NEWS: GSU Coverts to LEDs

By Cabri Gordon, Michaela O'Larry, Blakeley Bartee, and Jorden Allen

Statesboro- Georgia Southern University is gradually converting its lighting to LED products to reduce energy costs.

Stephen Frawley, mechanical maintenance superintendent, said the process started in 2014, and most of the exterior lighting has already been converted.

The university has been taking into consideration how they can lead campus to be more sustainable with food waste, recycling and energy efficiency.

Founded in 2008, the Center for Sustainability (CFS) at GS has been promoting energy efficiency by implementing various events on campus like Greenfest, No Impact Week and the Sustainability Seminar Series.

Why Georgia Southern Uses LEDs

Lissa Leege, director of the CFS, said the CFS has funded several projects that have switched the kind of lighting used throughout campus to the cheapest, most energy efficient option which are LEDs. 

“Any time we’re using that electrical energy its releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, adding to the greenhouse effect and climate change,” Leege said. “If we can use one-tenth the energy by using LED bulbs, then we are going to emit one-tenth the CO2 that we would have been emitting with the incandescent bulbs.

The CFS has been able to implement lighting changes to the pedestrian and on various parking lots throughout campus. In partnership with Facilities Services, exterior lighting has been completely replaced. 

The next goal is converting the interior lights which has previously been using T8 fluorescent lamp lights, said Frawley.  

Cost of Lighting at Georgia Southern

In 2018, GS spent $401,701.02 buying lighting supplies, according to information from a FOIA request.

Frawley said Facilities Services automatically replaces old bulbs with LED products when they receive a replacement request. 

“If we could just wipe the older fixtures and replace them with LED lights, we would,” Frawley said. “We are operating on a budget though, so as we see fit, and as we get the funding and the sustainability grants, we are trying to get the most LED fixtures that our finances allow.”

Sustainability fee grants are awarded annually to proposed sustainability projects. In fiscal year 2020, a $24,832 grant will fund a pedestrian walkway LED lighting upgrade, according to the GS website.

Frawley said because the cost of LED lighting has gone down over time, it is often cheaper to replace entire lighting fixtures than attempt to retro-fit lighting kits to old fixtures.

Will the Trump Administrations’ rollbacks affect Georgia Southern?

In early September, the Trump administration announced that they would reverse Obama-era standards for energy-efficient lightbulbs.

The standards, which were intended to gradually phase out incandescent and halogen bulbs in favor of LED versions, were set to go into effect in 2020, according to NPR.

"The bulb that we're being forced to use — No. 1, to me, most importantly, the light's no good. I always look orange," President Donald Trump said during a speech at a House Republican retreat dinner, according to NBC News.

Frawley states, “We also think about our returnal investment though, and just because something costs a little more upfront, in one to two years, it can already pay for itself, since there is less energy output.”

The cost of the bulbs does play a big part in the decision, but when the Facility Services makes the order they try to also think about what the energy usage will be and how it will affect the campus.

“I personally only use LED lighting throughout my apartment,” said Naya Wilson, GS IT major. “I was raised by parents who taught the importance of saving the environment, and I think it's great to know GS has been taking the necessary steps to do this.”

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