Upgrade to white light for Auckland roads

Auckland Transport will replace 44,000 high pressure sodium (golden yellow light) street lights with energy efficient light emitting diodes (LED) luminaires in what will be New Zealand’s most ambitious LED replacement programme to date. Auckland Transport owns more than 100,000 street lights, approximately one third of the country’s total lighting stock.

The first phase of the programme will be rolled out over five years and see nearly half of the regions street lights change from golden yellow light to white light. Auckland Transport estimates net savings of $32m over the 20-year design-life of the LED luminaires.

The Auckland Transport Board has approved the plan noting that the balance of the conversion will potentially follow in four to five years.

Phase one focuses mainly on residential roads which comprise approximately 60 per cent of the regions street lighting network.

AT has had a policy since 2012 that all new lights on pedestrian dominated roads will be LED luminaires. Changing the old lights to LED luminaires will reduce the energy consumption by over 50 per cent. Auckland Transport already has approximately 2,000 energy efficient LED luminaires in service.

At the same time the new luminaires are changed a Tele-management System (TMS) will be installed to manage and monitor the network. Through better management of light levels a further 15 to 20 per cent of energy savings can be achieved. The TMS will provide enhanced customer service as any faults on the network will be reported daily.

AT already has LED luminaires around Eden Park which are controlled by a TMS system. This was established under an earlier project and has worked well by increasing light levels before and after events.

International experience has shown that white light is also a factor in crime prevention; delivers greater comfort and security and improves visibility and reaction times for drivers and pedestrians, resulting in fewer vehicle crashes and injuries.

This hugely favours LED as a light source and already this year, according to new research, the market share of LED for street lighting worldwide exceeds 50 per cent.

Auckland Transport will be going to tender for four new Street Light Maintenance and Renewals contracts for 4 years which will include the replacement LED programme. It is planned to begin the replacement programme early in 2015.

ENDS

© Scoop Media