The added value of modern lighting management systems

Prior to the refurbishment, a survey was carried out using the new LimeCam light measurement system. LimeCam enables mobile data recording during ongoing traffic, as the system, consisting of light sensors, GPS receiver and camera, is mounted directly on an ordinary PW. Compared to conventional, costly measurement methods, mobile light measurement with LimeCam enables large-scale, efficient data collection of up to 200 light points per hour. The most important, light-related characteristics such as illuminance distribution, GPS coordinates and light point height of all luminaires are recorded in a single pass.

Following the measurement, the collected data is transferred to the map-based software and analyzed. The false-color display enables a precise evaluation of the lighting condition of the roads and shows the potential for optimization as well as conflict zones. The evaluation thus provides the ideal basis for lighting planning prior to the refurbishment of lighting infrastructures.

On the basis of the precise inventory, ELEKTRON AG carried out the standard-compliant lighting calculation.

Specially in the identified conflict zones, compliance with the standards is of great importance, as Ernst Bosshard (Sales Manager Lighting ELEKTRON) explains: "At pedestrian crossings or intersections, the appropriate optics are essential to ensure safety and compliance with the standards." Davos Municipal Engineer André Fehr specifies: "To comply with the current standard, pedestrians in the area of pedestrian crossings must be illuminated from the side so that they are clearly visible to other road users." Therefore, specific lighting profiles are created for the different areas of use and conflict zones.

Due to the diverse lighting needs in Davos, the decision was made in favor of the DigiStreet luminaire family. The luminaire family convinces with great flexibility in terms of luminance, optics and different sizes. Two sizes with different optics were configured for the Davos street and park lighting.

In Davos, it has been shown that demand-oriented and low-emission lighting begins at the planning stage. This not only increases safety on the roads, but also reduces light pollution while lowering energy costs. Sustainable objectives that modern energy cities like Davos aim to achieve in public lighting:

"The new luminaires shine very precisely where the light is needed. There is hardly any stray light," explains municipal engineer André Fehr.

In addition to the needs-based configuration of the hardware, DigiStreet luminaires, thanks to the new System Ready architecture, offer technological flexibility and thus greater investment security. The luminaires are equipped with a universal Zhaga-standard plug connection at the top and bottom. System Ready controllers and sensors are designed for these interfaces and can be mounted without opening the luminaire; this allows for easy plug-and-play. Compatibility with products from different manufacturers increases flexibility in selecting the appropriate technology. Depending on requirements and local conditions, the luminaires can be expanded with motion or environmental sensors in the future.

This way, public lighting can be successively expanded into a smart city infrastructure. Markus Widmer (chief installer EWD) sees potential in this for the future: "I believe it will be our future to link infrastructural facilities and "control them smartly."

In the course of the refurbishment, DigiStreet luminaires were networked with the web-based control software CityTouch. The proven lighting management system is already in use in over 40 Swiss municipalities and internationally in over 1000 projects. CityTouch enables the recording and visualization of the entire lighting infrastructure as well as the individual control of each light point. The luminaires can be clearly mapped thanks to a map-based representation of the lighting area. By grouping the individual luminaires into regions, streets or individual categories, the operator maintains an overview even with a very large number of light points. This function also convinces Davos, as Markus Widmer from the EWD explains: "The dimming calendar and groupings make the software very interesting and will certainly be increasingly used in our company".

The intuitive user interface of CityTouch enables the EWD to control individual luminaires or entire streets from the workplace with just a few mouse clicks and to change the light level.

In Davos, a standard calendar was first set up in line with today's ripple control. "In the next step, we grouped the individual luminaires and created a profile for the footpaths" explains Markus Widmer. If required, the individual dimming profiles can be pre-registered for the entire year using the calendar function. This allows Davos to flexibly adapt the lighting to its many different occasions, as Markus Widmer explains: "The dimming profiles will be put to 'practical use' with us for another time on August 1. The aim is to dim the lighting to such an extent that the big fireworks show to even better advantage. One advantage is that this can be programmed in advance and is carried out automatically without the need for additional personnel. There will certainly be other events where we apply special profiles."

Flexible dimming profiles also offer the possibility of increasing safety on the roads during major events. For example, the EWD is also planning temporary profiles to be used during the annual World Economic Form (WEF): "For safety reasons, certain sections of public lighting will not be operated with the standard profile. For us as operators and for the municipality, it is a simple, practical solution to ensure additional safety during these events," summarizes Widmer.

