In early 2011, US Lighting Tech completed an interior lighting installation for Corcoran State Prison on behalf of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) – demonstrating that induction is the de facto industrial lighting standard for the prison and corrections environment. The Corcoran installation was part of a broader ongoing partnership between USLT and the CDCR – as part of the Department’s “Going Green” initiative – designed to implement improved lighting solutions that offer greater energy efficiency and ROI value for California State Prison systems.

Background and Execution:
USLT began its partnership with the CDCR in 2008 as part of the Department’s “Going Green” Energy Savings initiative to outfit prison facilities throughout the State with updated, energy efficient lighting technology. USLT induction offers the ideal solution for prisons where significantly reduced maintenance – along with infrequent lighting replacements – is absolutely essential for security purposes.

In particular, the company outfitted Corcoran State Prison with its Ridgeline Induction High Bays for the prison interior. In addition to the Corcoran facility, USLT also supplied its Diamond Wall pack, patented Jersey Street Lights, and Parker area lighting units for exterior perimeter lighting for eight other California correctional institutions during the 2008 and 20011 period, as part of the “Going Green” initiative fulfillment. Additional installations have been completed or are in the final stages of completion for seven other prisons throughout the State, as of 2011.

Specific Challenges and Solutions:
Prior to upgrading its lighting network with USLT induction lights, California’s prisons, including Corcoran, faced frequent re-lamping each year because the prisons’ interior lighting systems run 24/7, which created additional costs and maintenance challenges. For example, to protect against the excessive heat from the legacy lighting systems (typically High Pressure Sodium or Metal Halide that have operating temperatures as high as 600 degrees), the prisons were forced to use additional air conditioning throughout their facility.

Frequent lighting replacements or maintenance requirements necessitated that prisoners be locked up for extensive periods during re-lamping. In a maximum security environment such as Corcoran, this extended lock-up created logistical concerns and increased security challenges for prison personnel dealing with some of the State’s most difficult inmates. Additionally, prison guards often complained of headaches and personal safety issues due to the poor lighting quality.

With USLT induction lighting, the problems at Corcoran and other facilities were immediately alleviated and the upgraded prisons throughout California now have greater operational ease when it comes to managing their lighting solutions. Specific post-upgrade benefits have included:

• Corcoran and other facilities now have enhanced security due to the fact that induction produces a crisp, pure white light that offers greater visibility for prison guards and personnel. USLT’s induction system color rendering is 80 to 90 vs. 20 to 30 for HPS. High CRI means truer colors and human eye usability.
  
  
• Lighting within CDCR facilities now deliver a 3x to 4x longer operating life – significantly reducing re-lamping and scheduled maintenance, which has resulted in reduced mandated lock down periods for prisoners.
  
  
• Prisons throughout the State have experienced a 40% to 50% direct energy savings from the upgraded USLT induction lighting, as well as significant indirect energy savings from reduced usage of air conditioning over summer months.

Overall Benefits:
The CDCR had four essential criteria when selecting a lighting partner for its California state prison systems – reliability, cost, energy efficiency, and light color index quality. The USLT installation at Corcoran and other facilities generated improved scenarios around each of these criteria. 1.) The safety concerns of working in a high-risk environment necessitate highly reliable, low-maintenance lighting that doesn’t create frequent maintenance hassles and prison routine disruptions. 2.) Prison operations staff need better, more usable illumination in a security sensitive setting to more effectively view and manage the prison population. 3.) Additionally, as the State of California struggled with budget reductions and cutbacks, the CDCR needed a lighting solution that derived greater energy efficiency and cost savings.

USLT’s induction products successfully fulfilled each of these critical requirements to deliver a vastly improved solution for the CDCR’s “Going Green” initiative. For more information on the extent of energy savings achieved by USLT induction for the state of California in connection with this initiative, please visit: http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/CDCR_Going_Green/Energy_Savings.html.