Every community should be moving to smart streetlights….but what are they?

Intelligent street lighting systems operate on the principal of dimming streetlights when streetlights are not needed.  The dimming event is calculated based on movement sensors and sensing algorithms that detect the need for lighting.    These types of systems have been widely and successfully deployed in many regions of the world and are now emerging in North America.  The systems also provide many additional benefits in the form of reduction in light pollution, reduced maintenance, reduced electricity consumption, traffic monitoring, and many more capabilities in terms of intelligent city applications.

By adding intelligent lighting controls, communities can maximize energy savings. Some of the other key points to consider are:

• Extending capital cost investment in LED lights by extending the life of the light.
• Reducing maintenance and operational costs each year by optimizing the program with real time data on light outages and issues.
• Most other lighting dimming controls only dim the lights on a schedule based on the classification of pedestrian traffic and how busy the road and sidewalks are in the area. This can sacrifice the security and safety of the individual at night.  The best solution always provides 100% light by an advanced motion detection system that filters out animals, wind, and trees.
• Liability is a big issue today. With proactive light failure alerting communities can ensure the safety of the public by replacing a burned out light sooner.

The other key benefit is all the data that can be captured and reported in real time.  This data can be used to provide more insight into what’s happening in a community and support better decision making in the future.

In addition to all the data benefits, each light can be managed from a single open platform. Email alerting of light outages can be sent to maintenance departments and/or lighting managers for proactive notification.  The system is also capable of asset management tracking for light poles and LED lights across the city.

Citykinect can help you in this area if your community is looking to install smart streetlights. If you have any questions or want to learn more please contact us – we are happy to help!