LED street lighting replacement for municipal project in Ecuador
LED street lighting replacement for municipal project in Ecuador
Introduction
Street and public area lighting is a vital service provided by local and municipal governments. Good street lighting is crucial for road safety, personal security, and urban ambiance; it indirectly prevents crime and provides property security. Well-lit streets also increase economic opportunities by extending business hours after dark. In Ecuador, providing street and public lighting is one of the most expensive responsibilities for municipalities, and in some cities, they incur significant electricity and maintenance costs due to the use of outdated lighting fixtures. In the 21st century, with the emergence of new energy-efficient technologies (LEDs) and designs, replacing these fixtures has become an imperative process. We know that using LED streetlights can significantly reduce street lighting costs (up to 60%) and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These savings can reduce the need for new power plants and reallocate scarce capital to provide energy to populations in remote areas. The money saved also allows municipalities to expand street lighting coverage to other areas, including low-income and other underserved communities. This article uses a ZGSM street lighting replacement project in Ecuador to illustrate the various processes that need attention, such as initial communication, road condition assessment, lighting design (Street lighting design), and product recommendations. Let’s delve into the main text to learn more.
Current street lighting situation
In Ecuador, major cities (such as Quito and Guayaquil) have high coverage of road lighting on main thoroughfares and in commercial areas, but most municipal street lighting systems are outdated. They either use inefficient technology or require constant maintenance due to aging equipment, resulting in higher-than-necessary energy and maintenance costs (Street light maintenance). These lights constitute a significant portion of municipal operations, particularly concentrated on roads in older districts and some residential areas. Many of these lights use traditional high-pressure sodium lamps, which provide dim and uneven light distribution. Residents have expressed increasing dissatisfaction in recent years due to the negative impact on their lives. Local governments are actively and progressively implementing LED street lighting replacement projects to reduce energy consumption (with a target of over 50% energy savings) and improve lighting quality. To meet future needs, intelligent control systems are also being pursued as a solution to achieve further energy savings and modernize lighting.
What does ZGSM offer for this street lighting replacement project?
As an LED street light manufacturer, we offer services that go far beyond just producing lighting fixtures. To ensure the smooth progress of your project, ZGSM can conduct street lighting simulation based on the road conditions and lighting requirements provided by the customer. We assist customers in product selection (including model, LED driver, LED chips and lens type), and recommend product configuration solutions (including LED driver configuration, whether to include a NEMA interface (What’s NEMA and Zhaga?), certifications, and other customized requirements). The following sections will elaborate on these services.
Road condition summary
ZGSM’s client actively communicated with us regarding this street lighting replacement project in early 2024, hoping to replace some of the old streetlights as soon as possible to facilitate the early completion of the pilot project. The client understood the importance of the project and therefore wanted to obtain detailed information of the roads to better recommend suitable luminaire models, power ratings, and lens configurations. The client proactively collected various data, including lighting requirements, typical road widths, pole spacing, luminaire arrangement (More about luminaire arrangement), and the specific location and height of the poles. The following is the detailed information collected by the client. For unreasonable requirements (for example, in Street 1, where the pole height is low and the spacing is large, yet a lower Ti value (How to reduce glare in street lighting and sports lighting?) is simultaneously required), ZGSM proposed adjustments, suggesting a slight reduction in the Ti requirement while maintaining the original brightness standards. The client also indicated that these situations were due to specific conditions on individual roads and that the relevant requirements could be relaxed accordingly during the lighting design process.
Lighting design
Lighting simulation is a crucial tool that helps clients scientifically select street light models, power levels, and lens light distribution based on road conditions and luminaire arrangement. Based on the information provided by the client, ZGSM engineers used lighting simulation software (DIALux evo) to conduct comprehensive lighting simulation analyses for various road conditions. Leveraging the core advantages of Dialux EVO simulation software, we compared multiple different light distribution (lens) to select the right one that best matched the road geometry. While precisely meeting the target lighting level parameters (such as brightness, uniformity, and glare control), ZGSM also minimized the power configuration of the luminaires to achieve maximum energy savings. This is because lighting standards in the Americas, such as Darksky (More about Darksky), stipulate that the designed illuminance cannot exceed the required level by more than 10% for sports lighting, and for this road lighting project, some South American countries also require that the average brightness in road lighting does not exceed the corresponding values ​​in the table above.
