Reston Hospital Center, an acute-care and surgical facility in Reston, Virgina USA., selected Cree LED lighting. The Cree LED replaced the outdated metal halide light fixtures in the Center’s parking garage. Cree says its IG Series parking luminaires are already generating positive results. The instant benefits of the installation include the delivery of better quality light for an improved user experience. The hospital expects an 81 percent reduction in energy consumption for the lighting and $60,455 in energy savings annually. Reston Hospital Center also received utility rebates as a result of the switch to LED lighting. With the help of the utility rebates the hospital center projects a 2.5-year payback.

The original system contained more than 300 metal halide fixtures. The fixtures employed 175-watt bulbs that burned 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Heat levels from the bulbs would often melt the globes. Now, 325 LED fixtures, including Cree® IG Series pendant-mount LED luminaires illuminate the indoor and outdoor parking facility. Also, the OSQ Series area luminaires were installed on the roof parking deck and LS4™ surface ambient fixtures with Cree TrueWhite® Technology were placed in the stairwells.

Cree luminaires installed at Reston Hospital Center parking garage

Chip Cooper, Reston Hospital Center project manager and master electrician commented on the LS series fixtures. “It’s a different quality of light; everybody is very pleased with them,” he said. “And, of course, they’re not that old, bulkylooking light that hung on the wall. It’s just a very nice looking light fixture.”

Cree says its IG Series lighting addresses challenges particular to parking garages. The luminaires feature Cree WaveMax™ Technology, which Cree says casts rich illumination that maximizes detail and defeats shadows. The WaveMax technology boasts unmatched low-glare and decreased LED source luminance. Cree claims that IG series provides fast payback with superior energy efficiency.

The OSQ™ LED area luminaires used on the upper level have a modern, clean aesthetic, and Cree says they dramatically reduce maintenance and energy costs. According to Cree, the LS Series brightens the stairwells for enhanced visibility and provides uniform light for improved safety.

Cree luminaires installed at Reston Hospital Center parking garage

“The new lights are among the most impressive I have ever seen,”said Cooper. “We previously had 1000 watt lights on the upper level, and we had dark corners and shadows. Now, it could be two in the morning, and you can see anything in any area up here. The dissipation of the light is excellent. The color is great. And, you can look toward the light and it’s not going to blind you or obscure your vision.”

Cooper particularly likes that the Cree® LED lighting can be programmed from full brightness down to 10 percent. The luminaires are also motion controlled. Many of them turn off entirely during daylight hours unless needed, saving considerably on electricity. When the IG Series senses motion during the day, the lights come up to just 25 percent brightness. At night, they stay at merely 15 percent brightness, then come up to full brightness when needed, Cooper said.

“Prior to making the switch to Cree’s LED lighting, we were experiencing astronomical electricity bills and excessive maintenance costs from lighting in the hospital’s parking garage,”said Cooper “The material and labor costs of replacing five to 10 globes and 30 or more light bulbs a month were significant, so we were looking for an opportunity to address the issue while enhancing the visibility, safety and comfort for our patients, visitors and staff.”