Release:
(Monday, February 14 2011) – The street light project to replace
2,100 existing fixtures with LED technology throughout the Halifax
Regional Municipality is expected to be completed this week.
The LED lights are replacing existing 70 watt, 100 watt, 150 watt and
250 watt HPS (High Pressure Sodium) fixtures and expect to reduce energy
consumption by more than 1 million kWh each year. The project will
result in a reduction of about 1000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions
(GHGs) annually. In addition to an estimated annual energy savings of
about $120,000.00, HRM will realize savings through reduced maintenance
costs for the new fixtures over an anticipated 20 year life.
Mayor Peter Kelly welcomed this latest milestone in HRM’s quest to
be one of the most cost-efficient and environmentally friendly
communities in Canada.
“This technology has improved light quality which, in turn, makes our
streets safer for motorists and pedestrians alike,” Mayor Kelly noted.
“In addition, the new fixtures use less than 50 per cent of the energy
consumed by the previous ones, resulting in substantial savings to
taxpayers.”
HRM was able to undertake this project through financial support from
ecoNova Scotia and Nova Scotia Power. The fixtures were manufactured by
LED Roadway Lighting Ltd of Amherst, Nova Scotia.
The fixture design is a departure from the conventional cobra head
style with the globe lens which, due to its design, produces a
significant amount of side light. The full cut-off design used for the
LED street light is recognized to be “dark sky” compliant due to
that fact that the design eliminates all light above the horizontal
plane (light pollution), and focuses the light on the areas requiring
the light, the roadway and sidewalks. In addition the LED light provides
in a whiter, brighter light source which provides better color
recognition than does the yellower high pressure sodium lamp light.
Over the last five years, HRM has completed $6.8 million in energy
efficiency projects which has resulted in savings of $1.2 million per
year and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 10,000 tonnes per year.
This street light project represents about 5% of the total street lights
in the Halifax Regional Municipality.
