Cost effectiveness of suburban street lighting

Abstract

Street lighting is a major concern for all Authorities that are required to provide this public service. Concerns about safety, crime reduction, and amenity need to be balanced against operation and maintenance costs, and reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. This project examined if the current lighting in a selected area of Castlemaine, Victoria met the Australian Standard AS/NZS1158, and what expenditure would be required to bring it up to this standard. Also, the project looked at energy efficient lamps to determine if it was cost effective to replace the existing items. The Australian Standard has two sections – AS1158.1.1 for high vehicle traffic, and AS1158.3.1 for minor roads and pedestrian areas. After the sample area was broken up into lighting zones, computer modelling indicated that the highways were over-lit, and the minor roads were under-lit. The infrastructure required to bring lighting up to the relevant Standard is substantial. For the minor roads, an extra 28 luminaires will be required at an estimated cost of $174,000. The replacement of the current luminaires with more energy efficient items ahead of the proposed change over date is not warranted because the life of the energy efficient lamps are significantly less than the current items, and the annual maintenance charge for these “non standard” luminaires is three times the cost of the current item. The recommendation is that Mount Alexander Shire Council, through the CVGA, lobby PowerCor to include energy efficient lighting in their standard luminaires, and that Council refrains from installing extra luminaires unless there is a well defined need. One aspect that was of interest is that AS 1158 is an advisory standard, and there is no requirement for an Authority who is responsible for Public Lighting to meet this Standard.