ILLUMINATING NEIGHBORHOODS

A City of Edmonton and

EPCOR Technologies Pilot Project in LED
Implementation
David Hoeksema, P.Eng. Vlado Cicovski P.Eng.
Manager, Engineering Senior Street Light Engineer
EPCOR Technologies Inc. City of Edmonton
780-412-7992 780-423-7470
dhoeksema@epcor.com Vlado.cicovski@edmonton.ca
Introduction

• The City of Edmonton operated 98,000 HID streetlights.

• These consumed nearly 73,800 MWh of energy per year.
• Annual maintenance costs were approximately $9.4 Million.
• The City needed to reduce maintenance and energy costs
while advancing Edmonton’s conservation culture.
• Reduced light pollution, improved safety and leading with
innovation were mandated.
A New Technology…

THE POTENTIAL THE FIRST STEP

• Life up to 100,000 hours. • In 2006 the City of

• Reduced consumption up Edmonton completed the
to 70%. conversion of 17,000
traffic lights to LED.
• Adaptable controls.
• The application was
• Flat lens design to reduce highly successful.
light pollution.
• The City was ready to
• Improved efficiency in further test this new
colder temperatures. technology…
The Move To Study

The
• In 2009 the Contractor • Five manufacturers
application of LED are chosen to pilot
for street lighting • EPCOR their roadway
was still unproven. Technologies capable LED
commissioned to luminaire in various
evaluate LED street neighborhoods.
lighting feasibility.
The The
Question Pilot
Methodology

• Pre-existing pole spacing was maintained.

• Installed five of each manufacturer’s luminaire side by side.
• Used a 100W HPS Lumec Helios as the reference point.
• Pilot areas covered a minimum of one residential block.
• Tested on ease of installation, illumination performance,
energy consumption and cost.
Pilot Study

Lighting Performance
• Lighting simulations were modeled for efficacy using
AGi32 software.
• Modeled with both standard and manufacturers level of
depreciation.
• The two simulations provided similar results.
• Top ranked luminaire produced 67% greater luminance.
Pilot Study

INSTALL ENERGY COST

• Looked at • Bottom • Highest

leveling, ranked payback at
terminals, consumed 25 years.
overhead 60% more • Lowest
wiring energy. payback at
access, 12 years.
construction
and handling.
• Of five tested
only one
proved
difficult.
Pilot Study

Specifications were built to remove as much risk as possible

from the customer.
Requirements included…
• 10 year all inclusive material warranty
• Industry standard 3rd party testing reports
• Surge protection requirements of 10kV
• LLF for ambient nighttime annual temp of 2.6°C

Luminaires meeting these specifications were pre-qualified

 The City of Edmonton’s Environmental
Strategic Plan
The Way We Green
• It sets out principles, goals, objectives and strategic actions and
approaches for Edmonton to live in balance with nature.
• Some of the goals:
– Edmonton’s communities are full of nature — a place where in
the course of everyday life, residents experience a strong
connection with nature.
– Edmonton’s sources and uses of energy are sustainable.
• Resource:
http://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/documents/TheWayWeGreen-
approved.pdf
 The City of Edmonton’s Environmental
Strategic Plan
Edmonton’s Environmental Management System

• This policy establishes the ISO 14001, the international standard, as

the benchmark for a corporate Environmental Management System
(EMS). Standard Environmental Management System practices
across the City will address environmental regulatory compliance,
pollution prevention and continual improvement.

• Resource: http://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/documents/C505.pdf
 Neighbourhood Renewal

• The Neighbourhood Renewal program is part of the Building Great

Neighbourhoods initiative which outlines a cost effective, long-term
plan to address the needs of Edmonton’s neighbourhoods. The
program involves the renewal and rebuilding of roads, sidewalks and
streetlights in existing neighbourhoods and collector roadways
balancing the rebuild need in some neighbourhoods with a
preventative maintenance approach in others.
• Resource:
http://www.edmonton.ca/transportation/on_your_streets/neighbourhood-
renewal.aspx
http://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/documents/C564.pdf
 LED Street and Area Lighting Luminaires
• Deciding factors
• Luminaire location
• Pedestrian volumes
• Night over day collision
ratios
• Luminaire wattage
• Lumen output over time
• Luminaire light distribution
• Walkway location
sample
• Up to date 13000 luminaires are
replaced with LED’s
 Street lighting in Neighbourhood
Renewals
• Comparison before and after the conversion
HPS
LED
Walkway HPS
Walkway LED
HPS ---Alley
lighting?
Walkway LED
Local road HPS
Local road LED
Local road HPS
Local road LED
Collector HPS
Collector LED
Collector HPS
Collector LED
Walkway HPS
Walkway LED
Arterial LED
Implementation Schedule

• 2 neighborhoods reconstructed, 300 luminaires installed.

• 23 neighborhoods added due to initial success.
2011

• LED lighting reconstruction in 6 new neighborhoods.

• By Q3 the first arterial road was retrofitted.
2012

• 31 neighborhood retrofits complete.

• Approximately 13,000 LED luminaires installed.
TOTAL
Schedule

Installations were
located in
neighborhoods
throughout the
City of Edmonton
and chosen based
on their priority in
the Neighborhood
Renewal
Program.
Design Considerations

• Maintain current lighting levels.

For • Address over and under lit areas.
• Re-design for high night time collision locations.
Neighborhoods • Identify pole and luminaire style requirements for
heritage neighborhoods.

For • Host open houses for Q&A prior to install.

• Notify residents of install date.
Residents • Anticipate some initial discomfort with “White” light.
Implementation

KICK-OFF INSTALL

• Understood as-built • Local staging facilities.

legends up front. • Pre-wiring in-house.
• Surveyed for • Crews were able to
conformity in pole work in winter
base size. downtime due to lack
• Surveyed for pole and of underground
base condition. construction.
Results

Reduced
Energy
Consumption
~ 44%
Improved
Visibility &
Safety
Lower
Maintenance
Lessons Learned

PRODUCT

• Know your asset base - non-standard bases require

modifications to new pole flange or install of a new base.
• Older neighborhoods saw more modifications of pole bases.
• Ensure new upgrades meet new Canadian Electrical Code.
• LED color temperature allowed a lower wattage than
anticipated still meeting historical lighting levels.
Lessons Learned

INSTALL

• Stage locally and group retrofit by neighborhood when

possible.
• Redesign light distribution type for poles close to corner lots.
• Survey base condition and size in older neighborhoods.
• Record out of box failures for warranty coverage.
• Define failure with the manufacturer.
• Ensure retrofits are logged closely in order to calculate
immediate energy savings.
Resident Feedback
What they liked…
Better Perception of
target improved safety
recognition
Happy with color
temperature

The majority of feedback

was enthusiastically Improved
positive! illumination on
pedestrian
walkways
Feel visibility
is improved No immediate
failures
Resident Feedback
What they didn’t like…
Some pedestrian
walkways
Some found the light seemed under lit
too “White”

Only a fraction of
feedback received was Corner lots had
critical… minor glare
issues that
Disappointed to were corrected
lose light trespass
 Dimming LED

• Pilot Projects – adaptive lighting

– Residential area
– Walkway
– Arterial road
 LECP
• Light Efficient Community Policy
 Questions ?
References:
www.edmonton.ca
www.epcor.com/technologies

David Hoeksema, P.Eng. Vlado Cicovski P.Eng.

Manager, Engineering Senior Street Light Engineer
EPCOR Technologies Inc. City of Edmonton
780 412-7992 780 423-7470
dhoeksema@epcor.com vlado.cicovski@edmonton.ca