County going to LED lighting
By Richard Blanchard

Simcoe county will soon convert all of its traffic lights to LEDs, which will bring considerable energy and cost savings.

Corporate services general manager Rick Newlove updated a county committee last week on the program's progress.

Newlove reported that 36 of the 46 signalized intersections had been converted from incandescent to LED lamps over the past four years.

"The conversions have significantly reduced energy usage and costs as the LED lamps use approximately 80 per cent to 90 per cent less energy than incandescent bulbs.

"It also reduces maintenance costs as LED lamps have an expected life span of five to 10 years compared to a one year life span for incandescent," he said.

The cost of conversions has been about $4,000 per intersection, but there is a saving of $640 per intersection annually in electricity costs savings and a saving of $400 per year in signal maintenance costs.

"The payback in costs savings is less than four years," Newlove said. "Its pretty cost efficient."

The remaining ten intersections, which still use incandescent lights, are scheduled to be converted to LED lights in 2008.