As the village of Lincolnwood looks for ways to live more sustainably, the streets are going to get much brighter this spring after a ComEd-led initiative to replace hundreds of streetlights with energy-efficient LED lights, a more sustainable bulb that could save the village about $8,000 a year on energy costs, according to the Lincolnwood Public Works Department.
The LED lights will replace the existing outdated mercury vapor lights that are found on wooden poles owned by ComEd throughout the village.
Energy-efficient lighting can reduce electricity consumption by one-third compared to the mercury vapor lights, and they last up to one and a half times longer than the current fixtures, according to public works.
The ComEd project isn’t the first time Lincolnwood will see more sustainable lighting on its roadways. Four years ago, the village started a five-year initiative to replace its existing lights with energy-efficient bulbs. The Illinois Department of Transportation hadn’t approved LED lights in 2012, so metal halite lights were used instead, according to public works, but LED lights have been used each year since.
Village officials have also turned to more sustainable lighting to help save on electricity costs in the village hall, police and fire departments, and in the public works building. In 2011, the village used a $50,600 grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation to retrofit those buildings with T8 fluorescent bulbs, which save on electricity costs and last longer than the T12 bulbs they replaced.
As for the ongoing initiatives to better illuminate the village streets with “greener” lighting, ComEd’s street light replacement project covers only the poles owned by the company, according to Andrew Letson, assistant public works director for the village of Lincolnwood.
“The village will continue to manage the replacement of street lights on arterial roadways like Touhy and Devon,” Letson said. “The ComEd street lights are located at most intersections throughout the Village and it is our understanding that they have already begun replacement work.”
Because the village in the past didn’t monitor the energy consumption of each individual streetlight, it’s difficult to predict the exact savings from the new LED fixtures being installed by ComEd, Letson said.
“We have heard from street lighting experts that we should expect about a 20% reduction in energy costs when using LED fixtures,” he added.
Beyond the pursuit of energy-reducing lighting, other sustainable initiatives have been introduced during recent years, including a partnership with the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County to provide a place for residents to dispose of or recycle old electronic items, Christmas lights and pharmaceuticals.
Turning village-owned buildings like the police and fire departments and the public works building into safe places to drop off certain items during business hours has proven successful for the village.
Between 2011 and 2015 residents have dropped off 750 pounds of discarded prescription drugs, 973 pounds of holiday lights, 583 pounds of batteries, 1,966 pounds of fluorescent light bulbs, and 1,010 needles, according to the village.
The village also has annual collection events at Rutledge Hall School where residents can discard of old electronic items or bring in private documents to shred. More than 50,000 pounds of paper have been shredded and 17,200 pounds of electronics have been recycles during the past four years, according to the public works department.
“Over the years, the village has done well focusing on sustainability through capital projects and programs offered to residents,” Letson said. “These programs and projects have been important, saving residents money and providing an opportunity to recycle household items.”
Because water conservation is an integral part of sustainability, a rain barrel program was adopted by the public works department last year, allowing residents to get up to four barrels per household.
The 55-gallon barrels, which are provided by the Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, work by attaching to downspouts and capturing rain water so it can be reused for non-potable uses like watering lawns and washing cars.
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Rain barrels can be ordered by contacting the public works department at 847-675-0888.
ComEd is expected to finish the LED retrofit project by May, according to public works.
Natalie Hayes is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.