Street lighting is
being transformed

Deployment of LED and remote-controlled lighting

In terms of public lighting, Sibelga faces two major challenges: reducing energy consumption to a minimum and anticipating the end of bulb production by 2030.

To this end, Sibelga has drawn up a programme for the complete replacement of its facilities with remotely controlled LED technology in 2022. This programme will involve the replacement of 70,000 lamps over 8 years (from 2023 to 2030). “This will considerably increase the rate of replacements, as we are moving from an average of 3,500 replacements per year to 8,500,” says Serge Lamborelle, Head of Public Lighting at Sibelga. “However, there will be no significant increase in the annual budget,” he says. “Actually, wherever possible, we will only replace the lamp part of the light fixture without replacing the poles and supply cables. This requires a number of adaptations in the way we do things, from design to purchasing and logistics to the organisation of installation work. “

At the same time, Sibelga is continuing to organise the deployment of modules that allow remote control and the sending and receiving of information in real time from light points. This is called smart lighting. “Remote control will enable even greater energy savings to be made, thanks to a more precise level of control over each light fixture. In combination with the switch to LEDs, a reduction in the consumption of municipal street lighting of around 35% is expected by 2030. If necessary, we will also be able to respond more effectively to targeted requests for lighting reductions to help with energy conservation efforts,” concludes Serge Lamborelle.

By 2022, the Brussels municipal street lighting network will already have 11,000 remotely controlled light points and 11,425 LED lamps.

First successful results for bubble lighting

Bubble lighting is one of the practical applications enabled by the deployment of remotely controllable lamps on the public lighting network. In concrete terms, this system automatically increases the intensity of the lamps in the vicinity of a user and illuminates their path as they progress.

Users of the Alphonse Vandenpeereboom cycle path in Molenbeek and the Georges Désir alley in the Charmille eco-neighbourhood in Sint-Lambrechts-Woluwe are already seeing the benefits of this. “This system saves energy, is better for wildlife and maintains users’ comfort and sense of security. The lamps operate at a minimum intensity level that is only increased when necessary,” explains Serge Lamborelle, Head of Public Lighting at Sibelga.

The savings achieved depend on the amount of traffic using the route concerned. In the Charmille eco-neighbourhood, for example, the energy gain would be in the region of 40 to 50%. Link to BX1 report:

Woluwe-Saint-Lambert : un balisage lumineux intelligent pour protéger la faune