LED Luminaire – Lighting That’s Always on Duty
Considerations for Integrated LED Lighting Systems at Military Bases
Lights for a military base and extended areas are always on duty, just like our armed forces. An energy-efficient lighting system can help minimize the energy footprint and decrease gas emissions for military bases that have aged HID and fluorescent lighting. These spaces and facilities can benefit greatly from LED lighting system retrofits or upgrades due to the reliable, long-term performance of LEDs.
A Military-Motivated LED Lighting System
The installation on base needs to be ‘militarily motivated,’ meaning special, because integrating LED systems in military bases and the surrounding areas requires key considerations and understanding. For example, military bases must implement very high security measures to ensure the safety and security of all personnel. Below are a few benefits of an upgraded system:
- Near real-time lighting system outage mitigation: High-quality, reliable lighting as well as real-time reporting and diagnostics can allow energy and security personal understand when and where a luminaire is down, helping military personnel re-establish the security perimeter in near real time.
- Reduced energy consumption: New LED fixtures typically reduce energy consumption 40 to 65 percent over traditional counterparts.
- Lower maintenance costs for the lighting system: LEDs have a long life, often yielding over ten years of performance.
Considerations for Vendors and Providers
A vendor should not only be able to offer a large quantity of highly reliable and quality products, but also a wide portfolio of LED luminaires for use across a military base (roadways, intersections, security checkpoints, substations, barracks, offices, etc.). This will ensure that the entire military base, sprawling thousands of acres and including a range of applications, can be adequately outfitted.
Vendors should also understand the use cases of lights in each of the base’s applications including those requiring specific task illumination for security check points, military installations near wildlife refuges and residential housing where sky glow and light pollution must be avoided. This requires a stakeholder analysis that covers onsite military personnel who live and work on base and those (military and civilians) who arrive in the morning and leave at night.
For the U.S. Army’s Fort Benning base, a HID lighting conversion was completed. This large base, which spreads across 182,000-acres in Columbus, GA, supports a wide range of military and civilian employees and families daily. This project resulted in a smarter approach to lighting that upgraded the facility while meeting the needs for energy efficiency and reliability.
“Military bases are ready to make lighting and controls improvements within their facility after seeing and realizing the benefits and advantages of doing so. We have the expertise to provide the right mixture of luminaires for high security facilities like bases, command centers and other military facilities,” said Monik Mehra, Director of International Specifications of Lighting and Controls.
In a recent issue of The Military Engineer, we discuss in-depth the Fort Benning base project in-and how Acuity Brands lighting and controls solutions are addressing these challenges while conserving energy and reducing maintenance costs for military bases.
