Orion Energy Systems, Inc. of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, reported that one of the United States largest veterans medical facilities approved a $1.58 million contract upgrade the lighting using Orion’s LED lighting, sensors, and controls. The announcement marks the company’s second recent project with a VA hospital, following an installation in Virginia in 2015. The LED retrofit will use nearly 12,000 Orion LED fixtures and sensors to replace the hospital’s inefficient lighting. The Orion products to be used in the project include the company’s LED Troffer Retrofit (LDR) fixtures, which are produced in the United States. Orion notes that the energy savings resulting from LED retrofit will increase the hospital’s ability to fund additional services for American veterans who have served our country.

This VA hospital is one of the nation’s largest integrated medical facilities in the Veterans Health Administration. The hospital treats nearly 90,000 veterans annually. The hospital selected the Orion LDR fixture for its clean and hygienic installation, along with its performance and availability of options.

Financing for the project will come from a utility energy services contract. The hospital will not need to provide an of its operating funds to install the Orion technology. Installation of the LED lighting and controls is to begin in March and continue through the spring. The project also helps meet several VA policies and federal mandates for sustainability to reduce energy consumption, protect natural resources, and promote healthy work environments.

In the last fifteen years, Orion and its channel partner have completed over fifty projects with federal and state agencies. The projects include a recent award from a major federal research agency, and installations for additional US Department of Veterans Affairs and US Department of Agriculture buildings, as well as Department of Defense facilities such as Kennedy Space Center, Keesler Air Force Base, Tyndall Air Force Base, United States Marine Corp Blount Island, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Naval Station Mayport, Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, and many others.

Since its 2014 introduction, Orion says its LDR suite has created a new standard in terms of the ease of installation in troffer retrofits from fluorescent to LED. The company claims that its LDR system reduces cost on the job site because it ships fully assembled and is adjustable to fit existing troffers. Orion says that its LDR system typically installs in one to two minutes and requires no tools other than a ladder, compared to more than 10-minutes needed to install many competitors.

“It is an honor to be selected for this project with our channel partner on multiple fronts – from supporting their care with an American-made product to funding the project costs through the energy savings of the Orion fixtures,” said John Scribante, CEO of Orion Energy Systems. “This unique partnership will transform the treatment rooms and offices while allowing the hospital to reinvest those dollars back into their core mission of serving the men and women who are America’s veterans.”