Summary
Public lighting in Australia consumes large amounts of energy and financial resources. Many councils have formed regional sustainable public lighting action groups, pooling resources and acting as a single entity to engage in effective partnerships with stakeholders.
A number of councils in South Australia have a history of action on sustainable public lighting (SPL), including advocating strongly for high-level political support for a collaborative multistakeholder approach to achieve public lighting efficiency. Consequently, the South Australian Government now includes public lighting as one of ten key focus areas of its climate change ‘Sector Agreement’ with local government. The Agreement aims, through various projects beginning in 2008, to have commenced a replacement program of public lighting in built-up areas by 2012.
Through a Sustainable Public Lighting Reference Group, the Local Government Association of South Australia (LGASA) is working intensively with four South Australian councils to build relationships with key stakeholders and overcome barriers faced by all councils in transitioning to SPL. This group of councils has been funded by the South Australian Government to develop a technical report on public lighting and an information kit to assist all councils in their negotiations with ETSA Utilities (ETSA), the electricity distributor. Both are due for completion in mid-2009.
Drawing on work-to-date to agree shared priorities for group project
Previous papers and SPL activities to date in South Australia were the basis for the group identifying shared priorities and strategies for a group project. Key resources included an issues paper by Ann Gibbons (City of Marion), a SA Strategic Action Planning Guide (ICLEI Oceania with funding from LGASA), and a Regional Asset Audit conducted by six CCP councils in 2007/08 using a grant from the Australian Government. The group consulted with ETSA and the Department of Transport, Energy and Infrastructure during the project scoping, ultimately leading to a stronger and more straightforward project. The project funding application reflected the importance of the SPL work that had lead to the proposed project — “This Project will build on work already undertaken by the Public Lighting Steering Committee, ICLEI Oceania and a number of metropolitan Councils” (LGASA, 2007).
Securing funding and human resources
LGSA applied for project funding from the SA Government’s Local Government Research and Development Scheme. The funding application included letters of support from 15 South Australian councils and ICLEI Oceania. On confirmation of the funding, LGASA called for Expressions of Interest from councils with policy and technical experience, willing to form the reference group and drive the project. Following an unsuccessful attempt to recruit a part-time project officer – to provide technical understanding, perform the bulk of the work and maintain project momentum – the group engaged consultants Lucid Consulting Engineers Pty Ltd to deliver the two key project objectives.
Technical and financial assessment
One key project objective was to assess the technical feasibility, commercial parameters and financial impacts of newer energy efficient technology. The consultant performed a worldwide desktop study of existing public lighting technologies and emerging energy efficient technologies,including case studies and trial results. ETSA provided the consultant with local data including technical specifications and statistical data about lighting technologies currently in use across the state. Results from the recently completed Regional Asset Audit and technology trials performed in South Australia were included in the study for the technical assessment. A preliminary technical assessment report was presented to the reference group, who then determined the particular technologies to be further investigated. Potential reductions in greenhouse gas emissions were a primary consideration in this decision, along with the cost, maintenance and technical feasibility of the technologies. The consultant’s research was then narrowed down to provide specific change over options and recommendations for particular technologies suitable for use across the state.
Collaboration and negotiation with the electricity distributor
The second key project objective is to negotiate an orderly, transparent and timely process with ETSA to deliver a fair and reasonable transition to sustainable public lighting technologies. The process, currently being agreed on and documented, will be available for use by any council or regional group in SA when choosing the specific energy efficient lighting technology that suits their needs. ETSA has provided the detailed criteria that new technologies must meet to be accepted for use. The consultant is developing a structure that includes a summary of ETSA’s requirements and guidance on the agreed process. The preliminary results of this work indicate that councils that choose to use the proposed process could gain approval of suitable technologies in as little as six months from commencement.
“One of the reasons that we wanted the grant funding to progress the project outcomes was because officers in Councils were having difficulties in progressing sustainable public lighting on their own. This was clearly identified by participants in the ICLEI SPL project”.Ann Gibbons, Sustainability Planner- Environment, City of Marion.
