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Delta State continues overhaul of campus lighting

By February 13, 2018General

Delta State University continues to make cost-effective and safety-boosting improvements to campus lighting.

James Rutledge, vice president for finance and administration at Delta State, said the campus lighting project would take place in two phases — first, all exterior lights, followed by phase two to replace interior lights. The former lights are being replaced with the more efficient LED bulbs.

“The new LED lights improve the amount of illumination around our campus tremendously,” said Rutledge. “This not only helps with safety issues, the new lights use less energy to do a better job. This will lower our utility usage by 60 percent and make our campus more inviting to our students and community.”

Through a rebate program with Entergy, 50 percent of the costs will be refunded. Rutledge said the LED lights will save 60 percent in usage, and the program will fund itself through rebates and energy savings within six months.

Currently, all of the lights around the quadrangle and Foundation Hall have been replaced, and the project is ongoing.

Jeff Barkman, director of Facilities Management, said the new lighting will significantly improve vision across campus at night, particularly around housing units..

“The new lights are three times brighter than the lights they are replacing,” said Barkman. “The new lights reflect more downward light, which minimizes light pollution making nighttime visibility much clearer.”

The next lights to be replaced will be behind the Student Union and both interior and exterior lighting at the Roberts-LaForge Library.

In all, there are around 6,000 lights, and without rebates, it is a $90,000 project.

Follow all Delta State news at www.deltastate.edu.