Ottawa Converting 58,000 Streetlights to LED

Ottawa Converting 58,000 Streetlights to LED

September 1, 2016

An LED streetlight conversion that began in July and will continue until June 2020 is expected to reduce energy usage by 55% and save the City of Ottawa $4 million annually — equivalent to removing 2,500 homes from the electricity grid.

Project partners involved in designing, manufacturing and installing the lighting include Energy Ottawa, a subsidiary of Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc. that provides commercial energy management services, Black & McDonald, LED Roadway Lighting, Eaton Cooper Lighting and Leotek Electronics. 

The installations will be phased in:

• 4,000 in 2016

• 15,000 in each of 2017, 2018 and 2019

• 9,000 in 2020

Key features and enhancements include the following:

• nodes and network — each LED streetlight has its own wireless communication node and IP address fully-connected to a wireless network. These nodes also allow for tracking each streetlight individually. All streetlight nodes are also connected to one another, communicating and distributing data within the network.

• customized illumination — Energy Ottawa will engineer the LED conversion to optimize illumination levels for each street. Every LED light fixture can be individually controlled.

• instant performance reporting — previously, City of Ottawa residents or night surveyors would have to report faulty streetlights and outages. But through the new wireless network, each streetlight sends regular reports to Energy Ottawa regarding its condition, performance and energy usage. As a result, once notified that a streetlight isn’t functioning properly, a maintenance crew an be dispatched to fix the issue.

• future smart city functionality — the system creates a platform for Smart City initiatives in the future.

• warm colour temperature (3000K) LED luminaires for residential areas. These new LEDs are “full cut-off” and have better optical control, meaning they help reduce the amount of light pollution and light trespass.

The City of Ottawa currently has over 68,000 streetlights made up of either high pressure sodium (HPS) or metal halide (MH) fixtures, accounting for 17% of the city’s electrical use, and cost $7.2 million in annual electricity costs. Streetlight fixtures with the highest energy consumption or highest wattage are the first to be converted to LED. Decorative light fixtures will not be converted as a part of the project as these are low wattage and therefore do not consume significant amounts of energy. 

Photo source: Energy Ottawa.

Related Articles


Changing Scene

  • CSC LED Announces the Appointment of Patrick Ndlovu as Branch Manager (AB)

    CSC LED is happy to announce that Patrick Ndlovu has joined their growing team as Branch Manager in Calgary, Alberta. With extensive experience as a journeyman electrician and a strong background in sales, Patrick brings together technical expertise and a deep understanding of market dynamics. His practical experience in the field, combined with his sales… Read More…

  • Maxlite Expands c-Max Network Partners Ecosystem With Casambi Technologies

    MaxLite is pleased to announce the recent expansion of its c-Max Network Partners ecosystem with the addition of Casambi Technologies, a provider of wireless lighting control systems. This strategic partnership further enhances MaxLite’s c-Max Lighting Controls platform, offering customers an even wider range of advanced wireless control options. The collaboration with Casambi strengthens MaxLite’s commitment… Read More…


Design

  • Project Story: Sainte-Thérèse High School Outdoor Lighting Upgrade

    Project Story: Sainte-Thérèse High School Outdoor Lighting Upgrade

    August 6, 2024 Built in 1980, the building that houses Sainte-Thérèse high school, in Quebec Canada, was looking a little worse for the wear. Renovation work began with two major projects: introducing a multidisciplinary sports centre, as well as redesigning the parking lots.  The employee and visitor parking lots were completely reconfigured during phase 1… Read More…

  • Resilience Illuminated: Reviving Westminster Pier Park After Devastating Fire

    Resilience Illuminated: Reviving Westminster Pier Park After Devastating Fire

    In September 2020, the picturesque city of New Westminster near Vancouver in British Columbia suffered a devastating setback when an intentionally set fire destroyed much of the city’s waterfront park, including its urban beach, sand volleyball courts, and iconic art installation known as Wow Westminster. The fire, which burned for ten days before firefighters could… Read More…


New Products

  • SATCO|NUVO: SATCO-Escent Decorative Lamps

    SATCO|NUVO: SATCO-Escent Decorative Lamps

    Discover the elegance of “Satco-Escent” Satin Spun light bulbs, which combine the classic charm of incandescent lighting with the advantages of modern LED technology. The exquisite Satin Spun finish evokes the look of a vintage gas flame, while the unique shape of the bulb adds a touch of contemporary style. This family is available in… Read More…

  • SATCO|NUVO: LED HID Replacement Lamps

    SATCO|NUVO: LED HID Replacement Lamps

    Easily upgrade dated HID lamps with energy saving LED bulbs. SATCO’s long lasting HID replacement lamps offer outstanding efficacy in applications where low-maintenance is the goal: streetlights, warehouses, retail, gymnasiums and more. With a variety of lamp shapes and bases available in clear filament or white finish, in color temperatures from warm white to natural… Read More…