PAMF Santa Cruz Carries out Major LED Lighting Retrofits

The Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF) has converted two of their Santa Cruz facilities to LED lighting. Replacing incandescent and compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs with LED screw-in bulbs is happening throughout Santa Cruz county in commercial and residential locations and a variety of these bulbs are sold at many county stores.  The PAMF conversion is noteworthy because they have replaced their 2′x2′ and 2′x4′ fluorescent lights known as troffers.  These are the commonly used square and rectangular lights that lay in the ceiling grid alongside the ceiling tiles and are comprised of a couple of fluorescent tubes in a white housing covered with a flat plastic prismatic cover. PAMF installed LED troffers from three different suppliers.  Each has a different design as seen in the photos but they also have similarities and improvements over the flat lensed fluorescent tube troffers beyond the improvements in energy efficiency and life expectancy.

• These are all in a class of troffer called “volumetric”.  Volumetric lights are 3 dimensioned: they extend up into the ceiling grid.  This breaks up the monotony of the flat ceiling plane making the ceiling more interesting to look at.
  

  Chanticleer Examination Room with Cree 2×4 Troffers

• The curved and slanted surfaces of the volumetric troffers are engineered to deliver the light into the room more effectively (maximizing the available light) while also distributing the light more uniformly: minimizing glare, shadows and harsh edges.

Main Clinic Reduction of costs and improvements in efficiency are two key goals with facilities at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, a member of the Sutter Health network.  With health care needs growing and the consequent need to enhance existing facilities and build new ones, PAMF is paying specific attention to the implementation of LED lighting in their new and upgraded facilities.

One large project is the retrofit of their existing Santa Cruz Main Clinic at 2025 Soquel Avenue.  In this recently completed project, over 750 light fixtures have been retrofitted from older, multi-tube fluorescent fixtures to new LED technology.  With this retrofit, PAMF will reap a number of benefits, including: -Better light distribution due to the optical qualities of the new fixtures -Improved visual acuity, since the color rendering (CRI) with the new LEDs is higher than that of fluorescent -Reduced space cooling needs, since the LED units emit less heat than fluorescents The new LED products have 10-year warranties, and PAMF expects to largely eliminate the need for lamp replacements.  In addition, the new LED lighting is expected to reduce electricity use for lighting by 57%.  Lower energy use means fewer environmental emissions, all while improving the lighting for PAMF patients and staff.

“Moving to LED lighting is a ‘future-proofing’ strategy Sutter Health is undertaking.” says Wayne Bader, energy manager, Sutter Health Facility & Property Services.  As California’s Title 24 standards continue to evolve, ever-higher efficiencies and increasing occupant controls are being required by the building code for new facilities and major renovations, Bader says.  Use of LED lighting is helping Sutter meet the new code requirements, while simultaneously improving facilities for health care providers and patients.  In addition to interior lighting changes, Sutter is upgrading lighting at their parking facilities throughout Northern California, where they expect to achieve similar benefits. LED materials used in the retrofit: Phillips EvoKit 2′x4′ & 2′x2′ LED retrofit kits:

•  EvoKit 2×4-P36L-33W-835-5-Mk10-7-G2 #929000716313
•  EvoKit 2×4-P42L-42W-835-5-Mk10-7-G2 #929000714713
•  EvoKit 2×4-P52L-53W-835-Mk10-5-G2 #929000715713
•  EvoKit 2×2-P32L-34W-838-5-Mk10-7-G2 #929007714113
•  EvoKit 2×2-P23L-25W-838-5-Mk10-7-G2 #929000716913

The EvoKit troffers are installed in the hallways, waiting rooms, admittance desks and the administrative areas.  The lumens (amount of light that is emitted) and watts of electricity used are identified in the description. For example P36L is 3600 lumens, and 33W is the amount of electrical draw that the troffer requires.  This results in a luminaire that delivers roughly 100 lumens /watt, a good number and useful reference metric when comparing troffer efficacy. Finelite High Performance Recessed Luminaire

• HPR-A-2×4-DCO-VHO-3500K-96-120-XX-INV-96LG

This high performance 6085 lumen, 3500K color temp, CRI-87, R9 – 32 luminaire is used in the procedure rooms.  These attributes provide bright lighting with good color rendering of skin colors and fluids such as blood which are all useful in diagnosis and treatment.

2911 Chanticleer Office

PAMF is in the final stages of a remodel of their office located at 2911 Chanticleer, across from Sutter Maternity and Surgery Center.  Sutter Health Facility and Property Services collaborated with PAMF, Slatter Construction (general contractor) and sub-contractor Hope Electric to introduce LED lighting into the second phase of the remodel project. PAMF produced photometric drawings of the space at Chanticleer, which showed lighting levels at 30″ AFF (above finished floor) in foot candles, for Cree LED fixtures and T-8 fluorescent fixtures.  They also took field measurements under the existing fluorescent fixtures to make sure the manufacturer’s published data and drawings were reasonably accurate.  Based on the photometric drawings and their own guidelines, the LED fixture quantities and locations will match the approved lighting plan.  The fixture types that are installed are:

- Exam rooms and procedure rooms: CR24, 2′x4′ troffers, 5000 lumens each

- Corridors, open space work areas, waiting area: CR22, 2′x2′ troffers, 2000 lumens each – Individual offices that have only one 2′x2′ troffers: CR22, 3200 lumens each These fixture selections provide average lighting levels that most closely match the recommended levels for the various spaces. All fixtures have a color temperature of 4000K — that is the closest available match to the 4100K fluorescent tubes used in Phase 1. All fixtures have step-dimming which allows the light level to be manually reduced by 50%, a Title 24 code requirement.

Each office and procedure room has an occupancy sensor to turn the lights on and off. The designated emergency lights have battery backup which will provide 1400 lumens during power outages.

 

 

 

LED Materials Used in the Retrofit: Cree

•  (35) CR24 50L 40K_S – exam and procedure rooms
• (30) CR22 20L 40K_S corridors, common areas, open work spaces
•  (12) CR22 20L 40K_S EB14 – same as above with battery backup for emergency egress lighting
•  (4) CR22 32L 40K_S – slightly higher light output 2×2′s for those offices that have only one fixture

Electricians

2911 Chanticleer Electrician – John Hope Electric – (831)458-0805 www.johnhopeelectric.com 427 – B Swift Street, Santa Cruz, Ca. 95060

2025 Soquel Electrician – Rosendin Electric – (408) 286-2800 www.rosendin.com 880 Mabury Road, San Jose, Ca. 95133