Success Story: Municipalities and Parking Lots

Energy efficiency-using less energy through better technology-is the most cost-effective and fastest way to meet our energy needs. Numerous cities are realizing impressive returns from their investment in high-tech interior and street lighting, energy-efficient building standards and retrofits, and modernizing heating, cooling and other systems.

By replacing outmoded light bulbs in street traffic lights with highly-efficient LED (light emitting diode) bulbs, U.S. cities report over $10.4 million savings every year. This simple solution is working for cities like Denver ($218,000/year savings), Kansas City ($95,000/year), and Salt Lake City ($50,000/year) as well as for smaller cities such as Keane, NH ($3,854/year). Passasic, NJ reduced their annual energy bill by $65,000 by changing the light bulbs as just 40 intersections.

Large facilities such as Pittsburgh's new David Lawrence Convention Center ($500,000 dollars saved annually) are significantly lowering their energy costs through energy efficient designs. Austin, TX is saving $480,000 per year by retrofitting 40 schools with energy efficient measures. The Twin Falls, ID school district upgraded its 11 schools with more efficient lighting improvements to the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems, which is expected to reduce energy costs by $3.5 million.

City	Policy Adopted	Cost Savings ($/Yr)	Payback Time (years)
Arlington, MA	Energy efficient street lights installed.	$96,000	0.5
Arlington, MA	Town library lighting replacement.	$9,000	1
Brookline, MA	LED traffic lights installed	$58,941	2.8
Chula Vista, CA	LED traffic lights installed	$74,000
Denver, CO	LED traffic lights installed	$817,000
Fort Collins, CO	LED traffic lights installed at more than 160 intersections	$110,000 expected	3.4
Freeport, ME	Energy-efficient lighting retrofit in Public Safety garage	$1,620	4
Keene, NH	LED traffic lights installed	$3,854	1-2
Napa, CA	590 LED traffic lights installed	20,797 projected
Napa, CA	Parking lot lighting retrofits	$18,802 projected
New York, NY	LED traffic lights installed at 11,600 intersections	$6,000,000	4.7
Palo Alto, CA	LED traffic lights installed at 89 intersections	$120,000
Palo Alto, CA	Retrofit of lighting systems in 60 city buildings	$117,625	6.6
Passaic, NJ	LED traffic lights installed at 40 intersections	$65,000
Salem, MA	Municipal parking garage lighting retrofit	$21,887
Salt Lake City, UT	LED traffic lights installed	$50,000
San Francisco, CA	LED traffic lights installed	$1,200,000 expected
Somerville, MA	LED traffic lights installed	$62,700
Visalia, CA	Energy efficiency retrofits-LED traffic lights, HVAC systems, city lighting	$143,185