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made both in cutng energy
consumpton and costs, and
in improving the way cites
functon.
Connected lightng systems
allow each street light to
be remotely monitored
and controlled individually,
meaning city managers can
tailor the lightng to suit
the specifc needs of each
locaton. From a cost-saving
perspectve, this means lights
can be dimmed or switched of
at tmes and in places when
they are not required. It also
lets city managers see in real
tme where there are faults,
thus reducing maintenance
costs and improving
operatonal efciency.
These atributes also help
cites run more smoothly, as
controllers are able to raise
lightng to improve visibility
on demand, such as in the
event of road accidents, peak
trafc periods, poor weather,
or outdoor events. This not
only empowers cites to
make smarter use of their
lightng infrastructure but
also delivers a greater sense
rtcc respoNd
of safety and security to citzens walking the Such ambitons need not be pipe dreams –
streets afer sunset. especially when the solutons are there for the
taking. As 25,000 delegates from governments,
global appeal UN agencies and NGOs convene in Paris for COP
This technology is just as applicable to the
growing number of megacites as it is to villages. 21, world leaders must put a stake in the ground
to drive faster, decisive acton to combat climate
Bustling metropolises such as Buenos Aires, change. That means setng more ambitous
mid-sized cites like Szeczin in Poland, and small goals for energy efciency and implementng
hilltop towns like Cità Sant’Angelo in Italy are processes to achieve them. Government
all beneftng from upgrading to connected LED regulatory bodies must be prepared to set high
street lightng systems. but atainable energy standards for buildings
and lightng in streets and other public places.
It’s also possible for those cites that pioneered
LED street lightng to unlock their full potental We have a responsibility to see these pledges
by making older LED fxtures connected.
Los Angeles has just overcome this hurdle through, and the clock is tcking. Every day, the
global populaton has risen by close to 200,000
through mobile and cloud-based technologies people; the same number have moved to a
from Philips, without the fnancial burden of city; the world consumed 60 billion kWh of
upgrading to modern LEDs. electricity; and 30 million tons of carbon dioxide
Adopton of these kind of technologies must were pumped into the atmosphere.
become the norm rather than the excepton, if
cites are to make meaningful energy efciency The tme to act is now if we are to retain any
improvements. The environmental argument shred of credibility among future generatons.
for taking acton is the most compelling, and We have the beneft of both knowledge and
technology to reverse these trends – it’s now up
has been well documented. But the social to us to break the inerta and apply them for the
and economic case is ofen overlooked and collectve good of the planet.
demonstrates that improving energy efciency htp://lightng.philips.com
does not translate to austerity. Recent research
suggests that roughly doubling the annual
Harry Verhaar is head of Global Public &
rate of energy efciency improvement from Government Afairs for Philips Lightng.
1.3% to 3% would create some 6 million new
jobs by 2020 – 1.2 million of them in Europe.
Furthermore, it would also cut the world’s
energy bill by more than £1.5 trillion by 2030.
Back to the future. Philips
has equipped three historic
Italian towns with state-of-
the-art connected LED street
lightng. Cità Sant’Angelo
shown here. Photo: © Philips.
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