Smart lighting pilot project glows at U-M's Hill Street parking structure

Lighting on demand is a spot-on description for the new lighting system that's just been rolled out in the Hill Street parking structure near the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business. As part of a scheduled lighting and electrical upgrade, the university spent $550,000 to install 231 new LimeLight 102-watt florescent lamp fixtures, LED identification signage, a generator, stair tower lighting, and to replace all rooftop lighting and emergency phones, says Diane DeLaTorre, associate director for parking operations and maintenance at U-M.

"We're upgrading our lighting to have less environmental impact and optimum sustainability," DeLaTorre says.

The energy-efficient LimeLight smart lighting system, supplied by Holland, Mich.-based twist HDM for $100,000, is a pilot project. If sufficient utility and cost savings at the 473-space structure are achieved, the new lighting technology will be installed in several other campus locations.

Each fixture has three lamps, of which zero to all three can be in use at any given time. The wireless fixtures are controlled by software that allows individual lights to be turned on and off with program settings, photocells that detect ambient light, and motion sensors for safety and security.

"We program our fixtures to accomplish three things: harvest daylight, reduce light pollution, and save energy," she says.

Although the lights have only been in operation a short time, "right now in our test mode we are seeing about a 50-percent savings [in energy costs]," DeLaTorre notes. As the days get longer and the lights are adjusted more at night, those savings can reasonably be expected to continue.

Source: Diane DeLaTorre, associate director for parking operations and maintenance at U-M
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar