Twin Rinks teamed up with takeCHARGE to make energy efficiency upgrades that are saving them almost $2,000 a month in electricity costs.
Located in St. John’s, Twin Rinks is a 50,000 ft2 year-round sporting facility that has been serving local hockey, figure skating and community groups for over 40 years. Built in 1976, it was the first arena in St. John’s to have a double ice surface.
Recently, it became evident that upgrades were needed to the lighting at Twin Rinks. Lights were being left on for long periods of time, and over the years their brightness had depreciated. Maintenance costs were significant as the existing metal halides had to be replaced frequently, and with the lights being over 20 feet high, a maintenance crew was required each time. Furthermore, as with many metal halide lights, players and fans noticed the bulbs would sometimes flicker and buzz. Twin Rinks worked with takeCHARGE, a joint initiative between Newfoundland Power and Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro, to upgrade their lighting to LED.
Lighting is one of the easiest and most cost-effective energy-efficient upgrades a business can make. Twin Rinks replaced 350-watt metal halide fixtures with 150-watt LEDs over the two ice surfaces. These LEDs use 60% less energy and have a lifespan of 10-15 years. Through the Business Efficiency Program, takeCHARGE was able to provide Twin Rinks with a rebate of more than $10,000, which covered approximately 26% of the cost of the project. The arenas are now saving about 103,000 kWh of energy per year, or approximately $24,000 annually!
“takeCHARGE rebates helped make this project a reality, and with all of the energy we are saving, the lighting upgrade will pay for itself in less than 3.5 years,” says Stephen Haggerty, Executive Director of Twin Rinks.
But the benefits don’t stop there! One significant difference in having LEDs is better lighting performance. With a higher quality light output, the new LEDs have made everything whiter and brighter, giving skaters and hockey players better visibility – even in the corners! These LEDs come on instantly, emit less heat and maintain light levels over time. As these LEDs will not need to be replaced as frequently, Twin Rinks should also see reduced maintenance costs.
“The new lighting has increased user satisfaction, improved aesthetics, uplifted players and reenergized spectators at the rinks,” says Haggerty. “We’re so happy with the results that we are already working with takeCHARGE on our second energy-efficient upgrade!”
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