An implementation of 1,300 environmentally friendly outdoor lights on campus aims to upgrade outdoor lighting but reduce energy consumption throughout campus.The lights were a $225,000 investment from the Universitys new Green Revolving Fund, the funds first investment, according to the University Communications website.The Green Revolving Fund is an initiative that invests in efficiency technologies instead of putting reserve cash in investment vehicles or bonds, a press release stated in December.The project will pay for itself in three years with a savings estimate of $75,000 on electricity per year with the lights expected to last 12 to 15 years.The University has been working toward decreasing costs and carbon emissions through energy efficient projects, both of which this project will do, according to the website.The lighting efficiency project will yield approximately 500,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity every year, the press release stated.The light bulbs do not need to be replaced as frequently, said director of the UVM Office of Sustainability, Gioia Thompson. LED technology is coming into the market right now, with outdoor lighting showing a quick return on investment.We can expect to see the Energy Revolving Fund paying for installation of LEDs indoors over the next couple years, as the technology is brought into the mainstream and the electric utilities provide financial incentives in the form of rebates.All 1,300 LED light replacements were finished on Jan. 30, said UVM Energy Management Engineer Richard Wolbach.[It] took quite a bit of work from my guys, Wolbach said. It was a little bit of a rush at the end because of rebate changes going into 2013.Reaching outside of the University, Burlington Electric Department (BED) has an interest in reducing overall energy consumption within Burlington city limits, said BED Communication Coordinator Mary Sullivan.The LED lights have a large reduction in energy and maintenance costs, Sullivan said. The lights give off more light, require less labor and last much longer. UVM is one of our departments biggest customers and we must meet a lighting standard.BED worked with UVM to achieve higher efficiency rates in Burlington, Sullivan said.After Wolbach saw the performance and energy savings of LED lighting, he decided to expand the plan to all exterior lighting on campus, said BED Energy Services employee Michelle Keller.Those savings result in lower electrical consumption for the BED, lower electric bills and costs for the University, as well as leaving more electricity available for the other city residents who are also Burlington Electric Department ratepayers, Keller said.