St. Raphael School’s Lesson in Lighting

St. Raphael School, in Rockville, MD, recently made several energy efficiency upgrades to its campus, which includes a nursery school and K-8 school, with more than 250 students and 70 employees. Following the school’s renovation and new addition, administrators took advantage of incentives from the Pepco Energy Savings for Business Program to make upgrades, which have helped lower energy and maintenance costs while providing a more comfortable learning environment for students and staff.

Click here to read St. Raphael School's complete success story.

The Opportunity

• Existing fluorescent lighting was old and costly, and it did not provide enough light
• School administrators wanted to improve visibility for SMART boards, flexibility for classroom lighting, and security on campus

The Upgrades

• School’s interior and exterior lights were replaced with new LED fixtures, including:
  • 680 LED flat panel ceiling troffer lights
  • 180 LED circular recessed ceiling canister lights
  • 4-foot LED strip lights
  • 30 adjustable 100-watt LED parking lot pole lights
  • 20 LED flood and wall pack lights
• Classroom light switches were fitted with dimmers to help teachers control lighting as needed, which helps manage energy usage

The Benefits

• Higher quality, better control, and greater flexibility with the new interior and exterior lights, which have improved the educational and work experience
• 50% less energy wattage per fixture
• Estimated energy savings of approximately 159,000 kilowatt-hours per year
• Estimated energy costs lowered by approximately $22,000 per year