LED Street Light Research Project

LED Street Light Research Project

Street lighting systems can account for as much as sixty percent of a municipal government’s total electricity use. New lighting and sensor technologies can reduce energy usage and save money. A major trend in street lighting is to use light emitting diode (LED) technology as a means of lowering energy use and overall maintenance costs. However, RCI's research indicates that performance issues have been neglected. The study team investigated the technological possibilities, best management practices, lessons learned from cities using LED lighting, and the place-making and aesthetic impact of LED lighting. The team also investigated the issues surrounding the replacement of existing fixtures with equivalent LED fixtures.

The City of Pittsburgh engaged the Remaking Cities Institute (RCI) to investigate the full range of potential benefits of a replacement program in business districts. The research team included Carnegie Mellon University faculty and researchers from the Remaking Cities Institute, School of Architecture and the School of Drama, as well as lighting consultants from C & C Lighting, LLC in Pittsburgh and Orfield Laboratories, Inc. in Minneapolis, MN.