Cuesta 170In April, the Cuesta College retrofitted 90 percent of the SLO Campus’ exterior pole lighting fixtures from high pressure sodium format to light emitting diode (LED). The retrofit is part of an energy savings project that is now making the campus more energy efficient for the next 20 years and saving the district hundreds of thousands of dollars in energy savings costs.

The project was estimated to cost $341,000. The college received $312,000 in proposition 39 funding and on July 9, PG&E presented Cuesta College with the additional $30,479 as part of an energy incentive program.

“These projects are a win-win for everyone,” said PG&E Senior Customer Relationship Manager Tom Lorish. “Cuesta now has long lasting LED lights that are great energy and money savers. The lights also help PG&E lighten the load on the electric grid, and their installation serves as a great energy-saving model for the community and students.”

Cuesta completed the retrofit in May and came in under budget.

“The project went so well that we did not need to spend the incentive check on this project,” said Terry Reece, Cuesta College’s director of facilities services, planning and capital projects. “It will be rolled into the 2014-2015 Proposition 39 allocation to be applied to upcoming projects, which include retrofitting the lights on the North County campus.”

The lights will result in an estimated annual energy savings of $22,000, an estimated energy savings over the life of the fixtures of $440,000 and an estimated net energy savings to the district of $406,000.

For more information, please contact the Cuesta College facilities planning and construction department at (805) 546-2210.