Others about street lights
The client explicitly requested the integration of a smart control system in the later stages, so we provided them with a 7-pin NEMA socket. To minimize modifications to the existing power distribution cabinet, we suggested that the client initially use a photocell control system for basic on/off control of the luminaires. Given the current lack of a smart control system to support real-time dimming, ZGSM further suggested a time-based dimming (What’s timer dimming?) scheme to reduce energy consumption during the latter part of the night. The client approved and adopted this solution, providing the dimming curve parameters for our factory pre-configuration. Ultimately, we calculated the actual power consumption of the luminaires throughout the night. Compared to traditional lighting, the energy savings exceeded 70%, and the client expressed high satisfaction with the solution. In addition, the tender required various supporting documents to demonstrate that the recommended solution met project requirements and standards. These documents (certificates and reports) included LM79, LM80, lighting design scheme, CB certification, ISO9001, ISO14001, ANSI 136.10, ANSI 136.41, and IP/IK protection rating test reports. ZGSM provided all the required certificates and reports (Find more about certification) as requested by the client.
Customer feedback and project pictures
After repeated communication and confirmation of product configurations with the client, the client finally placed an order for nearly 1000 sets of ZGSM Rifle series streetlights in the first half of 2024. The products included 6 different wattages and 4 lens specifications, and all luminaires were equipped with 7-pin NEMA sockets and shorting caps. Color temperature of 4000K was used for all lamps, ensuring high luminous efficiency (Why high CRI is always low luminous efficacy?) while also considering visual comfort. The client received the entire shipment in the second half of the same year and successfully completed the delivery. The following are actual photos of the installed products: Compared to the previous dim lighting environment, the brightness and uniformity of the main road have been significantly improved after street lighting replacement, and they fully meet the relevant requirements of the EN13201 lighting standard (Road lighting design standard EN13201).
The image below shows a panoramic view of the neighborhood. It can be seen that most of the area still uses traditional high-pressure sodium lamps, emitting a typical yellow light. Only the main road traversing the neighborhood and some of the side streets have been upgraded to LED streetlights. The client reported that residents are very satisfied with the new streetlights, feeling unprecedented safety and security when driving from the neighborhood streets onto the main road. Residents are eagerly anticipating the gradual replacement of all streetlights with LED fixtures. ZGSM’s client is also actively communicating with relevant government departments to promote the subsequent street lighting replacement process. Some observant residents noticed that these LED streetlights automatically dim at night. Initially, they thought this was some kind of advanced technology, but later learned that it was a built-in function of the LED driver, which made them especially happy – because they didn’t have to pay extra for this energy-saving feature. In the future, if ZGSM’s client needs to further upgrade the intelligent control system (More street lighting smart control), they can easily replace the existing photocell with intelligent single-lamp controllers for more flexible dimming management. ZGSM is pleased to see that our clients and local residents are gaining so many practical benefits from this process, which is precisely the value that modern road lighting should deliver.
Do you have a road waiting for street lighting replacement?
Do you have roads that need lighting upgrades? Are you confused about choosing the right wattage for your streetlights (Wattage vs height of street light)? Are you unsure if your chosen products meet project requirements? ZGSM has over 20 years of experience in road lighting projects. We can provide you with a full range of services, from on-site assessment and lighting design to product selection and delivery support. Whether it’s a main road or a neighborhood street, ZGSM can configure the appropriate LED solution based on road conditions and standards. If you have roads that need street lighting replacements or upgrades, please contact ZGSM. Together, we can make your roads brighter, safer, more energy-efficient, and smarter. Below are ZGSM’s LED street lighting products; click on the images for more information.
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Author introduction
Hello Customers,
My name is Taylor Gong, I’m the product manager of ZGSM Tech. I have been in the LED lights industry for more than 13 years. Good at lighting design, street light system configuration, and bidding technology support. Feel free to contact us. I’m happy to provide you with the best service and products.
Email: [email protected] | WhatsApp: +8615068758483