Alternative Lighting

Lighting our outdoor spaces promotes safety and provides illumination after dark. Lighting
also enhances the feeling or mood of our living spaces.

Thoughtful living requires that we use the most energy efficient means of providing this light.

Lights on display at The Green Zone that reflect efficiencies in using light

Solar Power Garden Light
The solar light, powered by a solar panel, stores energy during the day. The light comes on as soon as dusk falls and lasts up to 8 hours at night. Since there is no wiring, installation is quick.

Location: Future site in the Non-Turf Grass Area. The lighting exhibit is planned to grow as new technologies are developed.

Fiber Optics
Fiber optic lighting systems have unique features. Light is literally piped down long acrylic plastic fiber optic cables and used to accent light specific objects or areas.

The safety aspect of no heat or electricity in the lit cable provides design and installation opportunities not available in traditional lighting. In many cases, very small fixtures can be installed in areas not accessible to standard lighting fixtures. Fiber Optics can be installed indoors, outdoors, underwater or in concrete. Decorative fixtures and the ability to change colors also add a creative flair. Fiber optic cables are a safer alternative to neon. They are virtually unbreakable. Since only one lamp is used for multiple points of light, fiber optic lighting is also highly energy efficient.

Location: SCCD sign

Light Emitting Diode (LED)
LED lighting is 10 times as efficient at producing light as an incandescent bulb. LED lifetime is about 100,000 hours (27 years assuming the LED is on continuously for 10 hours per day.) At the heart of an LED lamp is a silicon “chip” about the size of a grain of salt and made of a special blend of crystals.

A small electrical current passing through the chip generates the light.

High Output Lighting
High output lighting also provides an excellent opportunity for energy savings, as a result of the high energy use per fixture.

• High output lighting applications include parking lots, warehouses, and gas station canopies.

The options for high output lighting generally include halogen incandescents and lamps from the HID (high intensity discharge) family; including metal halide, mercury vapor, and high pressure sodium.

Location: Future site in The Green Zone

• Type of Lamp Energy Use Lamp Life
• Incandescent 60 Watts 1,000 hrs.
• Compact Fluorescent 16 Watts 10,000 hrs.

Incandescent Bulb: Most inefficient type of lighting - Better choice: Compact Florescent Lamps (CFL)

The incandescent bulb wastes most of the energy it uses in the form of heat, increasing the demand for air conditioning. In addition, the lifetime of the incandescent bulb is very short as compared to the compact fluorescent lamp.

An equivalent compact fluorescent lamp lasts an average of ten times longer, using 75% less energy. The incandescent bulb is the most inefficient form of electric lighting available today.

Location: The Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL) are on display beside the sidewalk in front of SCCD building and will also be displayed at other locations on Green Zone pathways in the future.

Lighting displays are sponsored by Avista