Wisconsin Statewide LED Retrofit Implementation Plan
2020 Engineering Excellence State Finalist
Entering Firm: KL Engineering Inc.
Client: Wisconsin Department of Transportation
Many people know the value of replacing their old lightbulbs with new LED bulbs. LEDs use substantially less energy and last longer. Governments know this too but planning to replace thousands of lightbulbs that impact public safety is a much bigger undertaking that requires extensive preparation.
KL Engineering worked with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to address a significant portion of the department’s over 20,000 light fixtures. Lighting is important for driver safety. Any new fixtures must be evaluated first. The design team looked at the existing specifications for lighting and updated them. This resulted in a modern plan and allowed the department to receive more quality bids, driving the overall cost down.
The new standards also addressed implementation and allowed the department to take advantage of federal rebates to save even more money. The plan showed how lighting could be installed across a wide variety of roads, overpasses, tunnels and other department structures.
The total savings are astounding – energy consumption was reduced by 52 percent. The new fixtures require less maintenance which increases the savings to over $1.2 million annually. Smart planning and sound implementation by the design team led to massive upfront and continued savings.
