Project Clearinghouse

Fitness Center Energy Efficient Lights

Sustainability Problem and Proposed Solution: 

Energy demand, energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase. The annual savings in electricity costs by switching to LED lights is estimated at $6,077.57, with an estimated annual reduction in kilowatt-hours of 31,987.

The proposed lights have a five-year warranty. Their published life expectancy is 50,000 hours. Based on the Fitness Center’s “lights-on” times, we expect the bulbs to have a usable life of 8.4 years, more than double that of fluorescent tube lights.

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Project Categories: 
Buildings & Facilities
Project Status: 
In Progress
Project End Date: 
09/20/2021
(estimated)
Affiliated Department, Unit or College: 
Athletics & Recreation
Project Location: 
On campus

Fitness Center


Stakeholder Contacts: 
Contact NameEmail AddressContact NumberDepartment
Cristen Babik
cbabik@ucsc.edu
831/212-2072
ATH-REC
Sydne Stacker
sstacker@ucsc.edu
831/459-4079
ATH-REC
Funding Sources: 
20273-680535-OPF029

Project Description: 

This project would support reduction in energy and carbon emissions, increased safety measures by providing improved lighting, and ultimately greater access to health and wellness opportunities to our campus community.

In replacing the lighting in the Fitness Center to high efficiency LEDs, it will allow us to keep our lights on longer while reducing energy use. This will allow longer hours of operation, and as a result, we will be able to actively engage with a significantly higher volume of students, faculty, staff, and the community. By reducing our energy use, that saved energy will in turn make available power to other buildings on campus as well as to homes in our local community. The US Environment Protection Agency has calculated that LED lights will save 88 terawatt-hours of electricity from 2010 until 2030 – enough to power seven million homes for an entire year. This project lines up perfectly with the EPA’s GHG reduction through more energy efficiency buildings.

Metrics for Success: 

Year-over-year energy consumption reductions.

Next Steps: 
Order lights through CruzBuy. Schedule Physical Plant Lighting Department to replace existing bulbs with new bulbs. Install the educational display in the Fitness Center lobby.
Result Categories: 
Infrastructure/Built Environment
Results: 

Replacing the current low efficiency fluorescent tube lights will realize significant cost and GHG reductions. Over the expected 8-year life of the proposed high efficiency LED lights, we expect an estimated savings of $48,620 in energy costs and a reduction of 61 tons of CO2e.

During FY19, approximately 151,000 student members accessed the Fitness Center, with over half of all students visiting the Fitness Center at least once. Our student team for marketing and design has developed an educational display that will be highly visible to these students upon entry into the Fitness Center. This educational display will incorporate the project’s quantitative impact alongside the broader mission of the Carbon Fund and UCSC.