"The old, fluorescent lights on the pier burned out, left gaps in the lighting and were in a difficult area to maintain," states Matt Henigan, City of Santa Monica, office of sustainability and the environment, energy efficiency engineer. "With the new LED lamps in place, maintenance is minimal, and we have already reduced energy consumption by over 30%. And because the LED lighting is directional, it improves safety and enhances the Pier's appearance without causing light pollution for local residents."
The 413,056sq.ft Santa Monica Pier also includes one of the few, surviving all-wooden carousels in the world, part of the Santa Monica Looff Hippodrome, designed in 1916 by Charles Looff. A favourite for stars like Marilyn Monroe, Joan Baez and W.C. Fields, and film and television shows such as, The Sting, The Net and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, the famous building housed hundreds of old, fluorescent bulbs that required constant changing and maintenance.
"Now that the necklace lights on the carousel building have been replaced with LEDs, there are no gaps, they give off a nice, bright glow, and the colors really bring out the colors on the building," states Jim Harris, Santa Monica Pier restoration corporation deputy director.
"We won't need to change these bulbs for years, and the LED lamps added to the rest area and Boardwalk outside of the building increase security and provide a well-lit area for people to relax and enjoy the sights and sounds of the Pier."
Finalised in December of 2012, the City of Santa Monica funded the LEDs project with a $668,000 Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) award from the US Department of Energy.
(Jim Evans)
