Public Energy Saving

A study by Nuon in 2006 revealed that smart lighting of public spaces can yield annual savings of up to 12%.

Study into Public Energy Saving Potential
Nature Reserve “de Grutte Wielen”
Municipality of Leiden
Master Class in Public Lighting

Public lighting is one of the biggest consumers of electricity in the Netherlands. The business unit Dynamicom addresses this issue with Smart Lighting, a concept which brings together four themes that are relevant to public spaces:

  • Safety
  • Quality of life
  • Light nuisance 
  • Energy saving

Study into Public Energy Saving Potential

In 2006 Nuon carried out a study into the potential savings on lighting in public spaces. This showed that major steps can be made:

  • Replacement of existing lighting units by new systems;
  • Dimming lighting wherever and whenever possible;
  • Smart switching: being selective in what is and what is not lit.

These measures can jointly lead to annual savings of 12% or over 47,000 tons of CO2.

Nature Reserve “de Grutte Wielen”

“De Grutte Wielen” is a nature reserve situated to the North-East of Leeuwarden. With ‘Licht op Maat’ (Light Made to Measure) a solution was found in 2006 for the light nuisance caused to the nature reserve by the nearby provincial road. Infrared traffic loops ‘count’ the number of vehicles and determine the required road lighting according to the volume of traffic. The fewer vehicles on the road, the lower the lighting level. At night the level of lighting is so low that light nuisance for man and nature is kept to a minimum, without compromising road safety.

The project was realised in cooperation with Essent Lighting, Friese Milieufederatie, Wielenwerkgroep, It Fryske Gea and provincial and municipal authorities.

Municipality of Leiden

Dynamicom and the Municipality of Leiden are engaged in a long-standing partnership for the implementation of an integrated long-term policy for public lighting. Nuon sees the city of Leiden as a shining example of Smart Lighting. For 10 years the municipality has been working on a lighting plan which integrates the themes of safety, quality of life, light nuisance and energy saving. In 2006 Dynamicom realised the “Leidse Loper” (Leiden Red Carpet), which is a tourist route through Leiden past a selection of high-quality architectural buildings that are attractively illuminated. Thanks to the application of modern technology and the smart placement of illumination points, the route is not only stunning but also more energy-efficient than traditional illumination systems.

Master Class in Public Lighting

To increase the awareness of administrators and councillors, Nuon has teamed up with TU Delft and the municipality of Leiden to organise a Master Class in Public Lighting in 2007. By means of this Master Class, Nuon is seeking to build more support for smart public lighting.