Diamond Jo Casino Hits the Green Jackpot with Cree Lighting

Iowa-based Diamond Jo Casino, a gambling establishment located on the popular Port of Dubuque, recently installed energy-efficient LED (light-emitting diode) lighting by Cree, Inc. The casino upgraded its existing lighting to Cree’s LRP-38™ LED spotlights throughout the 188,000 square foot entertainment facility, including the gaming floor, hallways, reception and meeting rooms.
Diamond Jo Casino replaced 750 of its existing incandescent down lights with Cree LRP-38 LED lamps. Since the casino lights remain on at all times, installing LRP-38 lamps, which are designed to last 35,000-50,000 hours (depending on application), can result in significant energy and maintenance savings. By eliminating the need for regular bulb replacements and associated labor costs, Diamond Jo anticipates reducing maintenance costs by nearly $23,000 a year while providing high-quality lighting throughout its facility. According to Chad Darter, Director of Facilities at Diamond Jo Casino, the long lifetime and high color quality of the LED lighting is a great match for the 24/7 operation of the casino.
According to lighting contractor Crescent Electric Supply Company, switching to Cree’s LRP-38 lamps, which consume only 11 watts of power compared to 100 watts from the original PAR-38 incandescent lamps, can save Diamond Jo Casino more than $46,000 in electrical costs annually. These savings, combined with anticipated maintenance savings result in a payback calculation of nearly one year for the installation with an ongoing annual savings of almost $70,000.
The casino was built in 2007 specifically to achieve “carbon neutral” certification under the Clean Air Conservancy's NetZero program. In addition to the energy-efficient LED lighting, the casino’s other green features include: a white roof designed to reflect heat and conserve energy, bar floor of reclaimed wood and a central plant heating and cooling system. In its partnership with the Clean Air Conservancy, Diamond Jo initiated the “Go Green Challenge” for Dubuque residents and businesses, as well as the Diamond Conservation Fund, including an annual commitment from the casino to help fund conservation efforts within its community.