How many LED lightbulbs does it take to change Culver Academies’ electric bill?

Culver Academies is in the process of replacing fluorescent lights on campus with energy-efficient light-emitting diode (LED) lights to cut energy use, reduce the school’s carbon footprint and to save money.

Brent Colvin, Culver’s director of facilities, said the LED lights also provide better quality lighting that lasts up to 10 times longer than fluorescent bulbs, which also reduces maintenance costs. The school will no longer carry fluorescent or incandescent light bulbs.

“We’re only going to stock high-efficiency bulbs from now on,” said Justin Lancaster, systems maintenance energy manager.

About three years ago, around the time when Colvin and Lancaster started at Culver, the school partnered with the Northern Indiana Public Service Co. to look at what it could mean for campus to switch to all LED lights. It was determined that it would be too expensive to replace all 20,000 light bulbs at the school at once and it also would be impractical, because that would require closing some buildings while the work could be done, Colvin said.

“Culver is never off, so the only times we have to do major projects are spring break, Christmas break and long weekends,” Colvin said. “So instead, we’re going to do it through attrition. And every light bulb we change makes a difference.”

Colvin said he expects campus to be close to 90 percent converted to LED lights within three years.

Culver also will be adding meters in each building so that if a spike occurs, they will be able to quickly diagnose the problem, Colvin said.

An LED bulb provides the same amount of light as an incandescent while using 90 percent less electricity. LED lights also provide direct, focused, constant, non-flickering light that lasts eight to 10 times longer than fluorescent lights. They also don’t require ballast needed for fluorescent lights, further reducing maintenance and costs.

A study estimates that Culver will reduce energy use for lighting by 62 percent by converting just the laundry/uniform building, the Lay Dining Hall, McMillan Athletic Center, Steinbrenner Gyms and Roberts Hall.

“Campus will be much more energy efficient,” Colvin said.