Houston is moving ahead with a plan to replace the light bulbs at all 2,381 of its traffic stops with energy-efficient bulbs that could save more than $4 million a year in electricity costs.
City Council approved a $16.4 million contract with Siemens Building Technologies Inc. on Wednesday.
Although the ”light-emitting diode,” or LED, traffic signals will cost 16 times more than incandescent bulbs, they last six years longer, city officials said.
”We want to use energy-efficient lighting and make energy-efficient improvement for the same reason that Wal-Mart does, and that is to reduce costs and save money over the long run and to give Houston a competitive advantage,” Mayor Bill White said.
The project is one of a handful of “green initiatives” in the works at City Hall, including establishing new energy-reducing building codes, installing solar panels, buying renewable power and hybrid vehicles and vastly stepping up city recycling programs.
We heard about this in October. I’m glad to see it going forward. I hope more such announcements will be coming soon.
It’s good to see a city willing to spend a little more money right now to save money in the long run and help the environment.