SINGAPORE — Street lamps islandwide will be replaced with more energy-efficient light-emitting diode (LED) lights by 2022, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on Tuesday (Jan 3).

Also in the works is the development of a Remote Control and Monitoring System (RCMS) in place of the current timer-based system, so that street lamps can be more responsive to weather changes. This system could also be used to collect and transmit data on the environment to support the delivery of public services.

Trials for LED lights first started at Northumberland Road and Tekka Lane in 2010, and in Toa Payoh and West Coast Highway in 2013. Findings showed that LED street lamps are about 25 per cent more energy-efficient than current street lamps.
 
“In addition, LED lighting is more reliable and requires less frequent replacement. This helps conserve energy and reduce maintenance and manpower costs,” said the LTA in a press release. 

LED lighting components can last an average of 10 years compared with  the current high-pressure sodium vapour lamps, which require replacement every three years in order to achieve the required lighting output.

Since 2014, the LTA has fitted around 4,000 street lamps with LED lights. About 500 lower-traffic and residential roads will have their street lighting changed by next year. 

Starting this month, tenders will be called to replace 25,000 lights on roads in the central area, such as Rochor Road, New Bridge Road and Kallang Road, by 2019. Street lights in all other areas will be replaced with LED lighting by 2022.

Currently, street lights are pre-programmed to turn on and off according to seasonal sunrise and sunset timings. But with the new system, the LTA will be able to do the control these lights remotely, according to “varying street lighting needs”.

“The RCMS will also enable LTA to have a more responsive and efficient maintenance regime as it features automated fault detection and alert capabilities,” the LTA said. 

The Government Technology Agency (GovTech) will also tap this smart lighting infrastructure to trial the feasibility of a shared network for low-bandwidth wireless sensors. Interconnected lamp posts are envisioned as a key part of the national sensor communications network under the Smart Nation initiative, said the LTA. 

In response to queries from TODAY, a GovTech spokesperson said that it would work with the LTA to conduct a proof-of-concept using the RCMS as a “shared communications gateway” to collect and transmit low-bandwidth sensor data from other public agencies.

The data collated pertains to the environment, and includes water level and flow, temperature and humidity, said the GovTech spokesperson.