Case Study: Scandia Fire Department Lighting Improvements

Project Background

Mike Hinz, chief of Scandia Fire & Rescue in Scandia, Minnesota, struggled with frequent fluorescent bulb and ballast burnouts at his station. Twenty-six-foot ceilings made maintenance difficult, and lighting quality was poor overall. Mike had previously worked with the One-Stop Efficiency Shop on a lighting upgrade project while president of a plastic manufacturing company, so he knew who to call to solve this problem.

Facility Assessment

Mike needed lights that would be longer lasting, easier to maintain, and brighter, but he didn’t know what type of equipment would be right for the station. He reached out to the One-Stop lighting consultant who helped him navigate his past lighting project. After performing a free lighting assessment, his lighting consultant created a customized report with recommendations, estimated payback periods, energy savings, and rebates to help Mike make the best decision.

Improvements

With guidance from his lighting consultant, Mike replaced the 8’ industrial strips in the garage with LED tubes and the 4’ lamps in common areas with LEDs. Because LEDs are brighter and more efficient, his lighting consultant suggested not replacing all the lamps. The higher performing LEDs did not require a one-for-one lamp replacement, so Mike was able to reduce costs by avoiding a full retrofit. Fixtures on the station’s exterior were replaced with LED wall packs to provide a uniform look. These upgrades dramatically improved the station’s lighting quality with half as many bulbs, provided quieter spaces free of fluorescent buzzing, and reduced Mike’s maintenance costs to almost zero.

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