MUNICIPALITIES, COMPANIES AND RESEARCHERS LOOK AT THE LIGHTING OF TOMORROW

The streetlamps in Albertslund Municipality are being replaced with modern LED lights, leading to an expected 60-80% savings on electricity, equalling 3.5 million Danish kroner annually. To find the perfect solution, gain experience and get inspiration, the municipality set up the Danish Outdoor Lighting Lab (DOLL) in cooperation with researchers from the Department of Photonics Engineering at the Technical University of Denmark.

In 2013 Albertslund Municipality decided to replace its old street lighting and began studying the market. At the same time, researchers at the Technical University of Denmark’s Department of Photonics Engineering and a group of private companies were interested in establishing a large test centre for street lighting. The municipality jumped at the chance to join the project by offering to make its streets available for full-scale demonstrations.

Hersted Industrial Park has been transformed into a national and international testing centre for the latest technology in LED street lighting and smart city technologies. Twelve kilometres of road present more than 100 different solutions. The brains behind the project are Albertslund Municipality, the Technical University of Denmark’s Department of Photonics Engineering and the company Gate 21. Since opening, DOLL has received visits by more than 70 municipalities across the country seeking advice on which solution is best for them. Because many municipalities have not invested in lighting for over 30 years, they have not kept abreast of the latest technologies. At DOLL, decision-makers learn that street lighting is no longer merely lamps but also advanced, energy-saving IT systems that ensure high quality lighting. The final savings have yet to be calculated, but Albertslund has already modernised the lighting on many public roads, resulting in significant savings.