As Mayor William Hendrick ascended towards the streetlight on the corner of Lennox Avenue and Birch Street on Wednesday morning, he knew that the village would never be the same.
Accompanied by local officials and representatives from Johnson Controls, Hendrick installed the first streetlight with solar panel LED lights. The installation marked the beginning of a major lighting and energy saving project for the village - together with Johnson Controls, the plans are to execute a program that will save Lynbrook $4.4 million over the next 15 years.
“Right off the bat, (residents) will save over 50 percent on their utility bill,” Johnson Controls Executive Thomas Burke said.
The company will replace over 1,140 streetlights with the new LED lighting system. The , town hall, Department of Public Works, the headquarters, and the town pool will also be updated with the new technology. The project is expected to be completed in May of 2012.
In addition to a utility bill savings, the technology is expected to cut public energy use by 32 percent.
“There will be better lighting for the people who live here, brighter lighting, better heating, and such energy saving over 15 years that returns us almost $12,000 to $15,000 per year as a profit,” Hendrick said.
The project is self-funded, meaning that the cost of construction will be made up by the amount Lynbrook saves in energy costs. Not only does the village expect the program to reduce expenditures, but also create jobs and reduce the community’s carbon footprint.
According to ecomii.com, a carbon footprint refers to how much carbon dioxide is produced to support a lifestyle. The new lighting in Lynbrook is specifically designed with this in mind.
Johnson Controls is a globally diversified technology company serving customers in more than 150 countries, according to a press release. In 2011, Corporate Responsibility Magazine singled out the company as the top “corporate citizen."
It was almost fitting that Hendrick installed the first light on a dreary November morning. Although it was dark outside, it was clear that Lynbrook lighting would be forever changed.
“We’re coming into the 21st century,” Hendrick said.
Your article on Lynbrook's lighting coming into the 21st century says that Lynbrook will save $4.4 million on its electric bill over the next 15 years. That works out to an average of more than $290,000 per year. You then quote the mayor as saying that this works out to a net profit of $12,000 to $15,000 per year over the next 15 years. That's only $180,000 to $225,000 in total savings over a 15 year period. Can both of these statements be true? Are we paying Johnson Controls $275,000 per year out of our $290,000 annual savings to net just $15,000 per year? Please clarify if you can. Thanks. Ron.
- Sleepless in Lynbrook -