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March 2009, Guildford, UK - Royal Philips Electronics’ (NYSE:PHG, AEX:PHI) in partnership with Flintshire County Council, has created an improved street lighting solution whilst achieving an substantial 30% in energy saving. This has been realized by replacing the monochromatic low pressure sodium lighting along Milwr Road in the Pentre Halkyn district and Cross Tree Lane, Hawarden with Philips MASTER CosmoPolis lamps running on the new Lumistep switchable gear system.
As a result, the old lighting, considered by the council to be gloomy, has been replaced by white light that makes the area brighter as well as safer. In addition the council’s lighting energy bill and, therefore its carbon footprint, has been cut by an impressive 30% at these installations.
Flintshire County Council has a long standing commitment to sustainability aiming to make Flintshire a safe and attractive place to live, visit and work in. As Darell Jones, Street Lighting Manager, of Flintshire County Council, explains, “We are always keen to adopt effective innovative lighting technologies which will not only help to reduce our energy and carbon footprint but improve the overall lit environment. The dimmable CosmoPolis system has helped us achieve this and we are very happy with the result. “
Flintshire’s new street lighting solution uses Philips Green Flagship products designed to ensure environmental sustainability by minimizing CO2 emissions. In fact, approximately 1/3 of Europe’s roads are still lit using inefficient lighting technology. If local authorities committed to switch to more energy conscious technologies then this would equate to saving around 10 million tonnes of CO2 per year!
In all some 29 lanterns were installed with 60 W ComoPolis lamps which combined with the Lumistep gear system allowed the lighting to be dimmed down between the hours of midnight until 6 am in the morning. Lumistep operates by providing automatic switching of the 60 W CosmoPolis lamp between 100% and 75% energy level at a start time which can be determined via the dimming cycle. The lighting can therefore be at full strength during busy periods, when traffic is heavy and can be dimmed automatically through the night when the roads are quiet.
Whilst energy savings have been secured, this is without compromise to the light quality. The ComoPolis lamps provide an attractive white light which enhances the outdoor environment and allows colours to be defined more clearly. As well as improving the urban setting, good white light has positive safety implications. Not only does it enable both pedestrians and road users to see better but it also improves CCTV pictures, in terms of colour definition and clearness.
As Darell Jones, Street Lighting Manager sums up, “If people feel happier, safer, with environmental issues addressed, and are able to see better under good white light, then we have achieved our objective and that has to be a positive move.”
For further information, please contact:
Barbara Neate
Philips Lighting, Guildford, UK
Tel: 01483 293 071
E-mail: Barbara.neate@philips.com
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