Abu Dhabi: In a bid to reduce the cost of public lighting by 60 to 75 per cent over the next 20 years, Abu Dhabi Municipality (ADM) has launched a sustainable initiative.
The environmentally friendly new LED lights will decrease carbon dioxide emissions by about 75 per cent and cut down the need for maintenance by about 40 to 80 per cent in the future, the ADM said.
The drive also aims to reduce light pollution rates by 60 per cent, improve and develop a lighting network to help Abu Dhabi reach a ranking among the world’s top cosmopolitan cities.
The ADM had implemented a number of projects in line with the Abu Dhabi sustainable lighting strategy including the installation of LED lighting system on Shaikh Zayed Street. A benchmark study had been commissioned to evaluate and compare LED lighting solutions with traditional lighting systems which showed that LED lighting systems achieved an annual saving of 85 per cent and cut down the number of lighting devices in the same street from 1,000 to 660 LED-powered lamps.
The sustainable lighting projects carried out by the municipality included the installation of LED lighting system in the Shaikh Zayed Tunnel, which saved consumption by 86 per cent.
The ADM has also implemented a sustainable lighting project in East Sector 48 and West Zone 33. The project reduced the total power consumption from 54 to 12 kilowatts thanks to reducing the electrical power of lighting fixtures from 477 watts to 108 watts. The project of replacing traditional lighting system by sustainable lighting devices in the West Sector, Zone 33 saves consumption by more than 62 per cent annually. The Total Power Consumption used in internal roads has come down from 477 watts to 180 watts, and in main roads the consumption has dropped from 1,160 watts to 440 watts, the ADM added.
The municipality has completed the replacing of traditional lighting with LED-powered decorative lighting on Shaikh Zayed Bridge, where consumption plunged by 81 per cent and power consumption in the bridge dived from 417 watts to 105 watts, while the use of decorative lighting devices went down from 494 watts to 76 watts.
Traditional lighting devices have been replaced with LED-powered lighting devices in pedestrian tunnels in Abu Dhabi city, where power consumption had dropped by 56 per cent. The Total Power Consumption fell from 110 watts to 67 and the replacement of spotlights in tunnels resulted in decreasing utility from 70 watts to 35 watts, while the ceiling lighting consumption plunged from 100 watts to 68 watts.
The municipality has also completed the replacement of traditional lighting with LED-powered lighting system beneath bridges in Abu Dhabi city, including Al Jawazat Bridge, Al Saada Bridge and Al Muroor Bridge. The project has contributed to reducing power consumption by at least 75 per cent
The municipality confirms that the total gains from adopting the sustainable lighting strategy in all these projects had generated savings of as much as Dh3,28 million.
As part of sustainability projects of public lighting strategy, Abu Dhabi City Municipality has prepared the Public Lighting Guide, which is intended to disseminate lighting principles among all community segments. This guide contributes to realising sustainability principles with regard to implementing public lighting system, and helps the municipality, consultants and individuals in developing lighting designs. The guide, which consists of 500 pages comprising detailed information about the principles of lighting and technology, covers several aspects such as lighting of streets, buildings, parks, and public squares, among others.
