TORRANCE, CA — August 12, 2004 — That the Pacific Ocean infuses Long Beach, California, with an
appreciation for the oceanic is evident in many of the city's prominent
buildings. A mural of California gray whales cloaks the city's arena. The
Aquarium of the Pacific showcases local aquatic life. The Hyatt Regency
integrates a sail that is 15 stories high on the outside of the building.
It's not really a sail. There's no canvas or rigging. It's a sail of
light, specifically 472 white LED light bulbs that form a triangular shape
on the hotel's wall. What now is an elegant display of light was once a
spectacle of burned out incandescent bulbs that marred the hotel's
otherwise glittering image. Frustrated by the plague of burned out lights,
the Hyatt Regency enlisted George Abramson, owner of GAR Energy Management
Group, to find a reliable, energy-efficient light source. For Abramson,
the solution was a no-brainer: LEDs. "Nothing else could do the job
as well. LEDs have extremely long operating lives. They're low wattage and
exceptionally energy efficient," he explains.
Originally, incandescent lamps with clear globes shaped the contour
of the sail. While bright and visible, the incandescents burned out
quickly. Replacing failed lamps was difficult due to their positions high
on the side of the building. Burned out lights were changed only three
times a year when the windows were cleaned since the window-washing
scaffold provided access to the bulbs.
Drawing on his knowledge of lighting technologies and expertise in energy
management, Abramson knew LEDs would fulfill the Hyatt Regency's proviso
to find a long-lasting and energy-efficient lighting solution for the sail
wall. LEDs are renown for their extended source life and conservation of
power. Abramson contacted LEDtronics confident that they would have the
LED lighting solution for which he sought. LEDtronics has more than 20
years experience in designing and manufacturing LEDs and LED light bulbs;
and its extensive installation record testifies to the quality of their
products and the company's integrity. Following discussions with
LEDtronics' representative Greg Krymer, Abramson decided on a seven-LED S6
candelabra-screw based lamp (part number SF467-0CW-120A) based upon its
brightness and direct incandescent replacement design. The LED bulb would
fit into the light fixtures without requiring any modifications, saving
the Hyatt Regency the expense of purchasing new fixtures and the
subsequent cost of installation.
Abramson brought several colors (white, orange, blue, amber, incandescent
white) of LED lamps to demonstrate to the Hyatt Regency what the LED lamps
would like on the sail wall. The lamps were installed into light fixtures
that have four candelabra sockets clustered together so that from a
distance the four lights appear as one. The Hyatt Regency selected the
LEDtronics Cool White (8000K) LED lamp because its intense white light
stood out amongst the abundant ambient light. The lamp emits 742 mcd of
cool-white light at a wide viewing angle (120°) while drawing only 10mA.
What also appealed to the Hyatt Regency was the LED lamp's sealed
construction and shape. While the impervious exterior of the lamp
safeguards the circuitry and LEDs from the elements, its tapered shape
allowed the addition of a water-resistant gasket that snugs against the
light fixture's o-ring to prevent corrosive sea air from harming the
lamp's base and fixture's socket.
The Hyatt Regency was likewise won over by calculations that showed they
would see a return on their investment within 2.2 years due to the energy
and labor dividends that LED lighting pays. LEDs are parsimonious users of
power, consuming 90% less energy than incandescent lights. In the sail
application, the 472 lamps are on for about 12 hours each night (annual
total 4,380 hours). The incandescent lamps drew 7W each at $0.09 kWh,
amounting to an annual power expense of $1302.44. The retrofit LED lamps
draw 0.08W each at $0.09 kWh. The annual electricity cost for the LED
lamps is about $14.88. That adds up to an annual savings of $1287.56 a
year, nearly $3862.68 over the three-year warranty period, and $33,259.95
over the typical 100,000-hours LED life. The annual energy saved is 14,306
kWhs.
Cost savings multiply when parts, maintenance and labor are considered.
Incandescent lights have to be replaced more frequently than LED light
lamps. An average incandescent bulb operates for about 1000 hours compared
with 100,000 hours of an LED. If the sail operates for an estimated 4380
hours a year and incandescent bulbs lasts for an average of 1000 hours,
the incandescent bulbs would, mathematically, have to be replaced 4.3
times a year. However, since lamp maintenance only takes place when the
windows were washed, which is thrice yearly, the lamps were only replaced a
maximum of 3 times a year. Assuming labor for changing the bulbs is $8 an
hour and there are 472 lights on the wall with each having to be replaced
3 times a year, the labor costs alone amount to close to $5,512.96 for one
year.
Besides the 10-year source life, striking brilliance and economic payoff,
LED lighting boasts other advantages over incandescent lighting when used
for outdoor lighting and hard-to-access installations. LEDs are virtually
unbreakable due to their rugged solid-state circuitry and sturdy epoxy
lenses. And, unlike when the filament breaks in a halogen bulb or when the
glass cracks in a neon light, an LED cluster lamp continues to provide
light even if one or more individual emitters fail.
Burned out incandescent lamps, maintenance difficulties and image concerns
compelled the Hyatt Regency to find a better source of illumination for
the sail wall. Stipulations that the new lighting be long lasting and
energy efficient led George Abramson to the conclusion that LED lamps were
the ideal solution due to their 100,000-hour operating lives, 90% energy
efficiencies and striking brightnesses. Since the LEDtronics LED lamps
were installed in April 2003, the hotel has benefited from the drastic
reductions in the power, maintenance and labor costs associated with
operating the sail. Most importantly, since all 472 LED lamps still work,
the Hyatt Regency is enjoying smooth sailing.
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LEDtronics Inc. — located in Torrance, CA — manufactures an array of
LED products ranging from discrete surface mount indicators to direct
incandescent replacement LED lamps and bulbs for applications such as
transportation, panel indication and decorative lighting. LEDs come in
visible (400-700 nanometers), infrared (830-940 nanometers) and
ultraviolet (370-410 nanometers) wavelengths. For additional information,
contact LEDtronics toll free at 1-800-579-4875 or by click
here to email us.
Visit our website at www.LEDtronics.com.
GAR Energy Management Group helps businesses reduce their energy costs
by offering a variety of cost-cutting strategies and energy-efficient
lighting products and technologies. By remaining on the cutting edge of
new technology, GAR Energy offers the best products and services while
always considering the return on investment. Mr. George Abramson owns
GAR Energy Management Group. He has participated in U.S. EPA and SCE
programs, and is a member of the Association of Professional Energy
Managers. For additional information, contact GAR Energy Management at
949-413-0511 or by e-mail at info@gar-energy.com.