Chapel Hill Joins Cree LED City® Program

Ten high-pressure sodium streetlights have been replaced to evaluate the extension of LED street lighting in Chapel Hill. LED street lighting can reduce energy consumption by 50 percent or more. The town is soliciting feedback from residents about the quality of the lighting during the course of the 12-month pilot program.

At a ceremony held during Chapel Hill’s Earth Action Day 2009, Mayor Kevin Foy said, “Joining Cree’s LED City initiative is an important part of Chapel Hill’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint and becoming a fully sustainable community. By replacing low-pressure sodium streetlights with LEDs, Chapel Hill can reduce energy consumption for street lighting, which we hope will positively impact our budget as well as our carbon emissions.”

Using LEDs for energy-efficient lighting is just one of the many steps Chapel Hill is taking in order to become a more environmentally-friendly community. The town has set an aggressive goal of reducing carbon emissions by 60 percent below 2005 levels, by 2050. To support this objective, Chapel Hill is acting on a comprehensive plan that includes policies to promote compact, mixed-use development; alternative transportation; greenway developments and environmental protection. Since Chapel Hill Transit became fare free in 2001, it has become the second largest transit system in the state. This year it will respond to increased ridership with the addition of 11 new hybrid electric buses, part of a plan to green the municipal fleets. Other sustainable practices establish that all new town-owned facilities be built using sustainable practices as set by the LEED Silver certification program.