Evolucia Parking Luminairies Save Energy at Appalachian State and De Paul University

One university is located in booming, busy downtown Chicago, while the other is nestled in North Carolina's peaceful Blue Ridge Mountains. From all appearances, these two schools could not be more different. However, besides offering excellent educational opportunities for their students, both Appalachian State and De Paul University have embarked on a number of sustainability initiatives. And, Evolucia, Inc. (OTCBB & OTCQB: ILED) LED (light emitting diode) parking and garage lighting have been playing a part in reducing energy consumption at both institutions of higher learning.

Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Appalachian State University offers a challenging academic environment, energetic campus life and breathtaking location. Appalachian enrolls about 17,000 students and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate programs. Small classes and close interactions between faculty and students create a strong sense of community. Appalachian State in Boone, N.C. is one of 16 universities in the University of North Carolina.

Appalachian State replaced 250 watt HID fixtures in their Freshman Parking Lot with 100 watt Evolucia LED cobra head light fixtures with the goal of reducing energy consumption and making the parking lot brighter and safer.

"Before the installation of the Evolucia LED lights, Appalachian State was using an average of 85,000 KWh's per year to light the lot. Since the July 2011 installation, ASU has seen a 66.5% reduction of energy usage. In the past year, July 2011-July 2012, the Freshman parking lot only consumed 28,410 KWh—that's an incredible savings ," said Jerry Marshall, Physical Plant Operations at Appalachian State. "Another key benefit is Evolucia's proprietary and patented Aimed Optics™ platform, which targets light to exactly where it is needed—no light pollution, no light spillage and is completely Dark Sky compliant."

In addition to the parking lot retrofit, Appalachian State has initiated a university-wide recycling program and has recently received LEED Gold certification for the retrofit of the 203-bed Frank Residence Hall.

Up in the "Windy City", DePaul is the largest Catholic university in the United States and the largest private, non-profit university in the Midwest, with over 25,000 students and 275 programs of study, the university is one of Chicago's most prestigious academic institutions.

De Paul replaced 210-watt metal halide lights in the Sheffield parking garage on its Lincoln Park campus with 90-watt Evolucia® LED (light emitting diodes) fixtures. The new lighting fixtures use less than half the energy of the previous lights, and will save the University thousands of dollars per year in energy and maintenance costs while providing more uniform light on the ground, increased visibility and campus safety.

In addition to using 60% less energy, the lights are designed to be maintenance-free, requiring no bulb replacements for approximately six years. LED lights are extremely durable and robust in challenging environments, such as high-traffic outdoor areas. The vast reduction in maintenance shortens the payback period, allowing DePaul to realize a quicker return on their investment in the energy-efficient lighting.

"Parking garages are an ideal applications for energy-saving LED lighting, given that parking garage lights are on 24 hours per day, seven days per week," said Mel Interiano, CEO, Evolucia, Inc. "In addition to consuming less than half the energy, LED lights are more durable than traditional metal halide lights, making them ideal to stand up to the constant vibration of traffic. By choosing Evolucia LED lighting fixtures, DePaul and Appalachian State will enjoy savings in both energy usage and maintenance while increasing the visibility and light quality in their campus garage and parking lot."

Ernie Nathan of Illinois Solar Products facilitated the sale of the Evolucia lights to DePaul. Illinois Solar Products is a distributor for several manufacturers of lighting products to a variety of customers. The company conducts a thorough study of the customer's energy usage and then designs short and long-term strategies for energy savings, providing a detailed "return on investment" spreadsheet. They also complete all paperwork for applicable rebates and credits.

"After seeing the outstanding performance the Evolucia LED parking garage lights achieved at such a low input wattage, I knew they were the ideal solution for our customer, DePaul University," said Nathan. "It is our goal to provide the best possible energy-saving products at the most competitive prices – and that is exactly what Evolucia allowed us to do for DePaul."

DePaul's Office of Mission and Values has made a concerted effort to include energy efficiency as a core value. The Sheffield Parking Garage lighting retrofit is part of a broader commitment to using alternative energy sources, high efficiency rated equipment and a focus on sustainable lighting and HVAC solutions.

Even though, Appalachian State and DePaul have very different locations and histories, both universities have committed to building a more sustainable environment and both have seen positive results in energy savings and improved light levels through the installation of Evolucia LED fixtures on their campuses.