Savings from LED Retrofits in the Surry School District

The Surry County School District in North Carolina has installed LEDs that save the school money, improve lighting and reduce energy. As part of the school districts energy education program, they have converted from metal halide fixtures to LEDs. According to the school’s own projection they will reap an annual savings of nearly $1,350. The ten LED’s also improved foot-candle levels in Dobson Elementary School’s 5,400 sq-foot gymnasium by more than 50 percent.


Part of the problem with metal halide fixtures is that they require a significant amount of time to achieve full illumination. Consequently the school allowed the lights to remain on throughout the entire day, even when the gym was not in use. However, the new LED fixtures instantly illuminate when switched on, enabling the school to turn lights off and reduce energy consumption when the gym is unoccupied.

The pilot project has gone very well prompting the Surry County School District to add LED lighting to a total of ten elementary, middle and high schools.

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