LED

Indian Wells hailed as California’s first LED city

Furthering its role as a leader in energy conservation, the City of Indian Wells has become the first California city to take part in an international program that promotes energy-efficient LED lighting. Cree, Inc., a North Carolina-based lighting manufacturer, is spearheading the LED City program, in which nine cities are presently participating.

Last November, Indian Wells installed 100 LED lights at City Hall, the Emergency Operations Center, and the city’s Public Works Maintenance Facility. The city expects an annual savings of $4,000, and will be evaluating the project for possible expansion into other city facilities.

According to Cree, LED lights use 85% less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and less than half the energy of compact fluorescent lamps. Their extensive longevity, combined with low-wattage output, enable hundreds of dollars of energy savings while minimizing mercury and landfill waste, as well as greenhouse gas emissions.