The Town of Smiths Falls is beginning the conversion process to update its street lighting network to LED that will result in an annual cost savings of more than $100,000. Work on this project will begin the last week in July 2020 and is anticipated to take between four and six weeks to complete.
The LED project was identified through the Service Sustainability Review (SSR) process which systematically examines municipal service delivery in order to develop options and strategies for the Town to move forward in a sustainable way.
“This project demonstrates the returns that can be achieved from assessment projects like the SSR, and Council’s and staff’s commitment to reducing costs wherever possible,” said Shawn Pankow, Mayor of the Town of Smiths Falls. “Staff have been working on the conversion of our streetlights from older, energy-consuming induction bulbs to the latest in LED technology, and this project will not only be paid back in five years, it will also help us meet the objectives we have committed to under the Partners for Climate Protection (PCP) program offered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.”
The transition to new LED lighting will convert 1,067 light fixtures, reducing greenhouse gas by 11 metric tonnes annually. The total cost for the project is $563,332 plus HST, and the annualized energy and maintenance savings have been confirmed at $103,262.
The newly converted light fixtures will have a service life of approximately 23 years or approximately 100,000 hours of burn time. After this point light output would be reduced by 30 per cent. The LED lights will be guaranteed under a 10-year warranty and photocells will be covered with a 12-year warranty.
“This is an exciting project to embark on, especially given the guaranteed cost savings and environmental impacts,” said Troy Dunlop, Director of Public Works and Utilities. “We’re looking forward to seeing the Town lit up in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way.”
The LED project was facilitated by Local Authority Services (LAS), a provider of competitively priced and sustainable co-operative business services for Ontario municipalities and the broader public sector.
In 2012, LAS rolled out the LED Streetlight Conversion program through a competitive process for the delivery of a turn-key program that would support municipalities in converting these networks. The competitive process was ultimately won by Realterm Energy in partnership with Cree as the preferred lighting supplier. The program was officially launched in 2013 across the province of Ontario.
“We are pleased to have RealTerm Energy on our team for this project,” said Dunlop. “With over 200 ongoing and completed lighting projects in Ontario, RealTerm’s experience will ensure a smooth transition to LED lighting in Smiths Falls.”
