The City is illuminating five communities in Calgary with 2,500 new energy-efficient LED streetlights this summer.

Altadore, Douglasdale, Marlborough, Tuxedo Park, and Brentwood are part of the first phase of an initiative focused on changing the existing High Pressure Sodium (HPS) street lights to energy efficient fixtures. LED light installations started in the community of Altadore, and will be ongoing throughout the summer and early fall. In a two-phased project, The City plans to eventually undertake a city-wide retrofit of approximately 80,000 fixtures.

“This is the first step in The City’s larger vision of providing Calgarians with smart, sustainable, and cost-effective infrastructure,” said Barry Poon, Acting Director of Roads. “The LED technology will not only reduce electricity use and lower maintenance costs, but will also provide better quality lighting for our communities and roadways.”

The new LED fixtures are expected to reduce electricity consumption up to 55 per cent, and provide virtually no wasted or spilled light. GE Lighting was selected as the primary manufacturer for the first phase of the project. GE’s energy efficient Evolve™ LED Roadway Scalable Cobrahead fixtures being installed are part of GE ecomagination, the company’s commitment to developing technology solutions that deliver operational efficiencies and savings while reducing environmental impact.

“We’re very pleased to have the opportunity to collaborate with The City of Calgary in its innovative move to increase energy efficiency through the use of LED technology,” said Derek Publicover, General Manager of GE Lighting Canada.  “We’re seeing more and more municipalities making the move to LED. Calgary should be proud to be among the cities leading the movement.”

GE Lighting and LED Roadway Lighting (LRL) were awarded contracts for the manufacturing of the LED lights, with 2,000 fixtures provided by GE Lighting, and 500 fixtures provided by LRL. Enmax is responsible for installations throughout the five communities.