Medway Goes Loud and Proud with Sustainability Measures, Includes Solar Panels and LEDs

Medway, a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, first took a very subtle approach to the installation of solar energy panels in the town’s high school 2 years ago, the better not to make the school’s neighbours uncomfortable.

That problem, however, doesn’t seem to be an issue today, as the community has now allowed schools in town to proudly install solar-powered LED lighting fixtures, which are located at the entrances of the high school and middle school.

Sign of Commitment to Sustainability

Each of the new, light-emitting diode (LED) lamps is powered by a 135-watt solar panel installed on poles close to the lights, which are used to illuminate welcome signs.

According to David Verdolino, Assistant Superintendent the new LED lamps also serve to highlight Medway’s efforts to be more green and encourage awareness on the importance of adopting more sustainable energy solutions. He notes that the lights are a testament to how Medway is trying to become a Green Community.

Gift

Verdolino stated that the LED lamps were given as a gift courtesy of Broadway Electric Co.—the company handled the task of installing the more than 600 solar panels atop the high school’s roof in 2010, and the more than 1,400 panels atop the middle school in 2011, absolutely free-of-charge.

Green Community

Medway has been given the designation of being a Green Community in 2010. The title is part of a state grant program that pours funds into towns and cities that are able to reduce their energy consumption by at least 20 percent in less than 5 years. The town was able to do this since they began counting their green projects in 2009, with their 5 –year market set in 2014.

Hampshire Parks Finally Get Budget for Overhaul of Lights to LEDs

Hampshire, a county located along the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom, is now a step closer to achieving its goal of reducing carbon emissions, thanks to its local council approving the proposal to convert existing streetlights into more energy efficient light-emitting diode (LED) lamps for its two national parks.

The project, which will cost around £1 million, involves the replacement of approximately 3,600 traditional streetlights to LED lamps, which are not only more energy efficient, but also have the ability to be dimmed. The LEDs are provided Urbis and WRTL, and will be distributed across the New Forest and South Downs National Parks. 

Proponents of the project estimate that the new LED park lights will lead to £24,000 in energy savings each year—of course, that figure will depend on how high or low the cost of electricity will be. Moreover, the LEDs are also expected to help reduce Hampshire’s carbon emissions by up to 138 metric tonnes.

The public has thankfully met the new initiative with open arms. Graham Bryant, Hampshire Astronomical Group chairman and a member of the Campaign for Dark Skies, an organisation that seeks to solve the problem of light pollution, notes that LED lights are better since they are more controllable. 

He points out that LEDs are capable of being tweaked to display most of its light towards the ground, instead of towards the sky, as is the case with conventional streetlights that throw as much as 30 percent of their light upwards. 

The initial phase of Hampshire’s retrofit project will begin on May 2013 in Petersfield, and September 2013 in Brockenhurst. The target completion date of the project is set for March 2015.