2018-10-31 Standardization Committee Minutes

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Agenda Item 2: Remove the Chips & Wafers Energy Solutions CWES HIB Series LED roadway luminaries. Mr. Kamelamela made a motion to approve the item and it was seconded by Mr. Simeon. Mr. Takaba wants to open up the process primarily to see what other options they have. They have been encountering some problems with the existing lights, many failures and high maintenance. Also, Department of Public Works (DPW) and Mayor's office have been receiving complaints from the public. Ms. Sako explained to the members this removal request is for the street lights. DPW replaced all the LED's and previously standardized this brand but now they want to remove it from standardization and take a look at what options are available. Mr. Takaba confirmed. Mr. Kamelamela inquired on the kinds of complaints received from the public. Mr. Takaba said the main complaints were the lights being too dark at Banyan Drive and Ainaola Drive (Waiakea Uka). You cannot see a pedestrian when he/she is under the light. Mr. Sewake questioned if the issue was the color or the output. Mr. Takaba said possibly both. Mr. Mangaoang said if you look at different streets and at different levels of light output some will be really bright and shine a whole intersection. Some places like Mohouli Street near the senior housing driving towards Ainako, those lights look like a lit candle. As part of the high maintenance issue with the design; frequently the LED's burn the plastic housing that covers the bulb. It blackens the plastic therefore the light output is very dim. The light is basically trying to shine through burnt black plastic. Mr. Kamelamela asked how often they have to maintain these lights. Mr. Mangaoang response was since January 2018, they averaged 50 work orders per month to switch out a light. Other causes could be the photo cell battery - somehow due to its design, water is getting trapped in the unit, shorting out the light and sometimes burning the plastic housing causing poor lighting. DPW started installing these particular lights at the end of 2014, beginning of 2015 until 2016. It's been only two years and they experiencing so many issues. DPW replaces a problem fixture with a completely new fixture each time. Ms. Sako asked if prior to these LED lights being standardized and installed did the department have another lighting system standardized? Mr. Takaba doesn't think so. Might have been similar system island -wide but it all had to be low pressure sodium lamps based on the Hawai'i County Code outdoor lighting ordinance. Mrs. Sako was thinking going forward, if the committee removed this from the standardization list, is the plan is to study more what might work better and standardize again or to keep it flexible because maybe different fixtures may be used in different areas around the island? Mr. Takaba said they are not quite sure but also not ready to anoint the Chips & Wafers brand. They are researching lights right now and currently testing several fixtures and working with several vendors. DPW is planning a road light test with CREE's fixtures, they will do a light study on a road, they will evaluate the current fixtures, and DPW will install their fixtures and do an evaluation as well. It's hard to say if they plan on standardizing island -wide, it depends on the outcome of their research studies.