Okla. convention center improves with lights

Tulsa Convention Center operators SMG and the BOK Center received a $71,000 incentive payment from Public Service Company of Oklahoma.

The money is enough to pay for further improvements at the convention center, said John Crosson, TCC engineering manager.

"That check is from PSO's wattage reduction incentive," Crosson said. "We spent $52,000 on the project, received $71,000 back, so we'll take that additional money and roll it into the next project. As long as I can keep them (SMG) in the green, we're not paying for fixtures."

The project to install high-efficiency lighting at TCC paid dividends — on top of more than 700,000 kilowatt-hours in anticipated annual energy savings — for the city-owned building, said Paige Reese, director of sales and marketing for the BOK Center.

The project involved the removal of 576 500-watt floodlights and fixtures in the convention center's first-floor exhibit hall, Crosson said.

"We replaced them with 144 360-watt dimmable fluorescent lights and fixtures," Crosson said.

Convention center and BOK Center General Manager John Bolton said in a statement that long-term reduction of energy costs drove the decision to move forward with the lighting project.

Along with the energy savings, PSO Consumer Programs Coordinator Micah Burdge said the convention center project improved lighting levels, increased versatility of the lighting, and has reduced maintenance costs.

The lighting is brighter, Reese said.

Crosson agreed, adding that the previous bulbs cast a yellowish tint.

"These bulbs burn brighter, they resemble daylight light," Crosson said.

Reese said the switch gives a modern look to the convention center.

"It offers us more versatility with our lighting options," Reese said. "It also reduces maintenance costs."

Clients want different light levels, Crosson said.

"In order to establish different moods for a building," Crosson said. "Say, if a vendor wants that bright overall functioning wattage, we can do that."

Every vendor is different, Reese said.

"Indian gaming, for example, does not want full illumination because their machines are self-illuminated," Reese said.

"Trade shows, dinners, concerts, they all want custom lighting," Crosson said.

Making the switch to the more energy-efficient lights will reduce the electrical demand in the 102,600-square-foot room by 162 kilowatts and is expected to save an estimated 729,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year.

The PSO incentive program is virtually identical to the electric utility's Smart Schools and Model Cities programs, said Stan Whiteford, PSO spokesman.

"It is part of the package of energy-efficiency programs we offer," Whiteford said.

The program offers incentives to commercial and industrial customers for making energy-efficiency improvements, Whiteford said.