• • • SMART BUILDINGS AND IOT • • • How street lighting can enhance
smart city IoT innovation By Phil Beecher, CEO and President of the Wi-SUN Alliance
municipalities striving to improve the quality of life for their citizens.
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Nearly 90 per cent of the United States population alone is set to be living in urban areas by 2050, exacerbating issues such as traffic congestion, waste management inefficiencies and other significant demands on local resources. To address these challenges, a number of smart city initiatives have been launched in recent years. At the heart of technological and Internet of Things (IoT) innovation in smart cities is smart lighting, a prominent feature in urban spaces that offers much more than just illumination.
A cornerstone for smart city developments
Street lighting is a critical urban feature but is both costly to maintain and a significant consumer of energy, accounting for up to 50 per cent of a city’s public electricity usage. However, by 2029, over 90 per cent of streetlights will be powered by LEDs, underscoring the global shift towards sustainable lighting.
Smart lighting goes beyond energy efficiency though. By integrating sensors and other wireless communication technologies, streetlights can be transformed into large scale, multi-functional
ass urbanisation and rapid population growth continue to reshape cities worldwide, creating challenges for
canopies that support the collection of real-time data on the likes of air quality, traffic conditions and public safety. As such, they can become an essential tool for effective urban management.
The importance of wireless mesh networks
In order to enable this transformation, using a Wi-SUN Field Access Network (Wi-SUN FAN) is key. Traditional ‘star’ networks often falter in environments of ranging topologies, especially cities, which are dominated by narrow streets, high-rise buildings and dense concrete structures. In contrast, wireless mesh networks like Wi-SUN FAN operate effectively under such conditions. The decentralised nature of mesh networks enhances their resilience. Data can be routed dynamically through multiple pathways, ensuring continuity even if certain nodes fail or become overloaded. New nodes can also be added without requiring a complete network overhaul. Because of these features, open, standardised networks like Wi-SUN FAN have become the ideal foundation to support IoT applications in smart cities.
Enhancing quality of life As mentioned, the networks provided by smart lighting and Wi-SUN FAN enables numerous applications that can enhance urban living standards.
For instance, sensors embedded in smart street lighting technology and their networks can monitor environmental factors such as temperature, humidity and air quality. As these networks are extensive, cities can collect and use this data to identify pollution hotspots or areas lacking green spaces.
Streetlights can also reduce light pollution by adjusting their brightness based on environmental conditions or the time of day. Motion detection capabilities allow streetlights to automatically brighten when pedestrians or cyclists approach, improving visibility during low-light conditions. During emergencies, streetlights can serve as visual aids by changing colours or flashing to guide residents to safety or alert authorities. These features enhance both public safety and situational awareness. Additionally, efficient traffic management and parking can also be achieved. By collecting and sharing real-time data on available parking spaces, the IoT technologies, such as electronic signs and messages, used within the networks can direct drivers to less congested areas, reducing traffic jams and carbon emissions.
Several major smart cities are using Wi-SUN networks to deliver the required connectivity and capabilities for their connected streetlights. For example, in 2020, The City of London deployed 12,000 lighting units to reduce energy consumption and maintenance costs, while also enabling applications such as environmental monitoring. Similarly, Miami has nearly 500,000 connected streetlights currently in use, while Paris, France has close to 280,000. Both of these large- scale implementations rely on Wi-SUN FAN technology, and as more smart lighting initiatives commence, wireless mesh networks will become more commonplace.
Building the cities of tomorrow As urban populations grow and the demand for sustainable solutions intensifies, municipalities worldwide are discovering how intelligent city infrastructure networks can reduce costs while improving efficiency and citizen safety. Global industry alliances like the Wi-SUN Alliance are supporting these efforts by driving the proliferation of wireless devices for use in smart cities, utilities and other IoT-reliant applications. The use of Wi-SUN FAN and the technologies they enable are making day-to-day smart city operations more efficient, with smart street lighting becoming a major catalyst for the ongoing transformation of urban environments. As more cities embrace Wi-SUN technologies, the future of urban living looks brighter, both literally and figuratively.
30 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING • DECEMBER/JANUARY 2025
electricalengineeringmagazine.co.uk
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