Why solar lighting is the first choice on campus

Why solar lighting is the first choice on campus

There is a lot of activity on campus during the day, but what about all the activities that happen at night? Keep you safe by lighting up these spaces.

Ensuring that roads, parking lots and roads around school campuses are illuminated is critical to the safety of students, staff and visitors. Solar lighting can help provide this, especially in remote areas of campus where grid power is difficult to access. Let's see why solar lighting is the first choice for school campuses and how they can use them to provide security through renewable energy.

Why choose solar LED lighting?

Solar LED lighting systems have continued to evolve over the past few years. Solar power has become more efficient, cheaper and more reliable than ever before. A well designed system can be used for 5 years without maintenance, with a lifespan of 25-30 years or more. It can also be used to teach students about solar energy.

Sustainability

Solar energy also provides sustainability because solar energy does not require fossil fuels or energy from the power company. Since solar lights are not dependent on the grid, there is no need to worry about power outages. The solar lights will continue to glow regardless of grid operation.

Improve security

Increased campus lighting at night will provide additional security for students and staff. This increased visibility will allow people on campus at night to feel safe as they move around, from class to class, office to office, and their residences and vehicles.

Reduce operating costs

Off-grid solar lighting systems have no electricity bills because they do not use electricity from the actual grid. After the initial installation, there are no energy costs associated with lighting since all electricity is generated by the sun. The only "electricity bill" comes from changing the battery every 5 years or more. Since the lamps are designed to last 25 years or more, this translates into significant savings. The money saved can be better used to justify additional resources to students and teachers.

Reduce maintenance costs

Maintenance is one of the biggest costs most people have nothing to do with lighting. However, this can increase rapidly with standard lamps and require replacement of photocells and bulbs. In contrast, solar LED lighting systems only require battery replacement every five years or more. This cost can be significantly lower than the electricity cost of traditional lighting systems.

Ways to use solar lighting on school campuses

Campuses can use solar lighting systems in a variety of ways, from parking lots and roads to smaller systems such as signs and flags. We wanted to learn about some of the different options available to campuses to meet all of their lighting needs with an off-grid solar solution.

School campus parking lot

School campus car parks are a great place to take advantage of off-grid solar lighting solutions. Car parks are known as places that need good lighting for safety and security reasons. People traveling in and out of the area benefit from the good visibility provided by LED lights.

School Campus Pathway

Roads around campus need to be well lit for staff and students when walking around at night. The extra safety that lighting provides is key. Paths require low levels of lighting and the same lights can be used along the path as in other areas such as parking lots and roads to keep the design and aesthetic the same. Solar can also use decorative fixtures such as the SolarUrban to replace traditional systems like the SolarViper and produce the same light output and use the same optics.

School campus sign

Signs are also the perfect way for campuses to take advantage of solar-powered sign lighting solutions. Since signs can be located in remote areas, using solar power instead of the grid can provide significant cost savings. Signage uses one or more LED floodlights for most applications, or small LED modules for interior signage applications. LED modules do not use a lot of electricity and can be run efficiently by a solar system.

Since solar sign lighting systems are easily adaptable, each system can be designed to meet the needs of a specific sign. So, if your campus has multiple signage of different shapes and sizes and located in multiple different locations, you can configure a solution for each signage's needs. Best of all, the solar solution works perfectly even when the sign is in the shade, as the solar module is separate from the fixture and can be installed nearby in full sun.

In general

As you can see, solar lighting can make a difference in many ways, including teaching students about sustainability, understanding how solar panels, batteries, and lighting technology work, and maybe even finding a way to make the next biggest leap in technology. The cost savings can make waves and provide more services for students and staff. The ability to provide the security you need will make your campus a bright spot in many people's lives.