Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino today announced that the installation of solar lighting systems on the top level of the Hicksville Commuter Parking Garage has achieved a major milestone: a 10,883-pound carbon offset, which is the equivalent of 6 acres of forest absorbing carbon dioxide.

 

“When I first took office, one of my top priorities was to transform the Town of Oyster Bay into a local leader in renewable energy initiatives. The use of solar panels on the Hicksville Commuter Parking Garage has already resulted in savings for taxpayers and is now helping to save our environment, too, as we recognize a 10,833-pound carbon offset,” Supervisor Saladino said. “From solar panels on the garage that reduce our carbon footprint to the use of LED streetlights and same-day solar permits for homeowners, Oyster Bay is paving the way for a brighter, cleaner, and renewable future.”

 

This installation work, completed during the refurbishment of the garage, replaced lights that were connected to the electric grid with 20 rooftop Ilumient Smart Off-Grid lighting systems.  Replacing the old conduit wiring for the grid-connected lights would have required drilling through the cement structure of the parking garage. Not only is this costly, but it could have compromised the structural integrity of the garage. Installing these wirelessly-powered and remotely-managed lighting systems eliminated this requirement to replace the wiring, while keeping its durability, reliability and aesthetics intact.

 

Supervisor Saladino stated, “Smart Off-Grid lighting enables remote control, monitoring, and management of the lighting systems, ensuring our residents high reliability and low maintenance costs. Additionally, this smart off-grid lighting allows service personnel to optimize lighting profiles, such as dimming the lights during periods of prolonged bad weather to preserve battery power, and also includes automated monitoring and alerts.”