RedBird LED Lighting was installed at 17,500 feet at Mount Everest High Base Camp. The installation was part of a study conducted by Xtreme Everest 2 that is studying health problems in hospital intensive care units. Xtreme Everest 2 is made up of intensive care doctors, nurses, and scientists. The group wanted to cost-effectively replicate the conditions of an intensive care unit at 17,500 feet elevation on the world's largest mountain.
The Xtreme Everest 2 location required rugged, energy efficient lighting that could perform well in extremely cold temperatures. The group chose RedBird Cardinal Vapor tight LED Luminaires, PG3-66W-50K-132. The company claims that they provide one of the highest lumens/dollar and lumens/watt of any LED lighting fixture. The Cardinal LED tubes are a direct mechanical fit into standard fixtures, operating on any voltage ranging from 110 to 277 VAC, and do not require the fluorescent ballast. Cardinal LED Tube lights deliver 7,000 lumens of light, while only consuming 66 watts.
The luminaires boast efficacy in real world conditions (installed efficacy) of 110 lumens per watt. Jonathan Eppstein , RedBird's president said, "We're pleased to have been selected to light this important facility. The research being done by this dedicated team will have a huge impact on treating a wide array of medical conditions. Our LED lights, with their high CRI and low energy use fit the bill perfectly for this application. While we in the US may think our energy rates are high, just imagine what the cost of electricity is at Everest High Base Camp, where generators running on gasoline flown in by helicopter provide all the power. "
Cardinal LED Linear products are UL listed as both a Luminair-Conversion-Retrofit-Product and as a Recognized Component Product, thus ensuring that when installed as directed all UL compliance for the fixture is preserved. Cardinal Linear Lights have been qualified by the DesignLights Consortium (DLC) making them eligible for many utility rebate program in the US and Canada.
