Benefits
The result is a resounding success.
Energy consumption was reduced by 83%, and maintenance costs dropped significantly. “We were able to remove 102 light poles and almost entirely eliminate pole maintenance,” attests Gina Fongyee, who manages The Palms at Town & Country for Weingarten. “That looks to be saving us perhaps as much as $3,000 a month.”
Rudasill is a huge fan of the OSQ™ High Output luminaire: “The technology of this platform is extremely advanced. It’s so easy to install, it’s an attractive fixture, and it’s efficient – saving our clients a lot of money.”
Fongyee echoes Rudasill on the ease of installation. She says the vendor, Riverside Electric, worked quickly and efficiently with little disruption to the shopping center’s daily flow. “It seemed like they were in and out in no time – no delays, no issues.”
And there have been no issues with the lighting since. Improved lighting uniformity also makes her job easier.
“From a property-management perspective,” she explains, “if I can see a pothole at night, it’s good light. With the metal halide fixtures we had before, you couldn’t see the details in the parking lot or around the site.”
The LED lighting also ensures heightened security. Fongyee says her clients are “extremely happy with how well-lit the parking lot is now. There used to be dark spots that are now completely illuminated. I’ve gotten comments from some women saying they feel safer.”
The next lighting project Weingarten will probably be looking into for The Palms at Town & Country is an upgrade for its under-canopy lighting. It’ll be no surprise if Cree is once again selected for the job.
“We continue to look at all options, just so we know that what we’re offering our customers is the best available product,” Rudasill says. “But at the end of the day, when we factor everything in, Cree has consistently been our customers’ best solution. We’ve had great success selling Cree products.”