Switch good for planet, pocket

Council has switched its Noosa Leisure Centre stadium over to LED lighting, slashing the venue’s carbon emissions by more than half.
The newly installed 28 LED fixtures replace the old halide lights, and is just one of the ways council is looking to meet its zero emissions policy.
Noosa Leisure Centre co-ordinator Cathy Simon said the new lights were cheaper to run, brighter, and produced much less heat.
“They also generate 15 fewer tonnes of carbon annually. What’s more, maintenance costs are reduced because with LED lights we no longer need to replace bulbs,” she said.
The new LED lights cost $31,500 to install, but council said the longer lifespan of LED lights and reduced need for maintenance meant council could recover the cost of the lighting upgrade in just a few years.
And it’s not just the new lighting that is helping keep the facility cool.
“We also installed some giant ceiling fans in the stadium that are more effective and energy-efficient than the exhaust fans that we used to run. Ultimately, both the LED lighting and the new fans will provide long-term cost-savings as well as being better for the planet,” Cathy said.