Power management company Eaton and its Cooper Lighting division are proving that LED fixtures can provide more than just energy savings with a recent project for Georgia-based car dealership, Nalley Honda-Buick-GMC-Isuzu located in Brunswick. To showcase automobiles and reduce energy expenses, Eaton’s Cooper Lighting business teamed up with Georgia Power to install 76 Streetworks Galleon LED fixtures, resulting in impressive illumination and an overall energy savings of 60 percent.

 “Eaton Cooper Lighting products solve complex lighting challenges for our global customers,” said Mark Eubanks, president, Eaton’s Cooper Lighting division. “While the dealership improved its lighting performance and reduced electrical costs, Georgia Power also decreased its carbon footprint, reducing the demand on the area’s electrical grid.”

Working with Eaton's Cooper Lighting business and Georgia Power, Nalley Honda-Buick-GMC-Isuzu implemented several LED solutions to achieve impressive illumination and an overall energy savings of 60 percent. (LEDinside/ Eaton Cooper)

Together, Georgia Power and Eaton’s Cooper Lighting business conducted a photometric analysis to ensure the new lighting would meet the latest Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) standards. Based on the findings, the dealership replaced its 92, 1000-watt MH fixtures with the Lighting division’s 412-watt and 515-watt Galleon LED luminaires to meet the high lumen output needs for the parking lot merchandising and sales areas, including the front row displays, circulation areas and storage areas.

“Auto dealerships are drastically different than your typical outdoor area lighting application,” said Mark Holcombe, account executive, Lighting Services, Georgia Power. “While average exterior lighting solutions are installed for safety or security, dealerships install lighting elements to draw the customer’s eye and highlight high-end retail products.”

In addition to the fixture’s high lumen output, contemporary look and efficient AccuLED Optics^™ system, the decision was driven largely by overall performance. By using LED Galleon fixtures, the dealership could reduce its total number of fixtures by 16 and still enjoy superior illumination, allowing customers to better see the cars’ distinctive features, details and coloring – all key factors in the buying process.

The dealership achieved up to 60 percent energy savings and an overall net energy savings of 66,400 watts while exceeding the stringent uniformity footcandle recommended light levels throughout the site. With a life expectancy of 60,000 hours, the LED fixtures will also save on maintenance costs, eliminating the need for repairs and the inconvenience of moving cars to service the lights.

“I wish we had done this a long time ago,” said Britt Gilmore, general manager and partner, Nalley Honda-Buick-GMC-Isuzu. “The difference in what we have now compared to what we had is like night and day. I would recommend this change to everyone.”

For more information on the Galleon LED products or additional energy-efficient solutions from Eaton’s Cooper Lighting business, visit www.cooperlighting.com.