LumiStreet lighting in Milton Keynes – the reduction in ongoing energy costs is expected to pay for the project in full within eight years

Milton Keynes City Council (MKCC) in the UK is upgrading 18,000 existing streetlights to LED as part of its long-term vision to create a world-leading sustainable city.

Lighting specialist Signify was selected to carry out the upgrade which will enable the city to introduce innovation in terms of performance, quality of light, and connectivity to its lighting assets – and contribute to its climate action goals.

Reduced energy usage

The phased programme will be completed in 2024 and is expected to save the council over five million kWh in energy usage, and £2m in energy costs per year, following completion (based on average and estimated prices 2021-2025). LED lighting uses up to 70 per cent less energy when compared to the existing HID lighting.

The reduction in ongoing energy costs is expected to pay for the project in full within eight years. The city council reports the upgrade will also increase visibility for motorists and pedestrians, and improve the quality of security camera footage, helping to improve the feeling of safety and deter criminal activity.

In 2019, MKCC committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2030, and carbon negative by 2050 the steps of which are laid out in its Sustainability Strategy 2019-2050. It had already kicked off some climate action initiatives prior to this. In 2014, Milton Keynes City Council started delivery of the programme to modernise and upgrade its public lighting stock to low-energy LED; to reduce energy costs and carbon emissions, extend the life of its assets, and reduce maintenance and associated costs.

“This has been a significant project that will really help us to lower our energy consumption and tackle climate change in Milton Keynes"

Then in 2022, due to the 88 per cent increase in energy prices the council came under further revenue pressure for 2023-24, which led it to expand and accelerate the lighting upgrade programme to enable them to operate in the most cost-efficient manner.

“This has been a significant project that will really help us to lower our energy consumption and tackle climate change in Milton Keynes," said councillor Jennifer Wilson-Marklew, cabinet member for the public realm. “MK City Council is committed to moving towards our target of net zero by 2030 and being carbon negative by 2050. Reducing our streetlight energy consumption is a big part of that process."

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