Breckenridge Ice Arena
The Stephen C. West Ice Arena struggled with poor visibility and high maintenance costs due to an outdated lighting system. By upgrading to Shat-R-Shield’s Ironclad® LED Vapor Tight High Bays, the facility dramatically brightened the rink and slashed annual lighting expenses by 70%. Read the full case study to see how this moisture-resistant solution transformed the skater experience and delivered a rapid return on investment.
Background
Home to ice skating, hockey, curling and other ice sports, the Stephen C. West Ice Arena is an icon within the picturesque community of Breckenridge, Colorado. Popular amongst residents and tourists alike, the aesthetic and functionality of the facility combined with a focus on energy conservation drove the decision to invest in a brighter future by way of updated lighting technology.
Total Annual kWh Savings: 275,336 kWh
Total Annual Energy Cost Savings: $24,012.00
Initial Cost of LED Fixtures: $36,720.00 after rebate
Utility Rebate for DLC 4.0 Qualified Product: $10,800.00
Projected Return on Investment (ROI): 1.53 years
Featured Products
Incoplas® LED Hybrid™
Area Light, Floodlight or Wall Pack
Ironclad® LED VTHB
Vapor Tight High Bay
The Challenge
What makes following a small puck zipping across ice in an intense game of hockey even more difficult? Poor lighting. The facility had been lit using an 800-watt induction lighting system since 2000, which plagued the arena with dark spots and insufficient light levels of only 33 footcandles on the ice. Lights were perpetually burned out, needing constant maintenance which required a bucket truck that had to be scheduled around a nonstop activity schedule. Between the expense of upkeep and the nearly $34,000 annual energy costs, upgrading to LED technology was a decision they couldn’t afford not to make.
The Solution
When Dennis VanderSchaaff, Director of Operations for the Breckenridge Recreation Center, reached out to Ted Lunn, Energy Specialist for Colorado Electric Supply, looking for a solution, he was excited about the improvements promised by LED technology. He needed a fixture that could withstand the moisture and harsh elements of the rink’s wet environment while providing a glare free, uniform illumination that would enhance the overall experience within the arena. The decision was made to move forward with Shat-R-Shield’s Ironclad® LED Vapor Tight High Bay (VTHB) above the ice with the Incoplas® LED Hybrid as a supplement in locker areas. Ultimately 72 of the 800-watt induction lamps were replaced one-for-one with the 236-watt VTHB fixtures and 10 of the 175-watt metal halide lamps were replaced with 10 of the 45-watt Hybrid fixtures.
Of the many upgrade projects we do, this one has had one of the biggest impacts on our staff and patrons that we’ve seen, The LEDs brought up our footcandle level by 100 percent in certain areas and we continue to get comments on how light and bright it is and how much people enjoy skating in that environment.
– Dennis VanderSchaaff, Director of Operations for the Breckenridge Recreation Center