New lighting system in McNeill classroom helps the university ‘Go Green’

Assistant Professor of Education Ted Anders, Ph.D. recently helped the university “Go Green” by initiating the donation and installation of a lighting system in a teacher education classroom on the school’s main campus.

The new lights are based on patented technology originated by Lifelight Technologies of Vancouver, Wash. Anders said the lights use less than one-fourth of the energy of current fluorescent systems, cutting operational costs and improving the natural quality of the light in the classroom. He added that the lights rate a 97 percent on the Color Resonance Index (CRI) – a measure of how natural the light is – as opposed to standard classroom lights that rate a 40 percent CRI.

Anders used his professional ties to Sourcelight, LLC, an international Lifelight systems distributor, to instigate the lighting renovation of Room 30 in McNeill Hall, with support from Vice President for Finance and Administration Mark Dresselhaus and Director of Maintenance Stephen Schulte.

Anders said in addition to being efficient, the lights are less of a health hazard, as virtually 100 percent of the mercury in the lights has been eliminated when they have reached the end of their lifespan. Current fluorescent lights have a residual mercury level equivalent to 50 percent of the original amount, he said.

“With lighting at the 97 percent CRI rating, our eyes don’t have to strain to see as they do when people are working for hours in a limited artificial fluorescent frequency range,” Anders added. “This positive difference is why the lights are appropriate for all employees and students, especially autistic, ADD, and LD learners in schools where our education majors will be teaching.”