Dutch project shines a light on smart, sustainable energy use

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We expect that most of the participating cities and municipalities will continue to apply the lighting solutions after the pilot has ended.Dirk Brands, Ikares project leaderA total of 22 municipalities in Dutch regions of Zeeland, Limburg and North Brabant are participating in the pilot actions to test and demonstrate the technology in urban environments. While the main goals is to lower energy consumption and produce financial savings for those involved, the accent is always on delivering safe public lighting. The municipalities involved are being offered the project’s innovative solutions free of charge.Ikares lighting fixtures use detectors to dim light based on the presence of people. The fixtures are linked to an energy monitoring system for accurate measurement of consumption. Users can opt for additional functions to achieve even greater savings or increased safety.Delivering positive resultsThe pilots are already yielding positive results. For example, a parking garage in the city of Tilburg has been equipped with LED lighting and motion sensors. The lights can be dimmed to 20 % of full brightness if movement is not detected for three minutes. Once the detector senses movement – be it a car or person – the lighting can increase to full brightness. The lights can communicate with each other, so when the detector senses movement, they all switch on simultaneously. The pilot shows promising results, with a 78 % saving on energy use compared with the garage’s traditional lighting system.Other pilots being rolled out include lighting for a lock, where light intensity can be adjusted to sync with the height of the water. This system helps increase the visibility of the route for cargo ships passing through the lock. Ikares’ lighting infrastructure has been introduced in bicycle tunnels that illuminate only when people pass through.In the city of Bergen op Zoom, sound sensors have been linked to lighting fixtures in a popular local square. If too much noise is being made, the colour of the light changes, as a polite suggestion to keep sound levels down.Building a living labThe project team has established a ‘living lab’ to test its technologies in various settings. The lab includes representations of a small prison, a hospital, residential streets, a school classroom, cycle paths and tunnels. The aim is to simulate lighting requirements and demonstrate the project’s potential energy-saving solutions to local authorities and housing cooperatives. The lab is also being used to train smart lighting installers.Total investment and EU fundingTotal investment for the project “Ikares, smart lighting is a quick win for energy transition” is EUR 3 987 610, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 1 132 903 through the “South Netherlands” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Low-carbon economy”.