The Forum has been working with Honeywell for the past year to implement a “mini-retrofit” to cut back on the electrical use in the future. The criteria for the retrofit was a five-year payback that would be funded by the savings and no loss in foot candles (light output) between the old and the new fixtures. Honeywell engineers looked at every operation in The Forum that used electricity and fuel oil to find where the installation of new energy efficient equipment could save enough money to pay for the updates within the five year allotted time limit. In the end it was decided that only the lighting fit the criteria.
The Forum has many lights, 44 of the largest being 1,000 watts each.
The net cost of the retrofit will be $67,119 with a $8,145 rebate from Efficiency Maine. Almost every light in the facility will be replaced or “retrofitted”. The large fixtures in the arena will be replaced by T5 fluorescent fixtures, the incandescent bulbs will be removed and replaced with Super T8 fluorescents and the existing old style T12s will be re-ballasted, cleaned and the old fluorescent tubes replaced with the new Super T8s.
The Forum’s electrical budget for 2008 has been reduced by $12,600 — the expected savings in electrical costs for the year — which will be allotted to pay for the retrofit. Following the five-year payback period the City will realize the savings and The Forum will have up to date lighting for the future.
James F. Kaiser is Forum Director for the city of Presque Isle. He can be reached at 764-0491 or online at theforum@mfx.net
In the City: Forum more efficient
By James Kaiser
