Page 41 - Energize June 2021

TECHNICAL

Accelerated energy efficiency could also create attractive green
jobs and businesses within a municipality. By improving the energy
efficiency of the public lighting infrastructure, the initiative provides
a cost-effective, least-polluting and readily available energy resource
available to a municipality, to possibly re-invest into revenue
generating opportunities. This initiative also assists in climate
change mitigation.
The South African Department of Mineral Resources and Energy
(DMRE) promotes energy efficiency initiatives. As an example, the
DMRE requested municipalities to submit proposals for funding
consideration for the 2017/18 Energy Efficiency and Demand Side
Management (EEDSM) programme, which included the planning and
implementation of energy efficient streetlight luminaires and new
LED luminaires on high masts. The basis of the energy efficiency Figure 2: Inadequte public lighting
initiative is to replace existing non-efficient luminaires with modern
energy efficient LED luminaires and implement energy efficient Sustainability of public lighting
luminaires into new public lighting systems. Various methods and strategies could be implemented to improve
Quality, energy-efficient LED luminaires have longer operational sustainability. These range from manual methods of testing to
life than existing non-efficient luminaires, thus the implementation of automated systems and control, security of assets, financially
these LED luminaires would result in a longer lasting, consistent and feasible and efficient energy and maintenance schedules,
affordable public lighting infrastructure with reduced maintenance community involvement, personnel training and more.
and operational expenditure (excluding the impact of theft and One of the first steps to take when commencing the journey to
vandalism to these systems). sustainability is to identify, understand and mitigate the risks that
It is estimated that South African municipalities could save at may undermine and challenge the existing and future delivery of the
least 40% of the total expenditure per annum allocated to the existing public lighting service. These risks reduce the safety of the general
non-efficient public lighting infrastructure by replacing the existing public in public spaces where these undermined public lighting
nonefficient luminaires with energy efficient quality LED luminaires. installations are present.
However, the concern with the energy efficiency trend is that Without identifying and understanding the causes of the risks
the focus is on energy saving without maintaining quality and which impact public lighting systems, it is impossible to implement
compliance to luminaire and lighting level standards. This may effective mitigation strategies.
result in poor lighting installations. Here, the second trend becomes Theft and vandalism, community behaviour, and the ability of
relevant, improving the quality of lighting installations, thereby municipalities to operate and maintain public lighting infrastructure
improving the visual ability and perception of the general public. are some identifiable risks. It is not possible to eliminate acts of theft
The trend considers the illumination demands and needs on public and vandalism that may render the state’s assets inoperable, but
lighting systems of growing communities and aims at fulfilling these maintainable initiatives could be implemented to reduce the causes
by creating a safer night-time environment for the communities and of this risk.
improving the “look and feel” of a city or town. Various risks influence a community and some of these may
result in the public lighting service being affected by a community.
Improving the quality of public lighting installations and Unrest within a community, elements of corruption, unemployment,
infrastructure could: socioeconomic status, education, access to services, crime
• Promote the better use of open spaces by supporting positive and sense of being empowered are some factors influencing
evening use of open spaces. communities. It may be beneficial to a municipality to install a certain
• Encourage walking, cycling, public transport and safer driving, type of lighting, but it may not be beneficial to the wellbeing of the
through quality lighting providing higher visibility. community in which it is installed. The public lighting infrastructure
• Reduce greenhouse emissions through the use of fewer or more
energy efficient luminaires.
• Stimulate urbanisation and aesthetic appeal by showcasing
urban features.
• Improve safety and security through quality lighting, improving
visual ability of surveillance and monitoring systems.

By adopting and further developing these public lighting trends
through the implementation of sustainable initiatives, a municipality
should be able to overcome the associated risks and demands of
an ever-expanding public lighting service infrastructure. Should
the sustainable initiatives be implemented, IoT systems could be
implemented and integrated into the public lighting infrastructure.
This integration would further promote the sustainability of
the infrastructure while promoting an ability to deliver additional
services, other than lighting, to communities within a municipality. Figure 3: LED streetlights

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