Page 52 - U4SSC Simple ways to be smart

• Groningen, Netherlands, reduced energy usage and maintenance costs by 50% and increased
public safety using an intuitive lighting solution that automatically dims based on movemen.t 83
• Cardiff, Wales, used a retro-fitted solution to replace 14000 street-lights with light-emitting
diodes (LEDs), with wireless central monitoring to achieve 60% savings in energy with better
control and operational insights.

• Los Angeles, USA, replaced 180 000 street-lights with LEDs resulting in a 65% energy saving
and reducing CO emissions by 65000 metric tons annually.
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Apart from cost and environmental benefits, these projects have resulted in a better sense of safety
for residents, as well as employment opportunities.

Smart poles are an excellent candidate for local innovation, as they can be designed and constructed
to meet local requirements and challenges. Considerations such as the style and design can be
adapted to use local parts and materials, and adapted to integrate with existing lighting poles.
Energy sources can be adapted based on local conditions, such as providing solar power in areas
with inconsistent electricity provision. Such local innovation can provide opportunities for local
businesses.

Keys to success

• Cities that have succeeded with these projects had a set of goals and benefits to achieve.
• An important first step is the unbiased research of the problem, possible solutions and the
long-term holistic benefit of implementing such an initiative.

• Implementation depends on a clear scope and scale. Cities are advised to start small, with a
simple set of services and then scale. A larger project should be phased with clear deliverables.
• The implementation of the project will involve the solution proposal, evaluation, pilot
implementation and evaluation, full implementation and evaluation.

• Close collaboration is needed between local government, implementation partners, technology
advisors, vendors and the public.
• To derive the benefits throughout the product life cycle, sound planning is needed, careful
evaluation of the vendors’ abilities and ensuring access to parts for up to 20 years.

• A staffing plan is needed to ensure that the system can be serviced across the entire lifetime;
this might entail using vendor staff initially, but needs to include development plans for city
staff with escalation to vendor support where necessary.
• Cities need to secure funding.

40 U4SSC: Simple ways to be smart