Providing bright, reliable LED garage lights in any parking garage can be a challenge. It is imperative if you are South Florida’s premier cultural venue, hosting several weekly well-attended events. The Kravis Center in the West Palm Beach Arts District faced just this situation.

“We’d invested in LED garage lights awhile back,” says Kravis Center Facilities Director, Richard Cillo. “But apparently, we’d gotten bad advice. Lights were failing, and the season was coming up. We needed to figure out a solution, and quickly. I’d worked with Bill Ofshlag (VP Sales, Green Energy Advisors, Inc.) on smaller lighting projects. He’d impressed us with his knowledge, pulled us out a few jams in the past. We asked him to consult on the parking garage project. We’re glad we did.”

(Image: Green Energy Advisors, Inc.)

Taking a consultative approach, Mr. Ofshlag and his engineering staff at Green Energy Advisors determined the LED bulbs the center had used were not designed for the existing fixtures at the Kravis Center parking garage. “We proceeded to try a few different options. The team suggested a fixture replacement. It worked well in simulated trials, but we couldn’t make it fit into the confines of the Kravis budget,” says Ofshlag.

“We then tried our 180° paddle-style LED Corn Bulb , which would have worked within the budget. But after several trials, we couldn’t get the light spread we wanted. Although it might have passed code, we weren’t satisfied, and decided to keep looking,” Ofshlag adds.

The team identified specific flaws and worked with the manufacturing plant to produce an effective LED corn bulb that would accommodate the Kravis Center fixture. The resulting product was a 30-watt LED Corn Bulb, equivalent in delivered lumens to a 125-watt metal halide bulb, using a quarter of the energy. The bulb, manufactured by Green Energy Advisors subsidiary company LED Corporations, stands toe-to-toe with bulbs produced by brand name manufacturers. Although only the highest quality components were used, the costs were kept within the Kravis Center’s budget. As with other bulbs and fixtures Green Energy Advisors incorporates into their projects, the Kravis bulbs are confidently backed by a five-year warranty against manufacturer’s defects.

The Kravis Center anticipates cutting energy consumption in the parking garage by seventy-five percent (75%). Further savings are expected with lowered maintenance costs. Mr. Cillo further saved money by installing the bulbs and retrofitting the fixtures with his in-house staff.

“We’re very pleased with the results, and with the care and dedication Bill’s team gave to this project. The garage looks great. The lighting is nice and even," adds Mr. Cillo. “We highly recommend Bill and Green Energy Advisors for any lighting projects.”

“It was a real pleasure working with Richard and his staff,” reciprocates Bill. “It took a little work to fit into the parameters of the project, but that’s when we really get to shine. This team loves a challenge. We consider it a feather in our cap to be assisting such a prestigious venue as the Kravis Center.”

The Kravis Center Parking Garage retrofit project is one of many high-profile projects completed by Green Energy Advisors, quickly earning them a reputation as the “go to” company for important LED projects. Other projects include campus retrofits for Palm Beach State College, and Florida Atlantic University, as well as projects for Collier County Public Services.