Bright idea: GE and the city of Calgary embark on streetlight modernization

The city of Calgary’s Department of Transportation has selected GE Lighting to replace and upgrade existing streetlight fixtures with GE Evolve LED technology. In a two-phased project plan, the city of Calgary hopes to eventually retrofit approximately 80,000 streetlights with fixtures that consume 55 per cent less electricity and offer a lifespan of over a decade.

The first phase of the project will call for installation of GE’s LED technology, the Scalable Cobrahead ERS1 and ERS2, in five Calgary communities for fall 2014. GE’s technology, set to replace existing high-pressure sodium fixtures, is also designed to significantly reduce maintenance requirements and costs, while reducing the uplighting to zero. The possible city-wide retrofit will be debated by city council later this year. If the full conversion moves forward, Calgary would become the largest city in Canada to have LED lighting for the entirety of its street illumination.

“GE has a long and successful history of bringing innovative energy-efficient technologies to Alberta, and this streetlight modernization project will be one that the people of Calgary will recognize and realize benefits from immediately,” says Derek Publicover, general manager – GE Lighting Canada. “Illuminating Calgary in a responsible way, while showcasing the beauty of this great city, is something that the GE Lighting team in Canada is looking forward to.”

ALL ABOUT GE LIGHTING

GE Lighting invents with the vigor of its founder Thomas Edison to develop energy-efficient solutions that change the way people light their world in commercial, industrial, municipal and residential settings. The business employs about 13,000 people in more than 100 countries, and sells products under the Reveal and Energy Smart consumer brands, and Evolve, GTx, Immersion, Infusion, Lumination, Albeo and Tetra commercial brands, all trademarks of GE. GE works on things that matter to build a world that works better.

For more information, visit www.gelighting.com.