On CityScape’s new holiday tree, it’s not just the branches that are green.
The 30-foot-tall tree, which was lit Saturday night, is also adorned with dozens of light-emitting diodes, which use substantially less energy than their traditional incandescent counterparts.
CityScape chose to use LED bulbs because they are “the most efficient form of holiday lights,” said Jeff Moloznik, development manager at RED Development, the operator of CityScape.
The cost of powering a string of 100 LED lights for an hour is one cent, compared to $0.12 for small incandescent bulbs, according to a cost-calculator on Arizona Public Service Company’s website.
APS, who provides CityScape’s power, promotes the use of LEDs as an energy-efficient choice for holiday lights.
Damon Gross, an APS spokesman, said while the bulbs do not necessarily use renewable energy, they are more environmentally friendly than standard incandescent bulbs because of their low power consumption.
“Once you plug (an LED light) into your wall, it’s using the electricity that is out on the grid, which is produced by coal, gas or any number of things, but also from renewable energy,” Gross said. “It’s using a lot less energy, and that’s what’s most important.”
Dr. Mike Pasqualetti, a professor at ASU’s School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning, said he also regards LED lights as “green.”
“Under any imaginable definition, they would be considered green because one receives the same benefit with less energy and less environmental costs,” he said. “Everyone wins and nobody suffers. We all get what we want with less environmental harm and less economic cost.”
Pasqualetti said the use of LEDs might also increase the practicality of solar energy.
“Because of the low power requirement for LEDs, using solar panels becomes more practical and less expensive than running an electric line or using a generator for lighting,” he said.
Michael DiNezza, a graduate research assistant at ASU’s Department of Electrical Engineering, said he draws a line between green energy and green technology.
“I would consider LEDs to be a green technology,” he said. “The term ‘green energy’ seems to apply more to sources of energy — like solar cells, biofuels, etcetera — rather than energy-consuming devices.”
One benefit of LED lighting is its increased lifespan, DiNezza said.
“When incandescent bulbs fail, they fail catastrophically,” he said. “On the other hand, LEDs don’t burn out completely — the light output will just gradually and slowly decrease over its lifetime.”
While LEDs can be produced in virtually any color, the bulbs on CityScape’s tree are a simple white, contrasting with the red decorations and evergreen needles.
The lighting of the tree on Saturday evening coincided with the official opening of CityScape’s ice rink. Though the lights will only shine at night, the tree will remain a part of CityScape for the remainder of the holiday season.
“It’s a ceremonial community gesture,” Moloznik said. “The tree and all the space is something for the city, and the (tree lighting) event is designed to kick off the season.”
Contact the reporter at jtylor@asu.edu
