Rider University
Campus-Wide Energy Efficiency Upgrade| Lawrenceville, New Jersey
Established in 1865, the university is recognized for its strong commitment to academic excellence, sustainability, and student engagement. The 280-acre Lawrenceville campus is home to modern academic buildings, residence halls, performing arts facilities, and athletic complexes that serve a diverse student body. Pearl Street Systems delivered a campus-wide energy efficiency upgrade across Rider University, targeting lighting, controls, and mechanical systems under the PSEG Engineered Solutions Program.
Project AT A GLANCE
Location: Lawrenceville, NJ
Buildings: 12
Total Fixtures: ~6,900
Completed: 2025
Scope: Lighting, Controls, Mechanical
Program: PSEG Engineered Solutions
The Challenge
Rider University’s campus relied on outdated fluorescent, HID, and early-generation LED lighting. The goal was to improve efficiency, reduce maintenance, and advance sustainability efforts.
The SOLUTION
Pearl Street implemented upgraded lighting and mechanical systems across the campus, aligning energy efficiency goals with day-to-day operations, including:
- LED lighting upgrades across all 12 buildings
- New reheat coils and hot/cold-water valves in the Moore Library
- VFDs and a modern Direct Digital Control system for Cranberry's Café kitchen
- Alumni Gym: new RAB LED high-bay fixtures with Light Cloud Blue Bluetooth controls for individual, app-based fixture control
Execution
The project was completed in phases to minimize disruption to campus life. Pearl Street provided turnkey engineering, design, procurement, project management, controls commissioning, and installation services across twelve occupied campus buildings while maintain normal university operations.
The Results
- Approximately 60% reduction in energy consumption
- Modernized building controls
- Increased light levels campus-wide
- Optimized scheduling and tighter temperature controls
- Reduced maintenance
The Benefits
- Improved occupant experience through better lighting
- Increased campus efficiency
- Long-term energy savings
“Everyone is so pleased with the lighting. Having the ability to adjust lighting levels has been a huge benefit across campus, as some spaces require brighter settings while others work better at lower levels. This flexibility has worked especially well in the Moore Library, where different areas are set to different lighting levels, including a sensory space designed on the lowest setting at the request of the Library Team. In the Alumni Gym, there are six programmable lighting scenes that make it easy to support athletic contests and events with the right amount of light in the right areas. The brightest setting even meets NCAA requirements for ESPN broadcasting.”