Case study March 2022
Tampa, Florida, frequently sees high temperatures get into the 90s and above, especially during the summer months. During these hot months, many Tampa residents stay cool inside during the day and venture out in the evening.
The Ruth J. Fleming trail is a short walking trail around Woodland Terrace Park in Tampa, Florida. This 3 mile walking trail is frequented by many people, including neighborhood watch members who use it to keep an eye on activity in the park and surrounding area at night. It is also frequented by elderly community members who enjoy taking a nighttime stroll after the day’s heat has passed.
Park & Pathway
Woodland Terrace Park in Tampa, FL
15 UP2 Series 20W 3000K Dark Bronze with Decorative Fixture and motion sensing – installed on a 20-ft. pole
Ruth J. Fleming has been on the neighborhood watch for the Woodland Terrace community for more than 20 years. She noticed that the park would get dangerously dark at night—so dark that it was impossible to see who was in the park or where you were going if you were on the trail.
Last year, she and her husband Levi reached out to the city of Tampa to see if it was possible to add more lighting at Woodland Terrace Park to make the trail safer and more accessible for residents.
The city agreed that something needed to be done to improve the lighting on the path. The mayor’s team wanted to provide a solution that would keep the trails lit for walkers and community watch members while also saving energy resources.
After doing some research, the city of Tampa decided that using renewable energy through solar-powered lights was the best solution for the problem. They chose to work with Sol and Solar Solutions FL, a minority-owned business focused on sustainability to provide a lighting solution for the Ruth J. Fleming trail.
For this specific project, SOL proposed its award-winning UP2 system. It is programmed with an operating profile that reduces light pollution in the darkest hours of the night, so as not to bother residents in the neighborhood. With its built-in motion sensor, the UP2 automatically increases the amount of light when a pedestrian is detected on the trail, providing safe lighting at night.
This solution also saved money for the city. Once the solar lights are installed, they don’t require any additional costs. In addition, the lights are all covered by an industry-leading 10-year municipal-grade warranty, ensuring that the city won’t have to spend extra money if there is a malfunction covered by the warranty.
The Woodland Terrace community can now walk on the Ruth J. Fleming Solar Trail safely when it is dark outside. In addition to providing a safer environment for residents and the Woodland Terrace community, Sol helped Tampa achieve the LEED for cities gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. This honor indicates that Tampa is committed to resiliency and sustainability.
The Ruth J. Fleming Solar Trail was unveiled on Earth Day, 2021. On the same day, the city of Tampa declared its commitment to the state of Florida’s Race for Zero. This is a commitment that leaders from other major cities, including Orlando and St. Pete, have made to create sustainable communities and make Florida a carbon-neutral state. Sol is proud to have helped Tampa move toward being a more sustainable city.
