TEMPE, Ariz.—In conjunction with sustainability partner Ameresco, Musco Sports Lighting, ASU Facilities Development and Management, and University Sustainable Practices, Arizona State University’s Wells Fargo Arena is the first installed and operational LED lit athletic facility in the nation at an NCAA FBS institution.
The new LED lighting installation, furnished by Musco sports lighting, increases the lighting levels within Wells Fargo Arena by 25 percent. The facility now exceeds the 125-vertical foot candle measurement needed for NCAA Broadcast standards, which factors into championship selections for Arizona State.
"Over the last decade, Musco has worked with ASU on several projects on campus that have reduced energy consumption and environmental impact,” said Jeff Rogers, Vice President of Developmental Sales. “Musco was pleased to work with ASU and Ameresco to develop an LED lighting solution for Wells Fargo arena."
While improving lighting in the venue, the LED system uses a fraction of the energy from the previous installation. Ameresco replaced the old system, which used 109.20 kW of energy, with a new, high-efficiency system that reduces energy consumption by 75 percent. The new Musco installation uses a total of 27.74 kW at full capacity. The 10-year energy savings is estimated at $284,000 and combined with reduced maintenance costs the total savings is estimated at $357,000 over the 10-year period.
Arizona State has full operational control over the lighting installation and can ramp up light levels for television coverage or reduce the amount of energy used by dimming the system for multiple-event and non-spectator needs such as team practices or arena cleaning.
LED, short for light-emitting diode, is a high-efficiency, low-cost light source that can run at lower temperatures to consume only about 20 percent of the energy of incandescent lighting units. LED lighting is also known for its longevity lasting approximately 25-times longer than incandescent fixtures.
Weber State University was the first NCAA school to install an LED lighting system in June with Arizona State's lighting installation becoming fully operational in August. Notre Dame and Michigan State are also currently implementing LED lighting in their respective arenas.
The installation of the LED light fixture in Wells Fargo Arena is one of many collaborations between Facilities Development and Management, and Sun Devil Athletics. In August, the Natural Resource Defense Council named ASU a top-10 athletics department for sustainable practices, specifically for its use of solar power.