Pittsburgh LED Light Companies Giving Art A Facelift

Urban planners are starting to see things in a different light. Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting is being used more and more in situations where incandescent lighting has been used in public outdoor lighting. Incandescent bulbs, which use high-pressure sodium (HPS), metal halide or mercury vapor in their construction, make up about two-thirds of the street lights in the United States. The older lamps have been found to account for as much as 60% of a municipality's energy budget and, according to a 2011 Carnegie Mellon University study, roughly 40% of total energy consumption.

As gas discharge lamps, these bulbs require heat to generate light, which in turn requires a higher expenditure of energy. Alternatively, LEDs generate light as semiconductors which only need electric current to be passed through them to emit light. These advantages are leading to the use of LEDs in various forms of urban lighting. LEDs for traffic and street lights are being implemented in cities in Nebraska, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. LED solid-state lighting (SSL), combined with new sensor technology, is providing the same benefits for lighting in parking garages. Smaller municipalities are also taking advantage of solar power to give extra savings to LED street lights.

Pittsburgh is one of the cities leading the way in this LED revolution. 10% of Pittsburgh's street lights have been converted to run LEDs. An annual savings of $140,000 has been estimated by Pittsburgh's Department of Public Works, mostly from reduced maintenance expenses. In addition, energy consumption has been reduced by one half.

Other communities have taken notice of the LED lighting in Pittsburgh and upgraded their traffic lights to LED themselves, such as the borough of Edgeworth. The borough has been able to save even more than Pittsburgh, about 60% of previous costs, based on more efficient use and reduced maintenance.

Hoping to save even more, Edgeworth planned to have all of its street lights converted to LED. As LED bulbs tend to cost between $200 to $300, compared to $50 to $100 traditional bulbs, the decision can be an expensive gamble. The city of Pittsburgh, for instance, would spend $21 million to install replacement LED bulbs but only $9 million for the metal-halide type. A city as large as Pittsburgh, however, can budget the amount by banking on the long-term savings LEDs will provide to outweigh upfront costs.

A second hurdle to overcome is criticism of the bulbs' impact on the environment. A University of Pittsburgh study has shown LEDs to have a greater negative impact on the environment in the stages of manufacturing and recycling but not use. The manufacturing phase of LEDs actually presents greater environmental hazards than other types of light bulbs. The raw materials in the circuit boards used also make them difficult to recycle safely. It should be noted, however, that no mercury is used in LED bulbs, unlike more traditional bulbs. This, combined with the benefits in efficiency, versatility and longevity, clearly makes LED light fixtures an attractive alternative to the incandescent bulb.

Urban planners are starting to see things in a different light. Outdoor public street lighting systems are replacing traditional incandescent street lights with new Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting. More than two-thirds of all street lights in the United States are believed to be the customary electric street lights which use the high-pressure sodium (HPS), metal halide or mercury vapor in incandescent bulbs. Incandescent lighting can use up to 60% of a municipality's energy budget and 40% of its energy usage.

Traditional lighting tends to use more energy because they create light from heating and discharges gas in the process. Semiconductors like LEDs, on the other hand, generate light from an electric charge without the need for heat. The lack of gas discharge and heat generation found in LEDs has attracted urban planners looking to reduce costs and waste. LEDs for traffic and street lights are being implemented in cities in Nebraska, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. LEDs are also being used in parking garages, along with new sensor technology. In areas without a robust electrical grid, these LED lights make use of modern solar power technology to offset the drain on a municipality's power usage and their pocketbook.

Early on, Pittsburgh made it clear that the city wanted to help move the LED revolution along. Pittsburgh began by installing LED lamps in areas such as Brighton Heights, the South Side and downtown. Pittsburgh is saving money already as a result of the lower maintenance required, estimated to be an annual savings near $140,000. The city has also been able to cut energy consumption by half.

The borough of Edgeworth was inspired by the LED lighting in Pittsburgh to also begin replacing their older traffic lamps with LED style lamps. The borough was able to save about 60% on energy costs following the move.

The borough next set its sights on converting the street lights to LEDs. The higher price of LED bulbs, $200 to $300, compared to $50 to $100 traditional bulbs, is sometimes seen as a sizeable deterrent in the process. Looking to Pittsburgh as an example of expense, in replacing its 40,000 metal-halide lights, which would cost $9 million if nothing changed, with LEDs, Pittsburgh is estimated to spend $21 million. LEDs pay off in the long-term by being more efficient and lasting longer and can make up for upfront costs in time.

LEDs generally have a good reputation when it comes to environmental concerns, but do face some criticism. Whereas the traditional gas-emitting bulbs create a more negative impact in use, concerns over LED lighting result mostly from manufacturing and recycling. The manufacturing phase of LEDs actually presents greater environmental hazards than other types of light bulbs. They also are more difficult to recycle because of the raw materials used in building circuit boards which are used. However, LEDs use no mercury in their constructions and fewer toxins than in metal-halide bulbs, which contain 15 milligrams of mercury on average. Most urban planners agree the positives outweigh the negatives for LED light fixtures and it is likely we will only see more in the future.

