In the summer of 2002, Western Michigan University embarked on a large energy upgrade project in the Student Recreation Center on the main campus. The main target of the project was energy reduction for the lighting in the large court areas. The racquetball courts, basketball courts, tennis courts, multipurpose courts, swimming pool and weight room were targeted. Improving the quality of the light in the facility was also a desired result. The rec center is a multifunctional facility. Human Performance and Health Education classes are taught in this building. The second function of the facility is to provide a brightly lit, inviting atmosphere for students to participate in recreational activities. It is intended that by providing a bright environment in this facility, students will add to their academic experience and continue to pursue their overall education. The purpose of this facility played a large part in the design of the project. Light fixtures could not be simply turned off when the spaces were empty. The spaces must remain illuminated in such a way that students feel invited to enter into the space and have an enjoyable experience. The negotiated design resulted in a step-dimming process for the fixtures. The scope of work for this project was:
- Replace existing metal halide high intensity discharge fixtures with compact fluorescent lamp fixtures.
- Install occupancy sensors and lighting controls for step-dimming in spaces when unoccupied.
The first year, reduction in consumption from the original project in the Student Recreation Center was slightly in excess of 1.2 mega-watt hours. The associated dollar value was approximately $78,000 in savings. As the project reached completion, an additional 280 kilo-watt hours was achieved. The average cost avoidance over the last three years has been $97,000 per year. WMU is looking forward to more upgrades in lighting of this sort. The Engineering Division is currently working on projects that have a payback of five years or less. As electrical costs continue to rise, the HID-to-CFL projects will have the desired payback and will be implemented.