Mosley High

Bay District school’s innovative lighting experiment becomes a standard

Can just changing a building’s lighting fixtures really save you that much? Lighting is the energy hog in large buildings like schools. During the interior remodeling of Mosley High School in Panama City, Florida, their Gulf Power representative presented Bay District Schools with a proposal: Replace the old lighting with new, low-watt fluorescent lamps and electronic ballasts. The payback looked "phenomenal." The School District agreed.

Innovations — The School District replaced 2,176 fixtures in Mosley’s classrooms and media center with energy saving, 32 watt T-8 fluorescent lamps and electronic ballasts. Together T-8s and electronic ballasts convert power to light more efficiently. The changes affected 80,000 to 90,000 square feet throughout the school.

Findings — Sure the new lighting equipment reduces both lighting and cooling costs. But Mosley benefited from the new lighting technology in other ways as well:

• The new lower watt lights are more efficient. Mosley High is saving 30% to 40% in lighting costs alone.
• Classrooms are brighter and more comfortable. Teachers note the new lights produce less glare, and with electronic ballasts, there’s no annoying buzz.
• The fluorescent lamps burn cooler. With 2,176 fixtures operating 40 to 50 watts less than standard lights, they really reduced air conditioning load.
• The energy-efficient lighting system reduces pollution because it uses less electricity.

The Mosley High experiment was so successful, Bay District Schools plans to retrofit other schools with energy-efficient lighting during remodels.

Can brighter, cooler, more efficient lighting be a cost-effective way to save your school money? Your Southern Company representative can help you determine that, so call for an appointment.