Sustainability Practices Award from the American Public Works Association.
Download Case Study (PDF)PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
Project Site: Gresham, OR
Energy Use Reduction: At least 50% (with potential for greater reduction due to field switchable wattage selector)
Energy Cost Savings: $500,000/year
Value Added:
- Increased visibility
- Reduced glare
- Greater color rendition
- Reduced light pollution
- Reduced CO2 emission
LED STREETLIGHTS BALANCE THE BOOKS IN THE CITY OF GRESHAM, OREGON
THE CHALLENGE
The City of Gresham was using revenue from their utility license fees on electricity and natural gas to power their streetlights. With power costs rising faster than the revenue generated, the Gresham streetlight fund was in danger of reaching zero by end of 2018. To address this issue, the City of Gresham needed to balance the revenue with the total costs of operating their streetlights.
THE SOLUTION
Gresham replaced 8,000 conventional high-pressure sodium (HPS) streetlights with new, state-of-the-art light-emitting diode (LED) lights. The City of Gresham’s new street lighting system also incorporated a field-switchable wattage selector (with a range of 31-75W) to further increase energy efficiency.
- The City of Gresham partnered with King Luminaire to supply over 500 decorative LED fixtures
- The LED luminaires only need replacement after approximately 15-20 years, versus re-lamping the old HPS lights every 4-5 years and King Luminaire backs the LED lights with a 7-year warranty
- The new LED lights are twice as bright as the HPS lights while also increasing energy efficiency
- The total conversion of 8,000 HPS lights to LED produced a significant reduction in environmental emissions
With the LED conversion, the imbalance between revenue and expenses is going to turn around. So not only are we saving money and helping the environment, the streetlight fund will be financially sustainable. This is a great thing for Gresham.
John Dorst, Deputy Director, Department of Environmental Services (Retired), Gresham, OR
THE RESULTS
Electricity, Maintenance and Cost Savings:
- The City saves about $500,000 a year in electricity costs by switching to LED because the new lights last much longer and use less energy
- Energy cost savings is equivalent to $10 million over a 20-year lifetime
- The cost savings allow Gresham to finance the cost of the LED conversion and return the streetlight fund back to financial sustainability
Emission Reductions:
- The conversion to LED lights results in significant annual CO2 emission reductions
Overall:
- LED luminaires increase light uniformity, visibility, colour rendition, and reduce glare, thereby increasing safety on roadways and sidewalks
- Gresham is one of the first cities in Oregon to completely switch over to LED and was recognized with the 2015 Sustainability Practices Award from the Oregon Chapter of the American Public Works Association
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