Opportunity
Iowa-based Diamond Jo Casino hit the jackpot when it recently installed Cree’s energy-efficient LRP-38™ LED lamp. The casino, located on the popular Port of Dubuque, was built in 2007 specifically to achieve “carbon neutral” certification under the Clean Air Conservancy's NetZero program. In its partnership with the Clean Air Conservancy, Diamond Jo initiated the “Go Green Challenge” for Dubuque residents and businesses, as well as the Diamond Conservation Fund, including an annual commitment from the casino to help fund conservation efforts within its community.
Solution
Diamond Jo Casino replaced 750 of its existing incandescent downlights with Cree LRP-38 LED lamps. The casino upgraded its existing lighting to Cree’s LRP-38™ LED lamp throughout the 188,000-square-foot entertainment facility, including the gaming floor, hallways, reception and meeting rooms.
Benefits
Since the casino lights remain on at all times, installing LRP-38 lamps, which are designed to last 35,000 to 50,000 hours (depending on application), can result in significant energy and maintenance savings. By eliminating the need for regular bulb replacements and associated labor costs, Diamond Jo anticipates reducing maintenance costs by nearly $23,000 a year while providing high-quality lighting throughout its facility. According to Chad Darter, Director of Facilities at Diamond Jo Casino, the long lifetime and high color quality of the LED lighting is a great match for the 24/7 operation of the casino.
“We looked at almost 30 other LED lamp options and knew right away when we saw the LRP-38 that it offered the exact color we wanted and had the right amount of lumens for our gaming floor and customers. In addition, switching over to Cree LED lighting has freed up two man hours per day, seven days a week because the maintenance crew is no longer replacing lamps. That’s an estimated 60 hours per month in labor savings,” Darter said.
According to electrical distributor Crescent Electric Supply Company, switching to Cree’s LRP-38 lamps, which consume only 11 watts of power compared to 100 watts from the original PAR-38 incandescent lamps, can save Diamond Jo Casino more than $46,000 in electrical costs annually. These savings, combined with anticipated maintenance savings, result in a payback calculation of nearly one year for the installation with an ongoing annual savings of almost $70,000.
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