Fire Protection District’s Lighting Overhaul Will Save Taxpayers Money

(Marseilles, IL), July 20, 2017 – Sustainable Lighting Solutions has presented the Marseilles Fire Protection District with an Environmental Stewardship Award for decreasing its electricity consumption and carbon footprint. The district is forecasted to cut its annual electricity use in half, an amount equal to almost $5,000. These annual savings are made possible by installing new lighting.

Sustainable Lighting Solutions is a certified trade ally of the state’s energy efficiency small business programs. Company President Mike Sweitzer says saving money through energy efficient changes benefits everyone. SLS worked with the district to secure more than $8,500 through the state to cover a large portion of the lighting project’s cost.

“Switching out an old light bulb with a modern one is one step that many of us take regularly. If you multiply that impact you can appreciate the effect of an investment in an energy efficient lighting solution,” says Sweitzer.  “The environment benefits, and in this case, taxpayers do, too.”

Marseilles Fire Protection District Chief Michael Garrison says that the district had once considered upgrading its lighting to a more energy efficient solution. A postcard from SLS last summer announcing the availability of state incentives renewed his interest.

“Anytime we can make an investment into the integrity of our building we’ll consider it,” Garrison says. “In this case, we had an opportunity to improve our facilities and save taxpayers money. It wasn’t a tough sell because it was the right thing to do.”

The changes decreased the district’s annual electricity consumption at its buildings by more than 31,000 kWh. The changes also mean that 27.8 fewer tons of Carbon Dioxide will be emitted into the atmosphere.

The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) administered the Illinois Energy Now program. Up to 75% of a project’s cost can be rebated, based on the applicability and volume of energy-efficient upgrades. The program is funded by all utility customers via an energy-efficiency program fee that is assessed on all monthly utility bills.

The district was focused on a solution that leveraged the program’s incentives, required minimal labor costs, and would not jeopardize emergency response times. SLS focused on replacing the lighting instead of the entire fixture, swapping out dated fluorescents with more modern technology. In addition to the fire engine bays, the district increased lighting in the maintenance area, replaced lighting in its board and training rooms, and upgraded the lighting in its kitchen and corridors.

“The state incentive coupled with the annual savings will prove to be a tremendous savings for our district,” Garrison says. “More importantly, a responsible expenditure of our taxpayer’s money.”

SLS secured the district a $8,526 rebate, which lowered the district’s out-of-pocket cost. SLS managed the application and approval process for the Illinois Energy Now program. To maximize cost savings, the district and SLS worked within the DCEO incentive parameters. Garrison was grateful that SLS managed the application and approval process, and kept his administrative involvement to a minimum.

“I would invite any district considering a project to visit us and look at what a difference the new lighting makes,” says Garrison. “They did a good job. I would definitely recommend Sustainable Lighting Solutions to another district or businesses looking to save money through better lighting.”

Marseilles Fire Protection Project at a Glance

  • $8,500 incentive captured
  • $4,810 in annual utility savings
  • Payback in 2.2 years
  • Cost of doing nothing: $400 a month

About the Marseilles Fire Protection District

The Marseilles Fire Protection District and Marseilles Area Ambulance Service provides firefighting, emergency medical, rescue and public education to the residents and visitors of Marseilles. The service area cover is 50 square miles and serves a population of 6,500.

About Sustainable Lighting Solutions

Sustainable Lighting Solutions (SLS) offers modern lighting solutions that transform a company’s workplace, warehouse, or campus. SLS’ solutions immediately reduce operating costs, decrease electricity utilization, and on average provide a two-year payback with lower utility bills. SLS tracks all available incentives and to date has captured more than $5 million in incentives and rebates for its customers. For more information, visit www.SLSNA.com

Media Contact: Karen Craven | Harris Marketing Services | karen@HarrisMarketingServices.com | (773) 230-8785

Phone caption and credit: Sustainable Lighting Solutions founder and President Michael Sweitzer presents Marseilles Fire Protection District Chief Michael Garrison with the lighting company’s Environmental Stewardship Award. Photograph provided by Sustainable Lighting Solutions.  Additional pictures can be found here: http://bit.ly/MFPDEnviroAwardSLSNA