Philips and R20 founder Arnold Schwarzenegger call for switch to LED lighting in cities

At the first international sustainable energy conference, hosts "Regions of Climate Action"(R20) and Philips emphasised the benefits of adopting of intelligent and energy-efficient LED lighting for sub-national government organisations.

Mr. Eric Randolat, CEO of Philips Lighting, attended the conference and explained how LED-based lighting can enhance safety, reduce public energy bills and free up numerous resources to support economic development.

At the conference, Philips and R20 announced the launch of an "LED Street Lighting Toolkit" in the course of Q1 2013 that will enable sub-national governments to act quickly to improve street lighting with LED technology.

Studies have indicated that improving the efficiency of general electricity use from the present rate of 1 per cent per year up to 3 per cent per year would reduce the need for capital investments in public energy infrastructure by up to 1900 billion by 2030, providing medium-term public budget relief.

Cities are responsible for 70 per cent of global energy use. Lighting of public spaces (streets, parks, offices, schools) is responsible for 50 per cent of a city's energy bill. LED lighting thus represents a significant opportunity for city councils to cut their power bills and ease their stretched balance sheets.

Equally important, LED lighting can help municipalities create safer cities - and the benefit of LED lighting in this respect has been recognized by citizens. A global LED trial by The Climate Group in 12 cities determined that citizens prefer LED lighting, with 90 per cent supporting its rollout in cities, citing increased feelings of safety.