Ann Arbor parking garage boasts new energy-efficient lighting system

Wednesday, December 15, 2010 | Source: Concentrate

The parking garage at Fourth and Washington streets in downtown Ann Arbor has a new lighting system in place. Now, the fun begins - looking at the data.

Andrew Brix, the city's Energy Programs Manager, explains that of the three half-floors that are below grade in the garage, two of those floors have had LED lights installed, and one has florescents. "Both technologies are reducing the amount of energy by 50 percent, just by replacing the lamps," he says.

The fixtures can now be turned on and off instantly, and can be controlled better than the original metal halide fixtures. They're still looking at the data, but Brix believes the control system will generating even more savings, perhaps up to 60 percent of the original amount.

"That is a very exciting project, and it's a very sophisticated control system," he says. "What I'm working on right now is manipulating and analyzing that data."

The florescent tubes can be turned on tube-by-tube, offering varying levels of light. The city can compare which system is the most efficient, to see what will be the best option for the underground garage being built on Fifth Avenue by the library.

Brix encourages people to look at the system and send him feedback at energy@a2gov.org.

Upcoming projects include the installations of outdoor fixtures on the garage at the Wheeler Service Center, and new lights at the Cobblestone Barn, which are in place but not functional yet while some compatibility kinks are being worked out.

Source: Andrew Brix, energy programs manager for the city of Ann Arbor
Writer: Kristin Lukowski