A-B Tech Decorates Historic Homes with a Modern Twist for the Holidays

November 29, 2010

Employees from M.B. Haynes Electric Utility Corp. and A-B Tech hang lights on the giant fir in front of the Fernihurst building in preparation for the college's first Lighting of the Green. Lights will be on nightly from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 4-22.

A-B Tech will usher in the holidays with its first Lighting of the Green Dec. 4-22, featuring historic homes on campus decorated with conventional lighting as well as energy-efficient lighting provided by the College’s Global Institute for Sustainability Technologies (GIST).

GIST, with a sponsorship from Progress Energy, purchased solar and outside light-emitting diode (LED) lighting to be incorporated into the decorating to create a festive atmosphere at the College.

Jon Snover, director of GIST, saw the Lighting of the Green as a teachable moment. “Since we deal with sustainability issues, with energy efficiency being the issue here, we wanted to show people how LED lighting and solar technology use less power over traditional lighting and can translate into cash savings,” he said.

According to Snover, LED Christmas lights, on average, use 90 percent less energy than traditional lights, have an average bulb life of 50,000 hours and burn cooler for a low fire hazard. “We want consumers to know if you spend a little more in new technology, you will save money in energy costs during the lifetime of the product,” he said.

Community members are invited to ride through campus and view the lights from 6 to 9 p.m. nightly. Two historic homes – Fernihurst, an 1870s mansion once the center of social activity for the township of Victoria, and the Smith-McDowell House, the oldest brick residence in Buncombe County – will be open to the public from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 7 and 14 for free tours, light refreshments and entertainment.

“We are delighted to invite everyone to come to our homes for the holidays,” A-B Tech President Hank Dunn said. “This is our way of saying thank you for the extraordinary support A-B Tech receives from the community.”

Jon Snover, director of GIST, saw the Lighting of the Green as a teachable moment. “Since we deal with sustainability issues, with energy efficiency being the issue here, we wanted to show people how LED lighting and solar technology use less power over traditional lighting and can translate into cash savings,” he said.