Lighting the West

Over 2014-2016, the project oversaw the upgrade of 26,053 80W mercury vapour lights in residential streets to new energy efficient lights, saving 66-77 per cent of the energy used by each light. It is expected that the upgrades will save $41 million in energy and maintenance costs and 146,397 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions over a 20 year period across the region.

The massive regional undertaking was one of the largest street lighting projects in Australia and included the largest changeover of decorative lights. It was achieved through collaboration between the WAGA councils, working closely with Jemena and Powercor, the Distribution Network Service Providers for the region, and Ironbark Sustainability, the project manager. The whole project cost $10 million of which the Australian Government contributed $2.36 million.

Community engagement was crucial to the project, not only to inform residents about what was going on in their streets as they watched technicians in cherry-pickers working on the light poles. The councils took the opportunity to tell their communities a broader story about energy efficiency and show people how to save energy themselves. Communications included intriguing billboards raised above busy roads in the west and even educational footpath decals placed in high foot traffic areas to make residents aware of the new street lights and their benefits.  For those residents who were intrigued, a range of workshops, events and articles adapted to each municipality were provided. This proved worthwhile; 600 residents across the region participated in educational workshops, and the website and other written materials were read by thousands of people.