The City of Unley completed a bulk upgrade of its street lighting in 2019.
2,585 residential street lights across the City were replaced with energy efficient LED luminaires (light units) which are up to 76% more energy efficient. The lights are manufactured by Gerard Lighting and were assembled in Australia.
The luminaire (the main body of the light including the LED light source) will last for about 20 years.
These new street lights will also increase lighting quality, with more light being directed toward the ground where it is needed instead of into the sky.
The lights are owned and maintained by SA Power Networks.
Street lighting is important for pedestrian, vehicle and public safety and improves road safety at night by illuminating roads and footpaths at intersections, traffic islands and pedestrian crossing points. Street lighting also makes it easier for people to drive or walk along streets at night. Street lighting is not designed to provide security lighting for privately owned properties. Lighting is designed to light our streets and pedestrian walkways only and to provide a level of security to those areas.
The lighting system has been approved by SA Power Network, the distribution company that owns the lighting infrastructure. The lights have been tested to ensure they meet relevant Australian Standards for safety and light levels. Trial results have demonstrated that they have superior performance to the existing lights. The new lights have:
Yes. Waste disposal requirements included the recycling of around 98% of the old lights. For example, the glass collected is recycled into products such as glass wool insulation for homes. The mercury is distilled and reused in the dental industry to manufacture amalgam. The aluminium body and other fixed components (for example, steel screws and copper wires) are collected and end up as ingots used in industry.