NorthShore University HealthSystem in Illinois was named one of the “Top 10 Health Systems” in the U.S., and was looking for a green change. The parking garage, built in the 1980s, was still using 175-watt metal halide lamps. The lighting was inadequate and was expensive to run and maintain, and people had even complained about the lighting. Dickerson Engineering tested four different LED lamps, which were described as “big glare bombs,” before putting the project in Kenall Manufacturing’s hands. Kenall suggested TekDek LED lighting with a SmartSense control system. They replaced 34 lights on the third floor of the garage because it was the most highly traveled area, and the difference between the floors was phenomenal! The light was uniform and spread from the floors to the walls to ceilings, and reduced electricity costs.

One of the downfalls of LED manufacturers is that they mostly concentrate on creating lamps with the highest lumens per watt instead of reducing energy further by equipping their lighting with dimmers or occupancy sensors, the case study explains. The SmartSense control system that came with the TekDek LED lighting system in the parking garage adjusted itself daily based on occupancy and if there was enough daylight to illuminate the area. With the SmartSense control system, the hospital is saving 78.25% on energy, and will see a return on their investment in a little over a year.