subject: Light Bulbs Retrofit Cuts School's Lighting Bill in Half [print this page] Compact fluorescent light bulbs are lowering energy bills everywhere. One location specifically is the University of Alabama's (U of A) Gymnastics Practice Gym. This facility previously used 400 watt metal halide light bulbs for its illumination. Recently it was retrofit with MaxLite HighMax 200 watt compact fluorescent light bulbs.
These high wattage compact fluorescent light bulbs are greatly benefitting the U of A. Their energy bill for lighting has been cut in half, and the light in their gym is better than ever. The metal fixtures were replaced by acrylic fixtures with improved aesthetics, which is important for a gymnasium used for gymnastics.
Also important in a gymnastics gym is the CRI (Color Rendering Index) of the light bulbs. The sun has a CRI of 100 (it's the base for comparisons). MaxLite's HighMax CFLs have a CRI of 84, which allows colors to show up very well. At only 200 watts, these compact fluorescent light bulbs sip energy compared to the metal halides they replaced. They also look better in the fixtures and provide better light.
It's estimated that universities and colleges all around the US spend upwards of $6 billion every year on energy. The US Department of Energy suggests that 25% of that $6 billion bill could be saved if more energy efficient hardware was utilized. MaxLite's HighMax CFLs are just one piece of a larger puzzle that includes energy efficient heating and cooling, water supply, lighting, and more. If the rest of the US's schools and business replaced old inefficient metal halide and sodium lamps with high wattage compact fluorescents, the energy savings would be astronomical.
Light Bulbs Retrofit Cuts School's Lighting Bill in Half
