Warrnambool City Council, as part of its Community Energy Efficiency Program project ‘The Great
South Coast Street Smart Lighting Program’, is changing the lights on your street to a more
sustainable, low cost and energy efficient alternative.
Q: When will the works be taking place?
A: Stage one will occur from around June-July 2014. Stage two will take place between SeptemberNovember 2014.
Q: When will the works be occurring in my area?
A: For a project of this size, specific works schedules are developed on a week-by-week basis.
Weather and other contributing factors can result in delays.
Q: How will the works affect my street on the day?
A: The changeover of a street lights involves a single elevated work platform with two to three crew
members. It takes less than five minutes to replace a street light so any disruptions to traffic flow in
your street should not last long. Resident’s cars can remain parked on streets.
Q: Who is installing the new lights and removing the old ones?
A: A company called Lend Lease will install and remove the lights. They will be liaising with Council
throughout the project.
Q: Why did Council choose these particular lights?
A: The LED lighting system chosen by Council is the most energy-efficient lighting option to have
been approved by Powercor, the Distribution Network Service Provider that owns the lighting
infrastructure. The lights have been tested to ensure they meet relevant Australian Standards in
regards to safety and light levels. Trial results throughout Victoria have demonstrated that they have
superior performance to the existing lights.
The new lights have:
• Greater uniformity of light across and along the street;
• Better “colour rendering” and visibility; and
• Less depreciation of the light output over time.
Q: Is there a spike in electricity use when the lights are turned on?
A: There is no electricity spike when street lights are turned on. This is similar to the myth regarding
residential lights – i.e. that there is such a large spike at the start that if you’re leaving the room you
should keep lights on. There is no large spike. This is easy to test and prove with simple power
monitors.
Q: Who makes the lights?
A: The LEDs are made in Australia by Sylvania.
Q: How long do the lights last?
A: The luminaire (the main body of the light) will last approximately 20 years. The photoelectric cells
last eight years and the poles last around 35 years.
Q: Who actually owns the lights?
A: The lights are owned and maintained by energy distribution business Powercor.
Q: Are the old lights recycled?
A: Yes. The recycling of old lights that are taken down during a bulk change is the responsibility of
the installer. Council has specified waste disposal requirements which includes the recycling of
around 98 per cent of the old lights. For example, the glass collected is recycled into products such
as glass wool insulation for homes. The mercury is distilled and reused in the dental industry to
manufacture amalgam. The aluminium body and other fixed components (for example, steel screws,
copper wires) are collected and end up as ingots used in industry.
Q: Did the Council receive a grant for the energy efficient lighting upgrade?
A: Yes. The Council received $1,398,363 from the Australian Government’s Community Energy
Efficiency Program (CEEP). CEEP is providing $106 million in grants to 160 local governments and
non-profit community groups for energy efficiency upgrades such as lighting, heating, ventilation
and air conditioning.
Q: Who do I call if I have any inquiries about the works?
A: Please contact Warrnambool City Council on (03) 5559 4800.