Westminster to introduce 12,000 "smart lights" to save millions

Millions of pounds are to be saved by new innovative green street lights in the first major scheme of its kind in the country.

The

"Smart Lights" project which allows lights to be automatically dimmed

or turned up is aimed at reducing the Westminster City Council's public

lighting energy bill, and lower t heir associated carbon footprint. It

is estimated that £8million could be saved over the 20 year life span of

a street light through cuts to energy costs and maintenance regime

changes made possible through the new system.

More

than 14,000 lights across the capital will be converted to include the

new technology which will be introduced over the next four years saving

the council £420,000 a year after the cost of implementing the scheme is

recovered.

Using "Smart

Lights" technology enables an average energy saving of around 20% as at

less busy times the lights can be dimmed to work at 75% capacity -

ensuring that energy is not wasted.

Cllr

Ed Argar, Westminster City Council's Cabinet Member for City

Management, said: "It makes no sense to be wasting money and energy with

lights burning brightly at all hours, which is why, at a time when

other councils are turning lights off, we are investing in keeping them

on – but at an appropriate level.

"This is one of many ways Westminster is looking to save money by innovative schemes that benefit everybody."

The

lamps can be controlled remotely and at the touch of a button lights

which have been dimmed can be brought back to full intensity with the

brightness set to be monitored by the council's CCTV monitoring service.

The

new system, which follows a pilot scheme of 2,000 lights, is set to be

controlled by computer which means staff can instantly see the status

and power usage of any of the "smart" lights and remotely control how

brightly they shine.  Busy areas can remain fully lit while light levels

can be reduced in quieter areas.

In

the future the council is developing a system where the lights could be

controlled from the ground through the use of text messages, so the

police or one of Westminster's street team  should be able to  text and

ask for lights to be made brighter if more people are using the area.