Parking Lot Lighting Upgrade

A parking lot lighting upgrade was completed at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, making the campus more energy efficient while enhancing pedestrian safety. Motion sensors were installed in Lot E15, located near the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and Fourth Street, which increased the intensity of light-emitting diode (LED) fixtures from 50% to 100% upon detecting movement. This enhancement ensures brighter illumination when needed, improving visibility for occupants.

It was estimated that the adaptive bi-level lighting in E15 would reduce energy consumption by more than 80%, saving approximately 17,000 kilowatt hours annually.

The upgrade of light fixtures in E15 was supported by $50K in funding from the Student Sustainability Committee. In 2012, the university partnered with other peer institutions to establish the Midwest Collaboration for Adaptive Lighting (M-CAL), aiming to extend these energy-saving techniques to neighboring communities.

As part of its sustainability objectives, the university became the first major research institution to adopt LED technology as its primary lighting source. The campus aims to transition the majority of its lighting to LED by 2050.