What’s Happening at
America’s
Community Colleges
3 Million Students benefited from
AACC advocacy to preserve the
Pell Grant maximum—$11 billion
dollars in critical student aid.
$1.4 Million in Grants and
Contracts was distributed
through AACC to member
colleges to expand student
access and success, ramp up
workforce programs, and increase
entrepreneurial opportunity.
More Than 1,000 Members
participated in 10 regional
“listening tours” to help AACC
understand member challenges
and identify solutions.
National Leadership
Opportunities supported today’s
leaders and prepared the leaders of
tomorrow.
Read more at www.aacc.nche.
edu/membership
It’s time to renew your
membership investment in
the American Association of
Community Colleges. The
national spotlight is squarely
on our colleges as economic
engines, open doors to access, and
channels for social and workplace
equity. In 2012, AACC will
continue to work on your behalf
in each of these important areas.
If you have any questions about
your membership renewal, please
call 202-728-0200 ext. 236.
Shedding New Light On Energy Savings When Triton College in River Grove, Ill., decided recently to replace lighting fixtures in campus parking lots and within some academic buildings, swapping traditional high-pressure sodium bulbs for energy-efficient LED lights, Associ- ate Vice President for Facilities John Lambrecht more than justified the college’s investment. With LED lighting becoming increasingly affordable and the college’s outdated lighting system taxing maintenance and operating costs, Lambrecht set in motion a campuswide upgrade that would generate nearly 60 percent—some $31,000— in annual lighting-related energy savings. “I had been watching LED lighting technology for a few years,” he explains. “When it first came out, the cost could not be justified. One thing I had going for me, that eventually justified the cost, was that our existing lighting system had reached its useful life.” By switching to more energy-efficient LED lighting, the college was able to re- place 80 large parking lot and building-mounted fixtures, plus add an additional 25 new fixtures without creating further stress on the college’s existing power grid. In addition to saving money, Lambrecht says students and faculty saw the upgrades as a testament to Triton’s evolving environmental conscience. “Anything we can do to be a greener campus, as well as save costs, is something that is well received,” he says. Administrators say the new lights have improved the quality of life on campus, creating brighter, more secure, and friendly environments, especially at night when students have expressed concerns about walking to their cars or about parking in dark or unlit areas. Lambrecht reached out to local engineering partner Wight and Company to manage the lighting upgrade. Electrical engineer and design partner Tony Sul- lentrup says the new LEDs are brighter and more evenly distribute light compared with traditional overhanging floodlight-type fixtures. “It creates a crisp, welcoming, more modern look,” says Lambrecht of the new lighting arrangement. It also has reportedly saved the college significant amounts of time and money in maintenance and replacement costs. Where traditional high-pressure sodium bulb fixtures typically require new lights and ballasts every 30,000 hours, Sul- lentrup says energy-efficient LEDs carry a rating of 50,000 to 100,000 hours. What’s more, they rarely go all the way out and turn on and off instantly, with no warm-up time required. The extended life of the bulbs makes Lambrecht’s job easier. He’s no longer constantly calling lighting contractors to come out in bucket trucks and replace bulbs. “Before, if we had one light go out, it had an immediate impact on that area. So we were forced to call in electricians with bucket rucks when we lost one lamp. Some- times, twice a week, we’d have
to have someone come out
to remedy the situation
because we couldn’t have
student safety issues.” e
k
student safety issues.”
TARCZAS/VEER
