Campus Maintenance replaced 84 (1,110-watt metal-halide) light fixtures with 32 (600-watt Ephesus Arena 600) solid-state light emitting diode (LED) fixtures. The installation should see a return on investment in less than five years, and the new lights have a 10-year manufacturer’s warranty covering not only fixture life but original installation lumen output levels.

“The new lighting solution is another major step in further enhancing the in-arena experience for our fans and making Bartow Arena an even better place to play,” Winslett said. “The improved quality of the lights was enough of a reason to make the switch, but coupled with the reduced energy costs made this an easy decision.”

The 8,500-seat Bartow Arena is the home court of the UAB Blazers men’s and women’s basketball teams and women’s volleyball team. The new lighting solution offers more uniform light from the previous lighting system. In addition, it offers dimmable light level settings for pre-game introductions.

“The Bartow lighting project is one of UAB’s most recent efforts to find the smartest solutions for saving energy on campus,” said Julie Price, coordinator of UAB Sustainability. “Projects like these are essential to realizing our vision of incorporating sustainability into all areas of university life.”

LED lights also can be turned on and off instantly with the flick of a switch, whereas metal halide fixtures require a 20-minute warm-up period. Since LED’s do not require a ballast, there is no unwelcomed buzzing sound to cause distractions during quiet assembly times. If a power outage were ever to cause a blackout, the new LED lights can be turned back on immediately with the flick of a switch. Future plans include a wireless dimming controls system to offer preset scenes allowing for dramatic player introductions.