When new Occupational Safety Health Act (OSHA) regulations were announced in 2008, New London-Spicer Schools Superintendent, Paul Carlson, knew it was time to change the lights. The gymnasium lights had always been turned on and off at the breaker box, but the new rules were going to make this process more costly and time consuming.
As a safety precaution, flash arc protection training is now required for anyone flipping a breaker switch. This meant the district would have had to purchase several costly safety suits to fulfill new regulations. “We can’t put somebody in a jumpsuit every time we want to turn the lights on and off,” said Carslon.
The new rules also meant that the lights could only be turned on and off by maintenance staff. If a coach or physical education instructor wanted to turn on the lights they would have to track down someone who had flash arc protection training. Because of this limitation, there were times when lights were being left on from 6:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. Fortunately for the district, there was a better option: upgrade the lighting system.
The New London-Spicer district was no stranger to energy efficiency projects. In 2005, it installed motion sensors in all of the district classrooms and offices to control lighting. “That really made a difference for us,” said Carlson, “no more lights being left on.” They had also recently done some work with an Energy Service Company (ESCo)—an experience that taught them to be on the lookout for ways to keep improving the energy efficiency of the district’s buildings.
With that successful track record, Carlson was ready to take action when he heard about the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants (EECBG) through the Minnesota Department of Commerce (DOC). The district applied for funding to replace 115 old metal halide lighting fixtures with fluorescents, install motion sensors in the gymnasium, and add regular light switches alongside the breaker box.
The district is now using less energy to light the gymnasium and the bulbs need to be replaced less frequently. “When we replace a bulb, it’s a project,” said maintenance supervisor Darren Rutledge, “Not factoring staff time, we’ve calculated the energy savings and use of fewer bulbs will pay for the project in about three years.”
The district used a local contractor, Spicer Electric, for the project. “We like to use local contractors when possible,” said Carlson, “and this contractor has students in our district and was very good to work with.” Other benefits Rutledge noted were that the lights now come on instantly, unlike the old lights which took 5-8 minutes to warm up, and that the cost of bulb disposal with the new lights is also less expensive.
The 2008 safety standards from OSHA made a seemingly simple task (turning lights on and off) quite complex, but they also opened up the door to create a new opportunity. Ultimately, the project allowed the district to take what was a potential safety issue and turn it into an energy and labor saver.
Other Local Government Energy Action Lighting Stories:
- Local Government Lighting Retrofits: Inspiring Over 25,000 Efficient Bulb Upgrades in MN
- Slick Retrofits Light Up the Riverside Ice Arena in Austin, MN
- Building consolidation and upgrades save energy and money in the City of Spicer
- Cottage Grove sheds some light on its recent sustainability initiatives
- What’s happenin’ in Hennepin? Hennepin County’s HVAC and lighting efficiency projects
About the Local Government Energy Action Series:
This year-long effort tells the stories of nearly 50 Minnesota municipalities, counties, and schools and the tangible results of their energy-saving efforts to inspire others to take their own actions.
Local Government Energy Action is brought to you by the Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resources.
