A customer contacted Access Fixtures wanting to know the best way to light a school’s gymnasium. The facility is currently underlit with only a few 400w metal halide luminaires. The goal is to illuminate the room properly so they can hold basketball games as well as use it as an activity center.
The school gym in Costa Rica
Access Fixtures recommended 60w small rectangle LED high bays for the gym. Why? The facility is located in a somewhat rural area of Costa Rica, a country known for environmental protection and ecotourism. In many areas, green is a way of life, but there are also reasons beyond this that would lead them to choose energy-efficient LED lighting.
- Energy costs in Costa Rica are quite expensive, with the cost at approximately $0.30 kw/hr, as compared to $0.15-$0.18 in the Northeast U.S. Being located in a school, the lights will be on quite frequently. The more hours they are on, the faster they can achieve a return on investment (ROI).
- The LEDs will also minimize heat emitting from the luminaires; in a tropical area, having additional heat is not desirable.
- Rated LM70 at 100,000 hours, the longevity of the LED high bays will drastically reduce maintenance. Once they’re installed, they’ll likely never have to replace the lamps and ballasts during the life of the fixtures. In approximately 40-50 years, they’ll still be operating at an adequate light level.
- The wiring requirements are far less since the amps required are reduced.
- If the customer is interested, the LED high bays can be made dimmable for a special event, such as a prom or academic testing, where one would typically want the room to be lit at an entirely different level compared to a basketball game.
To find the best solution for your lighting project, contact an Access Fixtures lighting specialist.