Feb 23 2017
Cree, Inc. announced today that McLaren Health Care (McLaren), a Michigan-based integrated healthcare network, has selected Cree LED Lighting and Cree SmartCast® Technology to modernize exterior and interior lighting across 11 hospitals. Cree’s advanced LED solutions go beyond light with intelligence that automatically adapts to the environment to deliver greater energy savings and personalized environments that promote comfort, safety and security for McLaren patients, visitors and staff. 25,000 Cree® outdoor and indoor LED fixtures, including over 12,000 Cree SmartCast® intelligent lighting fixtures are installed throughout the facilities, enabling McLaren to reduce their energy costs by 66 percent and realize an estimated savings of over $1.6M annually in energy and operating expenses.
The McLaren LED lighting project is Cree’s most comprehensive healthcare installation featuring both indoor and outdoor lighting in parking garages, hallways, waiting rooms, lobbies and staff centers. Cree’s SmartCast intelligent lighting solutions and LED fixtures span across 5 million square feet of the expansive McLaren hospital network. The innovative solutions simplify energy management, help to improve staff productivity and morale, boost patient satisfaction and enhance brand appeal.
Gary Trott, vice president intelligent lighting for Cree stated, “The McLaren Health Care installation demonstrates our commitment to delivering a better lighting experience for patients, staff and visitors through our intelligent LED technology. We are honored to work with McLaren on our largest SmartCast® Technology installation and are pleased that they will join the many other premier healthcare facilities that leverage Cree’s advanced LED technology.”
Healthcare facilities, many of which operate 24/7, consume enormous amounts of energy in the form of heat, light and electricity. A June 2016 Yale University study cited that the healthcare sector contributes 8 percent of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions, emitting more than the entire United Kingdom. Cree’s intelligent LED technology will enable McLaren to optimize energy savings and utilize their space effectively, furthering McLaren’s corporate-wide initiative to promote sustainable business practices.
“McLaren is committed to reducing our carbon footprint as much as possible by decreasing our energy use,” remarked Keith Miller, corporate facilities manager, McLaren Health Care. “Cree’s innovative lighting allows us to reach our sustainability goals quickly and cost effectively while improving patient, staff and visitor experiences.”
The Cree SmartCast Technology and LED lighting installation provides McLaren with numerous benefits, including:
- Lowered operational costs, a total of $1.6M per year
- Reduced environmental impact with a sustainable choice
- Consistent lighting and “brand” experience across all of the facilities
- Scalable and flexible with a connected and intelligent operation
- Simplified fixture monitoring and maintenance, re-configuration, upgrades and expansion
- Higher productivity for staff and a heightened sense of well-being for patients and visitors