Photos courtesy Ryan Pyle

The Big Apple is testing outdoor LED lighting using Toronto's LightSavers approach.

Last month, the Toronto-based 'LightSavers' initiative to increase deployment of ultra-efficient outdoor lighting made its way to New York City. The Big Apple's Department of Transportation (DOT) pilot program involves testing various light-emitting diode (LED) roadway and pedestrian pathway lighting systems, including technology from Canadian companies, in two key Big Apple locations—Central Park and FDR Drive.

According to the Toronto Atmospheric Fund (TAF)—developers and operators of LightSavers—advanced systems like LEDs can potentially transform outdoor lighting by decreasing electricity consumption by about 50 to 70 per cent. The obstacle is raising awareness—although these technologies are rapidly evolving, cities are generally unfamiliar with them.

To address this issue, LightSavers combines grants, new procurement standards, innovative financing, and market research to promote use of LED lamps and intelligent lighting system controls across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). It helps municipalities test and install these technologies in garages, parking lots, pathways, and neighbourhoods, ultimately helping lower greenhouse gases (GHGs) and their impact on climate change.

"LED technology is leapfrogging ahead much faster than expected," Mary Pickering, LightSavers program director, told Construction Canada Online. "LightSavers is showing how LEDs, coupled with advanced controls, can revolutionize the way we light our cities."

The program also facilitates information-sharing between municipal and institutional managers about these advanced technologies. For example, Toronto's Exhibition Place has halved energy use in its Direct Energy Centre (site of the recent IIDEX/Neocon show) underground parking garage by implementing a system that dims or turns lights off when areas of the lot are not used. Other LightSavers' participants are now considering this concept.

In addition to LightSavers, Toronto Hydro's Adaptive Lighting Asset Management Program (ALAMP) enhances the city's leadership in sustainable outdoor lighting. ALAMP is testing various new street lighting technologies at 12 pilots sites in Toronto.

LifeSavers and ALAMP conduct pilot projects for testing lighting technologies across Toronto.