What’s going on here? Orillia throws the switch on new technology

Orillia’s network of street lights is undergoing an energy-saving upgrade as crews replace the existing fixtures with LED technology.

JUST THE FACTS:

–  Upgrading about 3,300 street-light fixtures with LED technology and smart-lighting controls is anticipated to reduce Orillia’s greenhouse gas emissions by 70 metric tons.

–  Seventy metric tons is equivalent to the amount of greenhouse gases stored in 80 acres of forest, or the energy required to charge nearly nine million cellphones.

–  Including smart-lighting controls will allow the municipality’s street-light network to be monitored remotely to determine outages, as well as allowing for dimming of fixtures and adjustment of lighting levels.

–  These features can help reduce energy, maintenance costs and light pollution, according to the city.

–  The LED street-light update and smart-lighting controls project was approved as part of the city’s 2020 capital budget at a cost of $2.4 million.

–  Equipping the system with smart-lighting controls will ensure Orillia’s lights can adapt to any future technological advancements.

–  Savings realized through the updated technology are expected to pay for the investment within six years.