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Energy efficient street light project

We're changing the globe, one street at a time. 

Maroondah City Council is undertaking a street light replacement project on Maroondah streets that will save money and reduce energy use.

What is the project?

The street light replacement project is being undertaken in various stages.

Between March 2015 and October 2018, 5,390 high-performance and energy efficient LED street lights were installed across the municipality. They replaced the original Category-P globes with new LED globes.

Between March 2020 and June 2020, Council will begin the next phase of the project, replacing 1,079 Category-V mercury and high pressure sodium globes with new LED globes.

These new LED lights will:

  • perform better
  • last longer
  • be more than twice as efficient.

How will it help the environment?

This project will significantly reduce Council street lighting greenhouse emissions and costs.

By replacing the 5,390 Category-P globes we have reduced energy consumption and associated costs by around 77%, which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by around 15,411 tonnes over 20 years. This is equivalent to removing 339 cars from the road each year for the next 20 years.

By replacing the 1079 Category-V globes we will save an additional 9,099 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions over 20 years, which equates to removing 106 cars from the road each year for the next 20 years.

Light levels will also be made more consistent across local residential streets.  

Frequently asked questions

The project aligns with Council's environmental sustainability strategies and will contribute significantly to reducing carbon to help meet Council’s 2020 carbon reduction target. It also has significant electricity and maintenance cost savings.

The project is being staged over a number of years, with the Category-P globes replaced between March 2015 and October 2018. The replacement of the Category-V globes will occur during March 2020 and June 2020.

The project involves the replacement of mercury vapour and high pressure sodium street lighting with energy efficient and better quality LED alternatives on streets across the municipality.

This project is being funded by Council. Due to the significant saving on operating costs, the replacement globes will be cost neutral within four years.

The LED lighting system chosen by Council has been approved for use in the AusNet area, the distribution company that owns the lighting infrastructure. The lights have been tested to ensure they meet relevant Australian Standards in regard to safety and light levels. Trial results throughout Victoria have demonstrated that they have superior performance to the existing lights. The new lights have:

  • greater uniformity of light across and along the street
  • better colour rendering and visibility
  • less depreciation of the light output over time.

The main body of the light and the LED chips will last approximately 20 years. The photoelectric cells (light sensors that switch the lights on and off) last 10 years.

Yes. The recycling of old lights that are taken down during a bulk change is the responsibility of the installer. The tender for installation of the lights specified waste disposal requirements which includes the recycling of around 98% of the old lights. For example, the glass collected is recycled into products such as glass wool insulation. The mercury is distilled and reused in the dental industry.

Further information

For information contact Maroondah City Council's Sustainability Team on 1300 88 22 33.changingtheglobe_v3.jpg

02/06/2017
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