The City of Los Angeles approved LEDway streetlights to replace modern cobrahead fixtures in local and residential neighborhoods as part of the green streetlight program.

The City`s plan includes retrofitting a total of 140,000 high-pressure sodium (HPS) luminaires to LED technology over the next five years. It`s estimated LED streetlights will reduce the City`s energy usage by 40 percent and lower carbon dioxide emissions by 40,500 tons per year or the equivalent of taking 6,700 cars
of the road. The City will save approximately $10 million annually from a combination of reduced energy usage and lower maintenance costs.

"Congratulations to the City of Los Angeles for creating an initiative that provides a safer and more environmentally sustainable community for its citizens," said Al Ruud, president of Ruud Lighting, Inc. "We`re excited that LEDway streetlights are a part of the largest LED street lighting retrofit program to date. The project validates that LED technology is ready for the mainstream."

The green streetlight program, developed in collaboration with the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI), is funded by a combination of energy rebates, the street lighting assessment fund and loans and will be repaid throughout a seven-year period using the savings gained from the retrofit. By the eighth year, the City will see an annual savings of $10 million.

"The City of Los Angeles is leading by example and making a significant impact to fight the effects of climate change," said Ed Ebrahimian, General Manager of the Bureau of Street Lighting. "After an expansive test of LED luminaries from various manufacturers, BetaLED products met or exceeded the expected
performance, cost savings, and sustainability goals of this project."