A New Light Shines on Hacienda

By Zoe Francis, Hacienda Network Staff Writer

Hacienda will be cast in a new light this spring, thanks to new energy-saving lights being installed throughout the park.

The light upgrades are part of a citywide plan to replace outdated high-pressure sodium vapor lights with cleaner LED lights.

"This is all part of climate action plans and goals for the city," Adam Nelkie, senior civil engineer with the City of Pleasanton, said. "It's about energy efficiency. This is one of the projects the city is doing to help become a greener city."

All of the cobra-head lights, named for their cobra-like appearance, in the city and the shoebox-style lights in Hacienda are being replaced with energy efficient LED lights.

Hacienda is technically responsible for maintaining the 785 lights within the development, but the city has agreed to do the work because it can negotiate a better deal since it is purchasing the lights in bulk. The entire project for the city and Hacienda will cost an estimated $1.6 million.

"(Hacienda) has responsibility for their lights," Nelkie noted. "But when we come across opportunities that would benefit both places, we like to do that. We reached out to the Hacienda business park and asked them if they'd be interested in joining in with the city on the LED light replacement project."

Hacienda was quick to jump on the city's generous offer to improve the park's lights.

"It is absolutely an excellent way of managing our costs in the long term," James Paxson, Hacienda general manager, said. "We've been involved in a number of retrofit programs that have converted various types of lights to LED lights. The payback is always immediate and long lasting."

Traffic lights in the park now use LED lights, and several individual businesses have converted their properties to LED lights.

"People will notice a difference in the quality of the light," Paxson said. "We have a number of installations that have occurred around the park in individual projects. The new lighting is very nice."

The cleaner, brighter light people often notice with LEDs is just one advantage, said Lorenzo King, associate engineer with the City of Pleasanton.

"There are several benefits - being green, less maintenance," King noted. "These lights can last five times or more longer than the high-pressure sodium vapor lights. LED lights have kept improving. Studies show they can last more than 20 years. The city will save more than $200,000 a year on energy consumption alone."

Lights are currently being replaced starting in the northeast part of the city. Hacienda should get its new lights sometime in early spring.

For more information about the city's green initiatives, please visit pleasantongreenscene.org.

Photo: Samples of the new LED street lights that will be installed throughout Hacienda and the city

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