Redlands, Calif. Upgrades Street Lights to Relume LED Fixtures
OXFORD -- Relume Technologies, a manufacturer of light-emitting diode products and smart grid control systems for outdoor lighting, said it had been chosen by the city of Redlands, Calif., to retrofit its existing street lighting to Relume's patented LED lights.
The installation, which was completed in November, resulted in the retrofitting of hundreds of lighting fixtures. The city's objective was to conserve energy, but just as important, to maintain the historic ambiance of its unique downtown.
"The City of Redlands has joined the ranks of communities around the country that are reaping the environmental, cost and efficiency benefits of upgrading to LED lighting systems," said Crawford Lipsey, Relume's CEO. "Relume is unique in that we engineer LED light engines for almost all historical applications. Our combination of thermal and optical capabilities is excellent. Relume has completed retrofit projects in over 100 cities and municipalities across the U.S. and Canada.
In a letter to Relume, Redlands city project specialist Ross Wittman said that "personally, as a 30 year resident of Redlands, the installation of the Relume LED lights represents an enormous upgrade in the lighting of the downtown area of my hometown. Speaking as a citizen of Redlands and not as the project manager of the LED conversion, the LED lights did not change the feel of my hometown at all. Rather, the lights have served to enhance the nature of the area by illuminating the historic buildings and increasing the visibility of the sightlines in the area. Additionally, by providing greater visibility I have immediately felt a greater sense of security when I go to businesses in the area. Perhaps most importantly though, the quality of light provided by the Relume product has already and will continue to make it safer for pedestrians and drivers in the area by making each other more aware of the presence of the other. While the old HPS fixtures gave that traditional feel to an older area, they also made it exceptionally difficult to see given its lighting limitations. The Relume product immediately alleviated this issue upon its installation."
And Wittman added, "City Council members have sent emails to staff indicating their immense satisfaction in the lighting upgrade, as well as the 'greening' of the city through the usage of less energy by the Relume product. The director of my department, Municipal Utilities & Engineering, was a 20 year employee of the City of Los Angeles, who has done an extensive study of LED products. Due to this, he has a special affinity for LED lighting and has a critical eye. Even he was thoroughly impressed by Relume's quality. Internal City staff who were skeptical of the conversion from HPS, were swayed after one look at the lighting ... The downtown business community couldn't be happier with the upgrade. Even long time citizens of Redlands who are generally adverse to any type of change that takes the city away from what it has always looked like have emailed the city commending them for this enormous upgrade to the community."
Technology developed by Oxford-based Relume is used in municipal lighting, commercial signage, outdoor advertising, transportation, and U.S. military applications. Relume's products are American-made, ISO 9001:2008 certified and carry a 7-year warranty.
Relume is a founding member of the Michigan Solid State Lighting Association, and supports the organization's mission of ensuring that Michigan is a global leader in solid-state lighting, research and development, and manufacturing. Relume was recognized as one of Michigan's 50 Companies to Watch by the Edward Lowe Foundation. For more information, visit www.relume.com.
