A revolution in street lighting is dawning in Australia and New Zealand, and IPWEA is helping lead the way.
IPWEA CEO Robert Fuller and IPWEA NZ President Peter Higgs spent last week in New Zealand, meeting with government and key agencies including the National Infrastructure Unit (NIU) to discuss the upcoming launch of IPWEA’s new Street Lighting and Smart Controls (SLSC) programme.
Fuller says the Institute has been monitoring developments in street lighting since 2012.
In 2014 IPWEA released Practice Note 11: Towards more sustainable street lighting, which highlighted the many opportunities that LED lighting will bring, but also the challenges and risks for local councils.
“In recent years the public lighting industry has undergone a fundamental digital transformation and a move toward ‘smart cities’, where the traditional networks can be made more efficient and new services provided by using digital and telecommunication technologies, “ Fuller says.
The benefits of LEDs over traditional street lighting bulbs are well-known – LED luminaires use dramatically less energy, are more reliable, need less maintenance and create safer roads and public spaces by providing better illumination.
In spite of the overwhelming commercial, safety and environmental case for the wholesale renewal of street lighting infrastructure, less than 10% street lighting in Australia and New Zealand has been upgraded to LEDs, or is scheduled for upgrade.
Recognising the opportunities LED bulbs and smart controls present and the need for greater education around them, the SLSC programme (subject to funding support) will see IPWEA and service providers inform government at all levels about the application and benefits of street lighting and smart control technology – and where reforms are needed to realise the potential benefits.
Training will include webinars, face-to-face courses in major cities and development of an SLSC “maturity matrix” that will allow local governments and road authorities to self-assess their progress.
The service delivery partners for the SLSC programme are Sydney-based Next Energy and New Zealand-based Strategic Lighting Partners (SLP), under a joint venture agreement with IPWEA. The two specialist consultancies are governance and technical management advisors on street lighting and energy to national, state and local government agencies in both Australia and New Zealand.
Fuller says sponsorship, both financial and non-financial, will be essential to successfully launch and operate the SLSC programme.
“IPWEA will be making a two-year contribution in excess of $50,000, and is seeking funding support from Australian government departments and agencies, Australian state government agencies, New Zealand government ministries and agencies, lighting suppliers, smart controls suppliers and specialist street lighting service providers,” Fuller says.
The programme will be launched in early 2016.
For more information on the programme, contact IPWEA’s Director Sustainability Dr Stephen Lees at stephen.lees@ipwea.org.