The Washington State Department of Commerce awarded Sound Transit $400,000 toward energy efficiency projects, including new lighting at the Federal Way, Auburn and Kent transit centers.

The improvements covered by the grant will save more than an estimated $80,000 a year in utility and operations costs and allow the agency to leverage an additional $175,000 in utility rebates.

“Sound Transit would like to thank the State Department of Commerce for supporting our commitment to conserve natural resources by saving energy — a key target in our sustainability program,” said Sound Transit CEO Joni Earl. “This Energy Efficiency grant will enable the agency to maximize available tax revenues by making needed improvements that will help realize energy and operational cost savings.”

The transit center improvements include replacing existing incandescent, fluorescent and high-intensity-discharge lighting fixtures with energy-efficient light-emitting-diode fixtures. The grant also includes upgrading heating, cooling and plumbing systems at Union Station.

Sound Transit is one of 20 agencies in Washington State to receive the first round of 2012 state Energy Efficiency grants. Projects were selected from 36 grant applications requesting a total of more than $14 million.