Outdoor Parking Lot Energy Efficient Lighting Solutions

Energy Efficient Fixtures

• Retrofit or install energy efficient lighting fixtures. Parking lot fixtures are on the market that are specifically designed to consume 50 percent less energy, while increasing light output. Energy efficient fixtures can be mounted on current light poles. Manufacturers such as Orion Energy and General Electric offer a line of energy efficient lighting fixtures.

Ballast

• Replace outdated electromagnetic ballasts with electronic ones. The ballast is a device mounted inside a lighting fixture which develops the proper voltage needed to start the flow of electricity. Electronic ballasts use less energy and improve the quality of the lighting. The energy savings from electronic ballasts often outweighs the cost of the new ballasts.

Lamps

• Replace current lamps with energy efficient lamps; such as high intensity discharge lamps (HID) or low pressure sodium (LPS) lamps. HID lamps are an energy efficient lamp, converting electrical energy to visible light. LPS lamps are the most commonly used energy efficient lamp for parking lot lighting. LPS lamps produce an amber glow, which may make it difficult to distinguish the colors of the cars.

Height of Fixtures

• Select the height of the fixture based on the area that needs to be lit. You may also install smaller more efficient fixtures near paths and walkways to supplement your lighting.