Attending Pittsburgh's Light Up Night celebration had me thinking about the city's lighting system and why it seems to be changing. Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting is starting to replace traditional outdoor public street lighting. This is an enormous task, considering more than two-thirds of all street lights in the U.S.A. use incandescent bulbs which use high-pressure sodium (HPS), metal halide or mercury vapor. These older incandescent lamps are estimated, by one account, to make up as much as 60% of a municipality's energy budget.

The gas discharge lamps create light from being heated, which discharges gas as a byproduct. This is different in LED lights because they act as semiconductors which only require an electric charge to produce light. Looking to cut waste and expense, urban planners are welcoming the use of LEDs in a variety of urban lighting situations. Street and traffic light conversion initiatives are popping up in places like Nebraska, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. LED solid-state lighting (SSL) and innovative sensor technology are also leading to use in parking garages. In communities lacking a robust power grid, LEDs charged by solar power offer further benefits.

Pittsburgh has stepped to the forefront in this emerging new approach to energy. 10% of Pittsburgh's street lights have been converted to run LEDs. Pittsburgh's Department of Public Works has stated that the changes are already saving $140,000 annually simply on maintenance costs, more than had been projected. The city has also been able to cut energy consumption by half.

The LED lighting in Pittsburgh has encouraged nearby communities to make similar changes, such as Edgeworth's recent conversion of their traffic lights. The borough has been able to save even more than Pittsburgh, about 60% of previous costs, based on more efficient use and reduced maintenance.

Edgeworth has since decided to expand the conversion to its street lights, but the process is a more difficult undertaking. As LED bulbs tend to cost between $200 to $300, compared to $50 to $100 traditional bulbs, the decision can be an expensive gamble. Estimates claim, for example, that Pittsburgh would spend $21 million to install the 40,000 LED lights needed compared to $9 million for metal-halide lights. If the money can be raised to pay upfront costs, LEDs do tend to be advantageous in the long-term, thanks to their longer "life spans" and greater efficiency.

Some have raised concerns, despite the good reputation of LEDs, over their environmental impact. A University of Pittsburgh study has shown LEDs to have a greater negative impact on the environment in the stages of manufacturing and recycling but not use. The research showed that LEDs present a greater threat during manufacturing. They also are more difficult to recycle because of the raw materials used in building circuit boards which are used. However, LEDs use no mercury in their constructions and fewer toxins than in metal-halide bulbs, which contain 15 milligrams of mercury on average. Most urban planners agree the positives outweigh the negatives for LED light fixtures and it is likely we will only see more in the future.

Out on a walk at night in the city one may notice something seems a bit different. Outdoor public street lighting systems are replacing traditional incandescent street lights with new Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting. This is an enormous task, considering more than two-thirds of all street lights in the U.S.A. use incandescent bulbs which use high-pressure sodium (HPS), metal halide or mercury vapor. The older lamps have been found to account for as much as 60% of a municipality's energy budget and, according to a 2011 Carnegie Mellon University study, roughly 40% of total energy consumption.

Incandescent lighting produces gas and light as a byproduct of being heated and this requires more energy to achieve. LEDs don't require heat to produce light as they are semiconductors, only needing an electric current. These advantages are leading to the use of LEDs in various forms of urban lighting. LEDs for traffic and street lights are being implemented in cities in Nebraska, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. LED solid-state lighting (SSL) and innovative sensor technology are also leading to use in parking garages. LEDs attached to solar power technology add extra savings benefits and are perfectly suited for small communities.

The city of Pittsburgh is taking a role in establishing the LED revolution. 10% of Pittsburgh's street lights have been converted to run LEDs. Better than projected savings are already evident, with $140,000 saved annually simply on maintenance expenses. The city has also been able to reduce energy consumption by half.

The borough of Edgeworth was inspired by the LED lighting in Pittsburgh to also begin replacing their older traffic lamps with LED style lamps. The borough is estimated to have saved 60% on energy costs, surpassing the city of Pittsburgh.

Hoping to save even more, Edgeworth planned to have all of its street lights converted to LED. The higher price of LED bulbs, $200 to $300, compared to $50 to $100 traditional bulbs, is sometimes seen as a sizeable deterrent in the process. Pittsburgh is willing to invest in LED, which could cost as much as $21 million, but for a smaller municipality like Edgeworth, the decision might not be so easily made. The advantage is, of course, in the reduced costs that come after installation (less maintenance, more efficiency, longer life span) but this takes time to pay off.

A second hurdle to overcome is criticism of the bulbs' impact on the environment. A University of Pittsburgh study has shown LEDs to have a greater negative impact on the environment in the stages of manufacturing and recycling but not use. LEDs actually pose more of a threat than other types of lighting during manufacturing. Also, the circuit boards used in LED lighting systems make recycling difficult because of the materials used. Less toxins are found in LED bulbs than in metal-halide bulbs, however, and no mercury is used. When one adds in the energy efficiency, higher light output and the long "life span" of LED light fixtures, the benefits usually outweigh the negatives.