In a year where the context continues to change and remains challenging, many countries are facing several crises: climate change continues to accelerate, economies are under pressure, and consumers are dealing with inflation and skyrocketing energy bills.
But a new year also brings renewed optimism and a new focus. Innovators are constantly discovering new ways that IoT solutions can help address future challenges and solve a range of problems, both immediately and in the long term.
After addressing the key IoT trends from a general perspective, this year onwards meanworld leader in smart and sustainable lighting, we assess the IoT solutions that will help us on our way to sustainability.
- LED conversion public lighting
While the idea of replacing traditional lighting with LEDs is not new, the major energy saving benefits it offers are still not getting the importance they deserve. Although most people already know that LED lighting is more efficient than conventional lighting, with energy savings of at least 50%, the full potential offered by these sustainable developments has not yet been exploited.
To begin with, connecting and controlling LED lighting via a management system saves energy by up to 80%. Cities account for 78% of global energy consumption and 40% corresponds to lighting.
For example, Buenos Aires stands out as one of the pioneering cities in implementing smart and sustainable public lighting solutions, using a combination of energy-saving LED luminaires and advanced lighting management software. interaction city. This project, which involved the replacement of approximately 100,000 light points, has resulted in significant savings in operating costs, with energy consumption reduced by 50%. In addition, this initiative has had a positive impact on the reduction of CO2 emissions in the city, improving its environmental footprint.
The switch to energy-efficient LED really means the most immediate and significant impact What can be done in the fight against climate change? According to Jonathan Weinert, IoT and connected lighting at Signify, “For example, in a city of 200,000, switching all lighting to LED would prevent about 18,000 tons of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere each year, about the amount of carbon sequestered in 850,000 trees”.
- Greater opportunities for cities with IoT lighting technology
As we mentioned, the implementation of LED public lighting brings great benefits that should not be overlooked. This technology not only promotes safer and more attractive communities, but is also environmentally friendly, low cost and offers greater safety in installation and daily use. In addition, its resistance to vibration and temperature fluctuations makes it a more durable and reliable option than other lighting options.
In addition to the benefits of LED lighting, the application of IoT lighting systems also offers significant opportunities through, among other things, the savings in energy consumption and the reduction in maintenance costs, making projects viable. . Therefore, as cities begin to think about modernizing their infrastructure, the implementation of sustainable technologies such as IoT lighting systems becomes a viable alternative that will allow them to improve their energy efficiency, reduce their carbon emissions, and save their energy at the same time. obtain savings that allow them to meet other challenges and needs in their management.
- More accessible charging of electric vehicles
The transport industry has set itself the ambitious goal of being carbon neutral by 2050, which is even more challenging when you consider that 72% of transport-related greenhouse gas emissions come from cars and vehicles. There are billions of vehicles on the road around the world, so it is necessary to significantly reduce their emissions and move towards a sustainable transport model. Electrification of transport is the solution.
In recent years, the adoption of electric vehicles has increased significantly. However, there is still a major obstacle to overcome: the shortage of charging stations in cities and towns. Consumers seek the convenience of being able to easily charge their vehicles, and if this is not possible, EV adoption will be limited. Offering a broad and efficient charging infrastructure is necessary to ensure an effective transition to a more sustainable transport model.
Where do IoT solutions fit in? Connected LED street lighting can be designed to serve as vertical digital assets that cities can use to deploy connected capabilities throughout the municipality, from access points to a public broadband network to EV charging points installed directly on utility poles. The implementation of these solutions would not only improve the city’s infrastructure, but also contribute to energy savings in LED street lighting and smart buildings, balance the increase in electrical load and keep costs low while avoiding the need for more energy is resurrected. In short, IoT solutions play a key role in building a smart and sustainable urban infrastructure that can meet the challenges of the future.
- Will 2023 finally be the year of the Smart City?
It seems that we have been predicting the new era of Smart Cities for almost a decade, but will 2023 finally be the year when the adoption of IoT solutions in cities skyrockets?
Smart Cities not only focus on making life more comfortable for citizens, but also on improving the social, environmental and economic aspects of city life. And as the population of cities grows, Smart Cities will become a key ingredient in improving sustainability and quality of life.
IoT technology for a Smart City is developing rapidly. But as with all fast-growing markets, regulation and certification have often had to catch up. They have only recently begun to ripen standards, good practices and coordinated initiatives across the industry. Together with a general increase in experience and knowledge, it should now be easier to recognize what a Smart City is and especially what it is not.
AIoT, the combination of AI technology with IoT infrastructure, promises to make things even faster. Today, IoT infrastructure requires a level of human oversight and management. Imagine how efficient our cities could be if AI pulled the strings. Smart City experts foresee the emergence of IoT solutions for managing the distribution of energy and other resources, traffic, waste management, etc. in the near future.
At Signify, we are committed to continuing to provide IoT solutions for the development of ever smarter and more sustainable cities, always seeking more productive and comfortable environments for society around the world.
To discover here Read more about the benefits of switching to smart connected LED lighting from Signify.