Fluorescent fixtures are going out and new Cree LED-powered fixtures are going in at NASA’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. as part of a program to cut energy costs.
Piedmont Office Realty Trust, which owns the 600,000 square foot building leased to NASA, and Cree (Nasdaq: CREE) said Monday that some 1,300 Cree CR22-brand fixtures have been installed. Another 5,200 will be installed later.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The firms said the change will cut energy costs by 52 percent.
Cree provides a growing variety of LED-powered bulbs and fixtures for consumer as well as commercial and street light applications.
“We originally considered replacing the existing T8 fluorescent tubes with T5 fluorescents, but after testing Cree’s CR22 LED troffer, we knew it was the best solution for this installation,” said Tony Roberts, senior chief engineer supporting Piedmont Office Realty Trust. “No other manufacturer offered the combination of performance, pricing and efficacy we desired. We continue to be impressed by the improved lighting quality and significant savings the CR22 troffers provide.”
The Cree fixtures are designed to last more than 50,000 hours – twice the lifespan of fluorescents.
