More than 5,700 streetlights have been installed in 25 smaller metropolitan areas in Kansas and Missouri under a just-concluded program to promote energy efficiency.
The Smart Lights for Smart Cities initiative installed the lights that are brighter and cheaper to operate, through the Mid-America Regional Council’s (MARC) program. The three-year project was funded by an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant from the US Department of Energy. The more than 5,700 high-efficiency streetlights (primarily LED) were purchased and/or installed in 25 communities with populations below 35,000.
Through the Smart Lights program, MARC showcased different technologies and vendors, demonstrating the savings from changing from mercury vapor and high-pressure sodium streetlights to either induction or LED technologies. The program ended in October 2013.
The Smart Lights project also included a public education component, sharing information about high-efficiency lighting technology with both city officials and residents.
Photo credit: MARC
