Sustainability Problem: Energy, Health, Safety
The City of New York is currently replacing 250,000 Street Lights with LEDs. Mayor Bloomberg announced the project in 2013, which is supposed to save the city $6 million in energy costs and $8 million in maintenance every year. Currently, the project is 81% completed and it is expected to end in December 2017.
In addition to replacing the existing street light with LED-based lamps, the City could invest in a platform for multiple smart city services, which not only would result in additional energy and operational savings, but it would also have a positive community impact in terms of safety and environment.
Technology: Networked LEDs
- SilverSpring Networks provides networked LEDs that give operator remote access and advanced functionality, including the ability to dim street lights and control their runtime by scheduling them to switch on/off as condition warrant, such as shorter/longer days.
- According to the company, this networked-based control yields an additional 10 to 20 percent energy savings beyond just LED replacement, along with greater operations and management savings.
- Networked street lights provide continuous, accurate status information to operators, enabling them to identify outages immediately.
Stakeholders:
- NYC Department of Transportation
- Utility
- Residents
Implementation:
- Department of Transportation should consider deploying smart street lights as part of its long-term perspective and detailed planning
- Develop a cost-benefit analysis of the technology and estimated ROI.
- Promote a participatory channel to include residents in the decision making process.
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