GE and UGL to install energy-efficient LED lighting throughout Sydney City

The City of Sydney council has commenced a $7 million project to install energy-efficient LED street and park lights in the city centre. GE and UGL Limited were selected by tender to install the lights, beginning in front of Sydney Town Hall.

The three-year project was approved following a successful 18-month trial of the LED lights in Alexandria Park, Kings Cross, Martin Place and Circular Quay. A survey conducted after the trial showed that more than 90% of people found the new lighting appealing and 75% thought it improved visibility.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the rollout of LED lights will reduce emissions and halve the City of Sydney’s energy use: “Replacing 6450 conventional lights will save nearly $800,000 a year in electricity bills and maintenance costs.

“Sydney will be the first city in Australia to install the new LED lights across its entire city centre, and joins other major cities such as Berlin, Barcelona, Los Angeles and San Francisco.”

Sydney has 22,000 public lights, of which 13,500 are maintained by Ausgrid and 8500 by the City of Sydney. 30% of the City’s greenhouse gas emissions are from public lighting, accounting for a third of its electricity use. Installing the LED lights will reduce the City’s emissions by 2861 tonnes - the equivalent of taking 940 cars off the road.

Nathan Dunn, Managing Director of GE Lighting Australia and New Zealand, said, “LED technology will transform lighting as we know it - saving up to 75% of energy compared to incandescent light sources, while lasting up to 25 times longer. This will have a profound impact on how we think about lighting in the future.”

The City of Sydney is Australia’s first carbon neutral government and has set itself the ambitious greenhouse gas reduction target of 70% by 2030.