Lighting Upgrade Project Completed at Melville Library

The Stony Brook Energy Management (EM) team, part of the University’s Campus Operations & Maintenance (COM) Department, recently completed a comprehensive LED lighting project in the Frank Melville Memorial Library. Working in tandem with COM’s Campus Electricians, and driven by a desire to continue the University’s energy-reduction efforts, EM staff members replaced existing, energy-intensive fluorescent light fixtures with new LED fixtures. The new lighting will increase Melville Library’s energy efficiency and provide students, faculty and staff with improved lighting. 

The Energy Management team began the planning phase of the project last Spring by visiting the site and determining the best locations for the lighting upgrade. Following these efforts, the project was designed to replace 1,700 fluorescent fixtures with 380 LED fixtures in the North Reading Room and two offices on the second floor of the Library. Additionally, in order to distribute additional light from the new fixtures, the team drew up plans to remove former fluorescent fixtures from the existing drop ceiling and install the new LED fixtures along existing translucent light panels. 

The project’s installation phase began in the Summer and continued into the Fall semester before the project’s completion in November. The Energy Management team expects the project costs to be paid back in savings in less than three years.

The new advanced light fixtures are programmed by the Energy Management staff and Campus Electricians for optimal efficiency. The fixtures can either be formatted as standalone units or grouped together to provide the best program for the needs of the location. When a fixture’s given location is unoccupied, the light fixture is designed to power down to a reduced light setting before turning off completely, saving the University from unnecessary energy costs. The Energy Management team also anticipates a reduction in maintenance costs and improved light levels with the new fixtures.

Planning for future energy conservation efforts is already underway with more lighting upgrades being discussed for 2023. For more information on energy efficiency projects at SBU, including a live University Energy Dashboard, visit the Energy Management website.