La Plata Electric Association crafts 24/7 savings for all-hours gym

When your business stays open all day every day, even the smallest costs can quickly multiply. Don Roberts at Fitness Solutions 24-7 in Durango knows this firsthand, and he took steps to reduce operating costs when he opened for business in 2008.

Roberts chose to renovate a vacant restaurant building for his fitness center, opting for recycled materials and low-flow water fixtures on the inside and roof-mounted solar panels on the outside. He also decided to give back to the community by participating in Round Up and the Green Power program from La Plata Electric Association (LPEA).

Fitness Solutions is just a few blocks from the LPEA offices and their resident LED lighting guru Ray Pierotti. He anticipated the business would benefit from longer-lasting and more efficient fixtures and approached Roberts with the suggestion of installing LEDs when the original bulbs were ready to be replaced.

Pierotti convinced Roberts to install 41 fluorescent fixtures with new LED T-5 lamps. After a rebate from LPEA for the bulbs, the total cost came to $3,320 and LPEA estimated Fitness Solutions would see a return on this investment in less than six months. That timeline moved up considerably when Roberts received his first bill after the installation and calculated a 40 percent energy savings compared to the previous year. He estimates Fitness Solutions will save over $7,500 on their electric bill on an annual basis and enjoys knowing he’s doing something good for the environment.

To learn more about LPEA’s Round Up, Green Power or LED lighting programs visit www.lpea.coop. If you live in the LPEA service area and want to learn how to save money with LED lighting fixtures, contact Ray Pierotti at 970-382-7770.