Oswego School District Gets Grant to Replace OEHS Lights with Smart Tech

Submitted by Oswego School District 308:

Community Unit School District 308 has been awarded a grant from the Illinois State Board of Education of nearly $50,000 to replace $99,000 in exterior lighting with state-of-the-art LED lights at Oswego East High School.

The 2014 Round 1 School Maintenance Project Grant matches half of the estimated cost of the project. The remaining costs will be paid out of the district’s operating and management budget.

Superintendent Matthew Wendt noted this is the first time the district has been awarded a School Maintenance Project Grant.

“We are pleased the Illinois Board of Education recognized the worthiness of our project,” stated Dr. Wendt. “The long-term final return on this project is a move in the right direction. The cost reduction that will occur from electricity use alone is expected to pay for the district’s portion of the improvement within 11 months. Improved lighting will also ensure Oswego East’s campus remains safe.”

All of the parking lot and exterior lights at Oswego East will be converted to the new energy-saving LED fixtures late this spring or summer. Roadway lighting will be 400 watts and parking lot lighting 1,000 watts, states Bill Baumann, School District 308 Director of Operations.

Cost savings occur, not only from more energy-efficient bulbs, but from improved technology in the engines running the motion detectors.

“The current fixtures at Oswego East have nine engines,” says Baumann. “At dusk, all nine engines start. After 15 minutes, if motion is not detected, five engines run at half the power. When motion is again detected, all the engines come back on until no motion has been detected for 15 minutes. The new lights will have only six engines, but will do the job better than the current fixtures. This is a very nice improvement for School District 308.”