Showing off Greencastle's new lights

Lighting projects always have unintended benefits. The City of Greencastle has learned this through the installation of new LED Traffic Signals and improved lighting at the Fire Department. New traffic signals have not only reduced energy consumption, but require far less maintenance. Traffic will not need to be interrupted as often to make repairs and replace worn out lights. Greencastle was also able to install pedestrian signals with a countdown feature. It's something that those of us in Indianapolis may take for granted as a normal feature of most signals, but is a newer feature to Greencastle that will hopefully add to the safety of the community.

The second part of the project was lighting upgrades at the Fire Department. Existing T12 fluorescent light fixtures were retrofitted with new T5 fluorescent light fixtures and new energy saving electronic ballasts that allow firefighters to see better throughout the building. Highbay Metal Halide light fixtures in the garage bays were replaced with new LED light fixtures providing increased light. And in the interior new lighting and occupancy sensors will aid in the energy savings.

It is estimated that these projects will pay for themselves in less than a year.

The City of Greencastle received an Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grant (EECBG), funded through the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009.  EECBG is a program of the U.S. Department of Energy and is administered by the Indiana Office of Energy Development.