TOBYHANNA ARMY DEPOT, Pa. -- New lights promise to save more than $400,000 in energy and maintenance costs over the next 15 years.
Installation Planning and Maintenance Division contractors are installing LED (light emitting diode) lighting fixtures throughout the depot as part of a five-year program to increase energy efficiency while reducing maintenance costs.
The depot lighting upgrade presently under contract will replace all exterior lighting with new energy efficient LED lighting that has a 10-year, 100 percent factory warranty, said Electrical Engineer Joseph Merli, Installations Services Directorate.
The new lights are projected to save more than $337,000 per 40,000 square foot bay in energy, maintenance and re-lamping costs over a 15 year period. Energy savings alone will exceed $94,000.
To date, lighting fixtures have been replaced in all parking lots, the truck gate at the intersection of Squier Street and Hap Arnold Boulevard, the main electrical substation and the Mack Fitness Center, as well as in several warehouse bays.
LEDs are semiconductor devices that produce high lighting output with minimal energy consumption compared to other types of exterior lighting fixtures. Merli noted the initial investment is higher than other types of lighting, but will save money for the Tobyhanna Army Depot in the long run. Payback is usually between five to 10 years depending on use within the area.
"The Building 1A modernization project now underway includes LED technology in the building lighting design," said George Rittenhouse, an engineering technician in the Installations Services Directorate. "The LEDs are typically guaranteed for 225,000 hours of maintenance-free service. Before we had to re-lamp lighting fixtures every three years, on average, in order to maintain design-specified lighting levels."
"The conversion to LED lighting has numerous benefits for the depot," said Russel Dunkelberger, chief of the Environmental Safety and Occupational Health Branch. "Not only are they longer lasting, more durable and energy efficient than incandescent and fluorescent lighting, they are also free of toxic chemicals, require less maintenance, and are extremely adaptable."
Tobyhanna Army Depot is a recognized leader in providing world-class logistics support for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) Systems across the Department of Defense. Tobyhanna's Corporate Philosophy, dedicated work force and electronics expertise ensure the depot is the Joint C4ISR provider of choice for all branches of the Armed Forces and industry partners.
About 3,100 personnel are employed at Tobyhanna, which is located in the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania. Tobyhanna Army Depot is part of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command. Headquartered at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., the command's mission is to research, develop, acquire, field and sustain communications, command, control computer, intelligence, electronic warfare and sensors capabilities for the Armed Forces.
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