Infrastructure management company Amey has begun work installing 56,000 new LED luminaires to street lights in a three-year contract for Manchester City Council, with the aim of improving road safety and paving the way for future smart city applications.
The project will see existing traditional sodium discharge lamps replaced with the latest high technology LED lights, which will deliver significant energy and carbon emission reductions, while providing more robust in-light service and improved color recognition qualities, with significantly reduced maintenance and running costs.
The LED lighting system will be over 60% more energy-efficient. The LED Project will contribute to achieving the city council’s legal Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) targets. Following completion of the LED roll-out, over 7,000 tonnes of carbon emissions each year will be cut, and the council will benefit from energy running cost savings of over £2m (US$2.6m) a year.
The improved color quality of the LED lights will offer increased safety for road users in Manchester, due to the increased visibility and better color recognition that they provide. The LED lighting will be complimented by a state-of-the-art dynamic remote monitoring and control system, with the ability for the city to better manage and control its infrastructure, allowing the council to take up smart city opportunities in the future.
The control system will provide flexibility for adaptive lighting techniques to optimize energy usage and to respond to specific situations where varying light levels can assist public safety, and aid flow traffic changes in the event of emergencies.
The combination of the high technology LED lighting with the Internet of Things (IoT) management control and monitoring system will promote further future city infrastructure management enhancements in a wide range of applications. This could include real-time on-street messaging linked to the streetlight control system, and the ability to convey advise related to traffic congestion and other issues in parts of the city. Sensors on lampposts can also be used to monitor conditions, including air quality and pollution or to provide traffic flow and other data.
“We are excited to be installing these LED lights across Manchester. We are leaders in this field, having installed over 200,000 LED lights across the UK,” noted Amey’s business director, Barry Hale.
“This technology will enable the council to use the streetlight network not just for lighting the city, but also for a number of potential uses in the future. This is exciting technology and we are proud to be rolling it out in the city.”
