“The old, fluorescent lights on the Pier burned out, left gaps in the lighting and were in a difficult area to maintain,” said Matt Henigan, environment, energy efficiency engineer for the City of Santa Monica’s Office of Sustainability. “With the new LED lamps in place, maintenance is minimal, and we have already reduced energy consumption by over 30%. And because the LED lighting is directional, it improves safety and enhances the Pier’s appearance without causing light pollution for local residents.”
The 413,056 square-foot Santa Monica Pier also includes one of the few surviving all-wooden carousels in the world, part of the Santa Monica Looff Hippodrome, designed in 1916 by Charles Looff. A favorite of movie stars and a feature in film and television shows ranging from “The Sting” to “Charlie’s Angels,” the famous building previously used hundreds of fluorescent lamps that required constant changing and maintenance.“Now that the necklace lights on the carousel building have been replaced with LEDs, there are no gaps, they give off a nice, bright glow, and the colors really bring out the colors on the building,” said Jim Harris, Santa Monica Pier Restoration Corp. deputy director. “We won’t need to change these bulbs for years, and the LED lamps added to the rest area and Boardwalk outside of the building increase security and provide a well-lit area for people to relax and enjoy the sights and sounds of the Pier.”
The City of Santa Monica funded the LEDs project with a $668,000 Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) award from the U.S. Department of Energy.