PPL Electric Utilities and Lutron Electronics Co., Inc. are helping to shine a light on one way school districts can save energy, control electricity bills and help protect the environment.

The companies are sponsoring energy-efficient lighting demonstration projects in 50 school districts in eastern and central Pennsylvania.

“Lighting accounts for more than half of electricity use in the nation’s schools,” said David G. DeCampli, president of PPL Electric Utilities. “Today’s technology offers schools an opportunity to control lighting costs and achieve long-term savings.” 

He said school districts were offered the opportunity to run a demonstration project in two classrooms or a gymnasium. Those who chose to participate split evenly on their choices.

Lutron Electronics Co., Inc., headquartered in Coopersburg, Pa., will install a mix of energy-efficient lighting technologies.

In gymnasiums and classrooms, less efficient light bulbs and fixtures will be replaced with high-efficiency ones. Classroom systems will include sensors that automatically adjust lighting brightness based on available daylight, ensuring that lights don’t draw more power than needed.

Additional sensors will detect when classrooms are occupied and turn the lights on or off as appropriate. Teachers will have the ability to control lighting in classrooms to improve the learning environment, as well as adjust the lighting in gymnasiums to suit the event.

Lutron is a leading manufacturer of lighting controls worldwide and says its lighting systems can cut lighting electric use in gymnasiums 50-80 percent and as much as 50 percent or more in classrooms.

“We’re encouraged that so many schools accepted the offer to give these energy-efficient lighting systems a try to get a better feel for their potential energy savings,” DeCampli said.

“More and more, customers are looking for ways to take greater control over their energy use,” he said. “School districts are no exception, and we want to provide them with information that can help them make the best decisions for their school and budget.”

Lutron Electronics Co., Inc., designs and manufactures lighting controls and automated window treatments for residential and commercial applications. Lutron products save energy and make light bulbs last longer, making them an eco-friendly addition to the home and office. More information is available at www.lutron.com.

PPL Electric Utilities Corporation, a subsidiary of PPL Corporation that provides electricity delivery services to about 1.4 million customers in Pennsylvania, has consistently ranked among the best companies for customer service in the United States. More information is available at www.pplelectric.com.

Participating schools: