Novato, CA (PRWEB) February 18, 2014 -- LumiGrow, Inc. (http://www.lumigrow.com) announced today that Sustainable Local Foods selected the LumiGrow networked crop lighting solution for its new controlled environment greenhouse facility in Toledo, Ohio. Managed by the LumiGrow SmartPAR™ service, LumiGrow Pro 325™ LED fixtures will help the facility produce more than 800,000 heads of hydroponic lettuce annually. The LumiGrow solution is being configured and installed by GUSCO Energy (http://www.gogusco.com), a leading provider of energy-efficiency solutions to the agricultural, commercial and industrial marketplace.
Sustainable Local Foods is repurposing a 45,000-square-foot facility to provide fresh greens and fruit primarily to educational, institutional and charitable organizations in the Toledo, Ohio metropolitan area. In designing the facility, the Sustainable Local Foods team sought out the experts at CropKing (http://www.cropking.com) to create a modern indoor farm that maximizes crop yield and minimizes environmental impact. The hydroponic facility will produce ten times more lettuce than a comparably sized field farm while it uses approximately 90 percent less water and eliminates agricultural runoff.
By installing energy-efficient LumiGrow LED lights instead of conventional high intensity discharge (HID) fixtures in the greenhouse, Sustainable Local Foods will save over one million kilowatt hours per year. This translates into more than $900,000 in savings for Sustainable Local Foods within five years. The farm will further benefit the Toledo community by providing green-collar jobs and educational opportunities.
Every two 1,000-Watt HID lights replaced with two LumiGrow Pro 325™ LED lights saves enough electricity to power the average North American home for a year. The energy waste of HID fixtures costs North American growers an estimated $3 billion annually. Greenhouse operators choose LumiGrow LED lights to recoup these costs, improve crop productivity and comply with new and pending environmental regulations.
“By bringing in the GUSCO Energy team to implement our LumiGrow LED greenhouse system, we maximize our energy savings and take the guesswork out of lighting. This lets us stay focused on growing healthy, fresh food right here in Toledo,” said Mr. Bloom.
About Sustainable Local Foods
The Sustainable Local Foods mission is to help local communities grow food, opportunities and hope. The organization affects positive change by improving access to flavorful and fresh produce in urban areas. Through the use of modern farming methods and technologies, Sustainable Local Foods reduces energy, water and fertilizer use while it also reduces the carbon footprint of the community’s salad greens. Additionally, Sustainable Local Foods delivers vocational rehabilitation opportunities to local workers. For more information, please call (248) 878-4794.
About GUSCO Energy
GUSCO Energy is a wholly owned subsidiary of Brint Electric, a 40-year-old commercial and industrial electrical contractor. Headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, GUSCO Energy has completed projects throughout the United States. GUSCO Energy specializes in energy-efficient solutions for the commercial and industrial market place including agriculture, heavy manufacturing, food processing and cold storage facilities, retail applications for gas, convenience and grocery stores, warehousing, automobile dealerships, health care, hospitality and municipalities. GUSCO Energy’s proven turnkey services model encompasses every aspect of a successful LED implementation, from developing customized light plans and securing energy-efficiency incentives through to installing fixtures and providing ongoing performance verification. For more information, visit http://www.gogusco.com.
About LumiGrow, Inc.
LumiGrow, Inc., the leader in networked crop lighting, enables growers and scientists to reduce energy costs, achieve operational efficiencies and improve crop yield. LumiGrow offers a range of third-party proven solutions for use in greenhouses, controlled environment agriculture and research chambers. LumiGrow LED solutions are eligible for energy-efficiency subsidies from utilities across North America. The Company’s 1,500+ installations top global agribusinesses, Top 100 produce and flower growers, more than 200 universities and the USDA. Headquartered in Novato, California, LumiGrow is privately owned and operated. For more information, call (800) 514-0487 or visit http://www.lumigrow.com.
George Chan, LumiGrow, Inc., http://www.lumigrow.com, (800) 514-0487 Ext: 104, [email protected]
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