The functional goals of smart lighting

Financial basis of the policy plan

If the budget reaches to the sky, one can of course choose to narrow down the public lighting in the entire municipality in one go. Unfortunately, that is not the reality. Precisely in order to obtain political support and to have that budget, it is important to consider the usefulness of smart lighting in the area and what it can achieve. If you take a closer look at the different areas and districts of the municipality, you will see that several lighting functions are desired.

Functional policy goals

It is a pitfall to think directly in brands and types of smart lighting. It is more important to determine the needs for light in the different parts of the municipality. Once that is clear and the goal of smart lighting has been determined per location, one can start obtaining advice about the smart lighting applications that meet those needs. Examples of functional needs and suitable solutions are:

• If there is a need for a socially safe environment and good visibility as soon as the bars close in the entertainment area, opt for emergency lighting. Scaling up the light to an (uncomfortably) high level also sends a signal that it is time to go home.
• It is especially busy during rush hours on the main road. Few cars drive at night. Linking the lighting installation to a sensor for measuring the traffic intensity can offer a solution here. More light with more traffic on the main road and less when it is quiet.
• In the outskirts of the municipality is a bicycle path to a nature reserve. The flora and fauna must be protected from light nuisance. In this case, smart lighting can offer a solution that is switched on when detecting movement and that goes along with the cyclist as a light bubble.

Recommendation

As soon as the operational goals, the energy saving goals and the functional goals for the municipality are concrete, the public lighting policy plan must be financially substantiated. A business case is required for this.

In addition to the financial basis, there are the qualitative benefits of smart lighting that cannot be directly expressed in money. For example in the field of safety, comfort and atmosphere. Naturally, these must also be substantiated for budgetary approval. If desired, Luminext can advise on this.