The U.S. is host to a staggering 164,300 stand-alone gas stations and another 115,000 combination convenience store and gas stations. Profit margins are typically thin at these stores, and customers are often drawn to establishments they perceive to be well-lit, clean and safe.
 
When Steve Welge, president of California-based Fillner Construction, broke ground on a new Chevron station located in Concord, Calif., he had rigorous zoning and energy saving mandates to follow. Yet he also knew that bright light would be critical to attracting business to the 55,000-square-foot property that has a convenience store, capacity for a drive-thru restaurant, car wash and a 10 fuel dispenser island.
 
Concord, Calif., has outdoor building guidelines to reduce light pollution and decrease energy consumption and while the project was originally specified with 250-watt metal halide fixtures, Wisconsin-based BetaLED came to Welge and Chevron franchise owner Jadwinder Singh of JA and AJ, Inc., with an LED luminaire program. Because of advances in technology, LEDs not only have the required intensity for outdoor applications such as roadways and parking lots, but also superior optical control compared to conventional sources of light such as metal halide or high-intensity discharge lights.
 
"This station, Black Diamond Vista Chevron, is an LED showcase in Northern California,” said Welge. “Because the station sits on a hill in the Bay Area adjacent to a major freeway, it can be seen for up to four miles away and really draws a lot of customers.”
 
The lack of optical control in conventional lighting wastes a lot of light, particularly in the U.S., where an estimated 30 percent of outdoor lighting is projected skyward. LEDs, because of their energy and dollar savings and improved quality of light, have the potential to replace all existing conventional lighting.
 
‘’It absolutely provides the level of light we were looking for to make our location bright and secure,” Singh said. “And, as the owner paying the bills, I’m impressed with the 64 percent energy savings and three year payback.”
 
Facts about the Installation:

• Black Diamond Vista Chevron is saving 64 percent on energy costs compared to traditional high-intensity discharge fixtures.

• The gas station is using 20 THE EDGE canopy fixtures and 12 THE EDGE area fixtures from BetaLED.

• Virtually no maintenance for the life of the application.

• International Dark Sky Association approved, Dark-Sky friendly fixtures.