The Wichita Falls Arts Council, located in Wichita Falls, Texas, recently hosted a dedication ceremony as part of the Arts Alive! Home & Garden Festival to celebrate its switch from legacy lighting to energy-efficient LEDs in two of its buildings: The Kemp and The Forum. The arts council received more than $17,000 from Green Mountain Energy’s Sun Club, which was founded in 2002 to advance the company’s sustainability goals, for the project.

Nearly 300 incandescent lights were replaced, which is expected to save nearly $7,000 in annual energy usage at both campuses, along with lowering heat output. The project will pay for itself in less than 2.5 years.

“The Arts Council has been proud to serve our community for the past 25 years, not only in supporting the arts but in restoring and preserving two historic landmark buildings for public use,” said Carol Sales, chief executive officer for the Wichita Falls Arts Council. “Working with 100-year-old buildings often means a need to update energy-inefficient systems.”

The council’s annual Home & Garden Festival, which has taken place the past 23 years, was held February 22 and 23. This lighting retrofit was celebrated during this event because it features sustainability throughout its programming, from vendors with recycled products to backyard farming and waste-water reclamation, offering information and real-world applications for everyday improvements people can make in their own homes.