New York YMCA Saves 78% on Electric Bill with Aleddra T8 LED Lights Upgrade

The Bedford-Stuyvesant YMCA was founded in 1888 to cater to a then fast-growing community. It has since steadily expanded into today's 5,388 square meters (65,000 square-foot) facility. Determined to maintain operational sustainability, the Bedford-Stuyvesant YMCA recognized the need to upgrade its lighting in the pool and surrounding areas. Situated in the lower level, the space receives minimal natural daylight and thus requires a significant amount of artificial lighting power. Upgrading to more energy efficient equipment was the logical step to take.

Pool before upgrade

The Bedford-Stuyvesant YMCA pool before the LED upgrade. (LEDinside Photo/ Bedford-Stuyvesant YMCA pool)

The Property Manager, Felix Gonzalez, decided to contact U.S. energy efficiency consultant Bright Energy Services (BES) to help him meet the challenge. Bright Energy Services is no stranger to the YMCA of Greater New York. BES successfully upgraded the lighting in two major sections of the McBurney YMCA facility last year, and is currently in the process of retrofitting six more branches around the city.

BES performed a lighting audit and presented an energy analysis and a financial analysis to Gonzalez. Bonnie Hagen, COO of BES, recommended replacing the existing fluorescent, high-pressure sodium, and incandescent lamps with LED lamps. Hagen explained, "LED lighting has come a long way technologically and significantly reduces energy load, and therefore, energy expenses."Gonzalez reviewed the analysis and determined that, "With better light quality and a longer life cycle than traditional fluorescents, it just makes good financial sense to upgrade to LEDs." Dordy Jourdain, the branch Executive Director, agreed. "This energy savings project is aligned with our mission to improve health and well-being,” Jourdain explained. “Reducing our energy load helps to reduce emissions, creating a better environment globally." He gave the go-ahead for the proposed retrofit, and the project was commenced.

BES selected the best LED products to use for the facility as well as the installation team. R.B. Evans of Aleddra LED Lighting supplied EasiRetrofit LED T8 lamps for the project. "This innovative LED linear light tube only uses 50% of the energy of the existing lamps while meeting the most current UL standards, putting the Aleddra EasiRetrofit LED T8 in a class of its own," Evans explained.Bright Energy Services managed the project from start to finish, coming in on time and on budget.

The 14 high-pressure sodium light fixtures at the facility which were 480 watts each were changed to 1X8 LED light fixtures which are 102 watts each. Three wall mounted 180 watt wall pack fixtures were changed to 50 watt LED wall pack fixtures. The fluorescent T8 77 watt fixtures and the fluorescent T12 96 watt fixtures were changed to LED 68 watt LED fixtures. The yearly savings in the pool and adjacent areas is approximately 50,000 kWh and US$ 10,100, or 78%!

The Bedford-Stuyvesant YMCA pool after the LED upgrade. (LEDinside Photo/ Bedford-Stuyvesant YMCA pool)

There are other financial benefits to moving to LEDs that are hard to quantify. LEDs burn cooler, so the heat load is reduced, also reducing cooling costs. LEDs do not use ballasts, so ballast replacement costs (ballast and labor) now become zero. Life expectancy of LEDs are 5-10 years, so replacement product and labor costs are also reduced.

Because of the significant kWh savings, Bright Energy Services applied to Con Edison and NYSERDA for an energy efficiency financial rebate which is expected to come in at approximately US$ 6,000. With the rebate and energy savings (not to mention the reduced operational expenses), the payback period is just over one year!

Disclaimers of Warranties
1. The website does not warrant the following:
1.1 The services from the website meets your requirement;
1.2 The accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the service;
1.3 The accuracy, reliability of conclusions drawn from using the service;
1.4 The accuracy, completeness, or timeliness, or security of any information that you download from the website
2. The services provided by the website is intended for your reference only. The website shall be not be responsible for investment decisions, damages, or other losses resulting from use of the website or the information contained therein<
Proprietary Rights
You may not reproduce, modify, create derivative works from, display, perform, publish, distribute, disseminate, broadcast or circulate to any third party, any materials contained on the services without the express prior written consent of the website or its legal owner.

Tokushima, Japan - 6 March 2024: Nichia, the world's largest LED manufacturer and inventor of the high-brightness blue and white LED, has started mass production of the new UV-B (308nm) and UV-A (330nm) LEDs in its popular 434 Series packa... READ MORE

New XLamp® S Line LEDs enhance growth, last longer, lower energy costs Horticulture and other forms of agricultural lighting require application-tuned ratios of spectral content, high efficacy and long lifetimes. Whether you are interested... READ MORE