The simple control of the light points brings another advantage. In the event of new, official requirements, standards or urban planning changes, operators and the municipality can react immediately and adjust the dimming profiles accordingly. In this way, standard-compliant lighting is ensured at all times.

In the course of the software training by ELEKTRON, the operators were informed by EWD about the various possibilities as well as the handling of the light management software. "The software is very intuitively designed. This is a great advantage, as it is operated by operators with different backgrounds," explains Widmer. The commissioning of the newly installed luminaires also took place at the training session. From this point on, the luminaires transmit the collected operating data such as lighting duration, energy consumption, and status messages to the software on a daily basis.

System Ready luminaires can be easily connected to the lighting management system through the integrated interfaces. They are upgraded with a  CityTouch OLC (Outdoor Lighting Controller) and instantly coupled thanks to the built-in communication module. Thanks to the integrated GPS receiver, the individual lights automatically transmit their GEO coordinates. The light point thus appears in the software at the correct position on the map and all technical parameters of the luminaires can be retrieved. Thanks to automated commissioning, neither system knowledge nor installation measures such as control cabinet conversions or additional cabling are required.

In the event of a defect in a luminaire or a failure of the power supply, a message is automatically generated in CityTouch. Until now, defects or failures were reported by residents or EWD employees. Today, the EWD and the municipality of Davos automatically receive a message from the software in the event of a malfunction and the luminaires can be serviced immediately. This shortens the response time and increases safety on the roads. The municipality of Davos is particularly sensitive to safety due to the many major events and has found a way to ensure reliable lighting with CityTouch.

CityTouch offers the municipality of Davos and the EWD a high degree of data transparency. The transmission of precise energy measurement data facilitates the billing of energy costs for the EWD. "In the future, we will bill the energy costs of public lighting based on the data from the CityTouch software," says Widmer. Until now, the EWD used separate meters to determine costs mathematically for the municipality. With CityTouch, this process is greatly simplified and energy consumption can be quickly and accurately determined per luminaire and billed to the municipality.

In a first step, all new networked luminaires in Davos were mapped in CityTouch. The basic functionality of the software includes remote control of the individual light points, auto-localization via GPS, individual dimming calendars, automatic fault messages, and transmission of energy consumption and other operating data. The municipality of Davos and the EWD quickly recognized the potential of CityTouch. After successfully implementing the software, they decided to use CityTouch to map and manage their entire lighting infrastructure.

By using the resource management module, Davos can now visualize and manage its entire, public lighting in one system. The light point information of the existing infrastructure can be easily imported from a GIS or other database. If the GEO coordinates of the light points are not completely available, the mobile light measurement LimeCam can be used for data collection if required and the information can then be imported into CityTouch.

The clear display of all light points simplifies the maintenance of the lighting infrastructure.  In addition to active fault reports of networked luminaires, defects of passive luminaires can now also be recorded in the software, eliminating the need for paper-based routing slips or index cards. In addition, all activities on the lighting infrastructure, such as an electrotechnical inspection or a lamp replacement, can be documented centrally and retrieved at any time.

"We mainly hope to simplify the maintenance and energy billing processes, as we can now perform these tasks with one software solution." Markus Widmer, chief installer EWD

From the software, extensive reports and evaluations can be generated directly, which improves data transparency enormously. Recurring faults or other anomalies are thus identified and the appropriate measures can be initiated.

As Ernst Bosshard (Sales Manager Lighting, ELEKTRON) clarifies, the digital resource management is an "absolute added value for Davos". Markus Widmer is also convinced of the additional benefits: "I see an economic savings potential in this management system, as maintenance and operating costs will decrease." With the help of the CityTouch software, the EWD can not only maintain the street lighting efficiently, but also use the detailed information at the same time as a planning basis for future refurbishments.

As an energy town, the municipality of Davos is sensitive to the reduction of light pollution as well as lowering energy consumption through standard and demand-based lighting. By upgrading its street lighting with networked LED luminaires and the CityTouch lighting management system, Davos is one step closer to achieving its efficiency goals.

"I consider the potential of the new lighting to be great, as these systems offer great modularity and thus flexibility," Markus Widmer explains. In the dynamic environment of new possibilities through digitalization and the rapidly changing requirements of municipalities and politics, this flexibility stands for security. Thus, the lighting infrastructure can be expanded at any time with additional light points or, if required, with suitable Smart City applications.

Published in: ET Light 03/2018

Author

Frank Koster

Product Manager Light Elektron AG