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Signify is committed to unlocking the extraordinary potential of light for brighter lives and a better world. Through our Brighten America program, we pledge to work in collaboration with cities, utilities, and other key parties to act and leverage sustainable LED and connected lighting solutions to support the goals of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). We are focused on driving the shift to sustainability by focusing our efforts in the areas of transportation, education, government buildings, and broadband access.
Signify recently launched the Brighten America program to support. The IIJA seeks to strengthen US infrastructure, create jobs, combat climate change, and bridge the digital divide--all areas in which lighting plays a pivotal role.
We previously covered how the Biden-Harris administration demonstrates a dedication to rebuilding and strengthening America’s roads, transportation, interconnectivity, and natural resiliency using locally sourced US products and materials.
A significant part of this rebuilding will involve the targeted allocation of federal funds. Understanding eligibility for these funds will undoubtedly be challenging for the various school districts, municipalities, and other qualifying organizations wishing to leverage funding for sustainable and resilient innovations that support climate action.
Funding will be prioritized for projects that directly align with those IIJA goals. The stated goals of the IIJA are investing in roads and bridges and public transportation; creating new jobs in manufacturing, construction, and transportation; eliminating lead pipes from American households, schools, and childcare centers; and supporting high-speed internet access for all Americans, all while addressing the climate crisis.
Lighting can play a critical role here and should be considered a top funding allocation priority. As our work with K-12 schools shows, dynamic lighting has been tied to improved student performance, concentration, and overall wellbeing. So not only would a school district be gaining energy efficiency and savings by focusing on lighting solutions, but they would also be supporting the comfort and welfare of their students, teachers, and staff.
America’s transportation infrastructure includes over 40 million street lights, of which more than half have not been upgraded to long-lasting, energy-efficient LED technology. Making the switch to LED luminaires and connected lighting systems is one of the easiest ways save energy and enhance the lives of citizens and communities.
Federal-, state-, and municipal-level funding available through the IIJA represents an unprecedented opportunity for government organizations to renovate their buildings and other properties. Energy-efficient lighting retrofits can make meaningful reductions in carbon emissions, while providing the smart building infrastructure that can help increase worker productivity, support employee health and well-being, and contribute to secure Internet access.
Lighting plays a crucial role in education. School districts collectively spend around $8 billion per year on energy, with lighting in schools representing around 9% of that spend. Poor and outdated lighting can hinder student performance, productivity, and well being, leading to unintended long-term consequences. LED and connected lighting are fast and easy ways for schools to save energy and costs that can be reinvested in the learning environment.
Today, with so much being done digitally and remotely, affordable, reliable, high-speed Internet access is a paramount need for all citizens. According to the US government, over 30 million Americans with broadband access receive substandard service, while others have no access at all.This “digital divide” means that one in five teens can’t regularly complete homework assignments, and many families don’t have enough connectivity to share among everyone who needs it. Connected lighting systems are the quickest and most cost-effective investment to deliver public broadband and Wi-Fi access to underserved communities at a significantly lower cost. Communities’ street lighting infrastructure provides the distributed real estate, power, and connectivity to solve the “last mile” challenge, ensuring adequate broadband access for more Americans.
In the coming months, we’ll add more resources to help you navigate IIJA program and fulfill our pledge to Brighten America. Contact us to discuss how we can help support your upcoming lighting projects.
November 14, 2023
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