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13th December, 2022
The time is now for national governments and municipal leaders to accelerate the move towards more sustainable solutions. Energy-efficient LED lighting can spearhead that effort.
Harry Verhaar
Head of Global Public and Governmental Affairs at Signify
“Although we strongly believe light can lead the way ahead, we’re also calling for a ramp-up in energy-efficient solutions from across sectors to allow such technologies to reinforce each other,” he added.
The electrification of transportation, heating, and other service systems are overloading the grid to a point where countries are at or near capacity. Lighting alone accounts for 13% of global electricity usage. Around half of all light points in the US and EU are still conventional—an enormous opportunity for rapid reductions of lighting-related energy consumption. LED lighting retrofits are relatively fast and easy, with few invasive activities involved.
Through a complete switch to connected LEDs, the EU has the potential to save €65.1 billion in energy costs annually, while freeing up enough electricity to power 47 million heat pumps and thus keep a quarter of all households warm each year. The reduction in carbon dioxide would be equal to the sequestration capacity of a forest the size of Switzerland.
Cities, too, can find vast benefits in such a switch. A municipality with 100,000 citizens can save an estimated €600,000 just by switching to LEDs, and can bump savings up to €1.2 million with presence detection and connected lighting system management, all while keeping citizens more safe and secure at night.
The push for energy-efficient infrastructure is not confined to the EU. “With the US government’s historic $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, it has never been a more opportune time for cities to leverage their street lighting infrastructure, to tackle some of their greatest challenges such as transportation, public safety and sustainability,” said Martin Stephenson, Head of North American Systems & Services and President, Canada, Signify.
“Cities can reap immediate value from adding IoT and sensor technology, while laying the foundation for a larger transformation journey,” Stephenson added.
New York state capital Albany has recently announced it will pilot a sensor solution and connected LED system with Signify and artificial intelligence expert Upciti. The city hopes to improve services like parking and traffic and support public safety through combining IoT technology and imaging sensors with luminaires.
Our Green Switch campaign is helping European cities transition to connected LED lighting. We also championed the potential of connected LED technologies to confront the current energy, climate, and financial crises at the recent COP27 in Egypt.
Climate action is key—and action must be taken now. “We see that the world continues to warm at an alarming rate, and we feel that we have a responsibility to take climate action in the best way we can while operating our business,” said Eric Rondolat, CEO of Signify.
“In this regard, we do not only decarbonize our own operations, and our entire value chain, but we see the huge potential that lighting has when it comes to energy efficiency. We can help keep the lights on in the world and reduce carbon emissions at the same time.”
Signify Global Media relations - Professional Lighting
Claire Phillips
Tel: +44 7956 489081
Email: claire.phillips@signify.com
Signify (Euronext: LIGHT) is the world leader in lighting for professionals, consumers and the Internet of Things. Our Philips products, Interact systems and data-enabled services, deliver business value and transform life in homes, buildings and public spaces. In 2023, we had sales of EUR 6.7 billion, approximately 32,000 employees and a presence in over 70 countries. We unlock the extraordinary potential of light for brighter lives and a better world. We have been in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index since our IPO for seven consecutive years and have achieved the EcoVadis Platinum rating for four consecutive years, placing Signify in the top one percent of companies assessed. News from Signify can be found in the Newsroom, on X, LinkedIn and Instagram. Information for investors is located on the Investor Relations page.
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