Under the smart lighting contract, Ameresco will use IoT technology provided by Silver Spring Networks
U.S. company Ameresco announced it has been contracted by the city of Chicago as part of a municipal smart lighting project meant to modernize city infrastructure. Ameresco said it will work with Silver Spring Networks, a networking platform and solutions provider for the IoT, in the implementation of the project.
Ameresco reps said that the project is believed to be the largest city-led wireless smart street light program in the U.S., and will connect more than 250,000 street light fixtures across Chicago.
The four-year modernization project is expected to transform Chicago’s street light system by replacing approximately 85% of the city’s existing street lights with smart LEDs. The multi-phase project will commence this summer, the company said.
“The city of Chicago’s lighting replacement initiative will be one of the largest modernization programs to date in the U.S., said Mike Bell, president and CEO, Silver Spring Networks. “We’re very excited to see it come to fruition, while laying the foundation for future smart city applications.”
The new smart LED street lights will be owned and operated by the city of Chicago, supported by Silver Spring Networks’ managed services and its streetlight.vision control and management system (CMS) software.
The new LED street lights are expected to consume between 50% and 75% less electricity than the city’s existing lighting infrastructure. Silver Spring’s IPv6 platform will enable Chicago to remotely dim or brighten street lights as needed, as well as to remotely monitor street lights for proactive maintenance and faster repairs if failures do occur.
The smart street light infrastructure will also be integrated into Chicago’s 311 system.
Silver Spring Networks’ customers include Baltimore Gas & Electric, CitiPower & Powercor, ComEd, Consolidated Edison, CPS Energy, Florida Power & Light, Pacific Gas & Electric, Pepco Holdings, and Singapore Power. Silver Spring has also deployed networks in smart cities initiatives including Copenhagen, Glasgow, Paris, Providence, and Stockholm.
Ameresco is a provider of energy efficiency, infrastructure upgrades, asset sustainability and renewable energy solutions for businesses and organizations throughout North America and Europe.
