The way we light our cities has become an important issue for governments and planners, under constant pressure to reduce energy consumption and costs. This demand leads us to look for alternative solutions – that is, smart lighting systems.
In this article you will be able to understand a little about modern lighting systems and how they are benefiting smart cities.
What is smart city lighting?
Smart lighting is a public lighting system that integrates IoT technologies to reduce energy consumption. Equipped with sensors, video surveillance capabilities and complex algorithms, these lighting systems can be controlled from a remote location and adjusted according to the needs of the space. These networks are often deployed in cities and buildings, however, there are also uses for smart lighting in homes – on a much smaller scale. The applications of connected lighting are wide-ranging, from locating crime to sending alerts of fire or other emergencies before human intervention. These lighting systems go far beyond just security, providing other operational applications such as parking space availability and street cleaning. There is also operational efficiencies like motion sensor street lights that can increase lighting in high crime areas, reducing consumption when the area is not in use and detecting outages more quickly.
What are the benefits of smart lighting systems?
Outdoor smart lighting systems offer a range of benefits for cities, with the potential to:
- Improve security
- Reduce costs
- Easy installation and maintenance
- Reduce environmental impact
This is just the beginning. Below we highlight some of the main areas that are benefiting from these networks.
Security
One of the biggest benefits of smart lighting systems is their ability to keep citizens safe. These systems can often be activated remotely and can be set up in locations that do not have adequate lighting, such as low-traffic areas, parking lots, garages, parks, and alleys.
- Smart traffic light systems. Emergency responders can easily navigate intersections with connected traffic lights that are controlled remotely. Operators can provide a direct path to an emergency location without the delay of red lights.
- Responsive lighting. Using smart lighting sensors, brightness can be controlled to improve visibility during variations in weather and light.
- Faster outage detection. A fundamental part of city safety is keeping areas lit. Smart lights can alert operators through the network of blown fuses or burned out lights, ensuring streets don't go dark.
- Remote control for conditions. City operators can increase brightness in high-crime areas to prevent crime. These lights can also be automated to turn on or off during high traffic times or when no one is in the area.
Lower Cost
Although smart light systems generate a seemingly higher initial cost, they quickly pay for themselves in reduced maintenance costs. Smart street lights can be continuously monitored, giving operators the ability to identify and predict faults before they become serious problems. Maintenance teams can then be sent to work quickly and effectively, knowing exactly what the problem is before they even arrive on site.
Data collect
Another benefit of smart street lights is their ability to collect data on the urban environment from traffic congestion to park and sidewalk usage, weather and other environmental factors. The real-time data collected provides policymakers with the information they need to make smart decisions about future city initiatives and infrastructure.
Reducing Energy Consumption
Street lights are estimated to contribute up to 40% of a city's energy load. The ability to control them remotely and automate brightness means that when lights are dimmed, the city saves money and resources.
Smart Lighting Systems in Action
To be an effective system, smart lighting networks need a stable line of communication between individual components and a centralized server.
That's where Robustel, represented in Brazil exclusively by Above-Net , can help.
Our routers – like the R3000 Dual – provide a reliable connection point and have already been deployed in smart lighting systems in cities around the world to help governments maintain lighting costs as well as making the system more time-sensitive . They needed the ability to monitor remote lighting status in real time, as well as dimming level, adjusting on/off time and power consumption.
With information: Robustel
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