City of Salem Relights Streets With Sylvania LEDs

SALEM, Mass., Feb. 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Officials from lighting manufacturer OSRAM SYLVANIA and the City of Salem, Massachusetts flipped the switch on over 350 existing street lighting fixtures newly equipped with LED technology. Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll hosted an unveiling event in the city's historic downtown area where, using an over-sized light switch, she and Mark Corcoran, OSRAM SYLVANIA vice president of Industrial Commercial Sales, symbolically lit the city with the new, energy-efficient LED lighting from Massachusetts-based OSRAM SYLVANIA.  The SYLVANIA D6 Area Lighting LED Retrofit Kit provided the perfect solution for the 385 year-old city, offering significant energy savings over the previously installed metal halide lamp systems without sacrificing its notable enchantment.  

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110223/NE53322 )

Reducing energy consumption up to 68 percent, the SYLVANIA LED retrofit kits are not only energy-efficient, but provide the excellent illumination needed for outdoor street lighting. Also, because the LEDs lamp life is a full two to six times longer than the previously used HID lamps, the city will save considerably on the maintenance costs associated with keeping its streets bright.

"Our D6 Area Lighting LED retrofit kit is an ideal lighting solution for municipalities looking to cut energy consumption and costs, and enhance their streets," said Corcoran. "We commend our neighbors in the City of Salem for their forward thinking in implementing energy-saving LED technology for the benefit of their residents and the environment."  

This past summer, the City of Salem was awarded a $245,624 "Green Communities" Grant from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, which helped fund the project.

"Given the funding and financing terms that were available to the City, we immediately seized the opportunity to upgrade our city's street lights. I couldn't be more pleased with the outcome. This perhaps represents municipal infrastructure upgrade work at its best," said Paul Marquis, energy and sustainability manager for the City of Salem. City Electrician John Giardi noted that, "With these LED kits from OSRAM SYLVANIA, we have been able to substantially reduce our energy consumption, save in operational and maintenance costs, and improve the look of our streets. The project seems to be a win for everybody involved."

This project was a combined effort; the City of Salem and OSRAM SYLVANIA worked with several partners to achieve the project goals and overcome obstacles. The city was able to successfully add the LED unit to the "Eligible Products List" for electricity and gas utility company National Grid's "MassSave Rebate" program.  Additionally, Hobart Energy, Salem's local energy provider, negotiated a $96 per lighting fixture rebate, contributing to even more cost savings for the city.  

Since the installation, Salem has already seen significant benefits as a result of the retrofit project, with SYLVANIA LED technology helping to reduce its energy consumption for lighting by more than half. Further, the city will save over $37,000 per year as a result of the installation. By continuing to invest in a "greener" Salem, the city will continue to receive annual funds while saving energy and money, and providing high quality lights and contributing to the safety of its residents and visitors.

About OSRAM SYLVANIA

OSRAM SYLVANIA is a leader in lighting solutions that feature innovative design and energy saving technology. The company sells products for homes, businesses and vehicles primarily under the SYLVANIA brand name, and also under the OSRAM brand. Headquartered in Danvers, Mass., OSRAM SYLVANIA is the North American operation of OSRAM GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of Siemens AG. For more information, visit www.sylvania.com.

SOURCE OSRAM SYLVANIA