Technical report and information kit in progress
The key deliverables of the consultant’s work will be the technical report and information kit, both suitable for use by councils and regional groups across South Australia. The technical report will essentially be one repository for the multitude of public lighting information that exists in the state, assisting councils to make public lighting decisions and act as a gauge for them to understand what is achievable. It will contain details of current public lighting technology types used in South
Australia, sustainable public lighting trial results and possibilities for financing public lighting changeovers moving into the future.
The information kit will outline a process for councils to negotiate terms and conditions for public lighting with ETSA. Councils will be able to integrate relevant information from the technical report with the approaches suggested in the information kit to achieve a smoother and fairer transition to sustainable public lighting. The report and the information kit are due to be completed and released by mid-2009.
Improved relationships
An important outcome of this project has been the improved relationships between stakeholders. The Reference Group provided a forum for information exchange between councils, the distributor business and the state government. For example, ETSA were able to share the approaches and results of their previous initiatives on street lighting assets, and have their lessons learnt reflected in the technical report and information kit.
Council participants and LGASA report that the general awareness level for sustainable public lighting issues among other stakeholders has increased, as has the perception of opportunities for change.
Political supportThe project aimed to gain political support, at the state and local government level, for achieving sustainable public lighting by using an approach of partnership creation and putting public lighting on the political agenda at council and senior management level. An important outcome of the project planning was the inclusion of the SPL agenda within the ‘Sector Agreement’ between state and local government. The work being performed by the SPL reference group meets the aims set out by the current phase of the Agreement and is the first of multiple projects on SPL between now and 2012.
Dedicated resources maintains focus and momentum
The reference group recognised the importance of having dedicated human resources in order to maintain project focus and momentum. On reflection, the group’s original intent to employ a project officer was unsuccessful for two key reasons: the part-time yet highly technical nature of the role; and the general lack of public lighting expertise in the job market. The subsequent contracting of Lucid Consulting Engineers Pty Ltd is perceived to be a successful alternative, as the consultants
have proven to be adept at both delivering to the assigned work activities and communicating effectively and regularly with the reference group. Such communication serves to keep the reference group engaged in the project by allowing members to understand a more holistic picture of public lighting within the state and build knowledge, relationships and impetus for action.
“It is very important to involve the asset owner, in this case ETSA Utilities, when attempting to alter street lighting technologies or practices. Otherwise it would be like rental tenants making changes to a property without consulting the landlord”.
Ann Gibbons, Sustainability Planner- Environment, City of Marion.
LGASA-led group ensures state-wide outcomes
The LGASA coordination of the project has been very effective. The LGASA were able to apply for the project grant on behalf of all councils and have remained the central point of contact for all stakeholders. Notably, this approach means that the outcomes and benefits of the project,including the technical report and information kit, will be applicable to councils across the wholestate, and the potential for effective advocacy by LGASA is expanded.
For more information on the LGA Sustainable Public Lighting Reference Group and their work contact: - David Hitchcock, Manager – Finance and Infrastructure, Local Government Association of South Australia, (08) 8224 2052, david.hitchcock@lga.sa.gov.au
- Ann Gibbons, Sustainability Planner – Environment, City of Marion, (08) 8375 6857, ann.gibbons@marion.sa.gov.au
Resources
Other resources used or developed by the group are: ICLEI Oceania would like to expressly thank Ann Gibbons of City of Marion, David Hitchcock of LGASA and Andrew Iarossi of Lucid Consulting Pty Ltd for their contributions in the preparation of this case study.
The South Australian case study (Local Government Association Public Lighting Reference Group) [word 84 KB]
The production of these materials was funded by the Australian Government for use by local governments which were part of the Cities for Climate Protection Australia Milestone Support Program that ended on 30 June 2009. Please note that ICLEI Oceania Program and Project support, the Greenhouse Gas Application (GGA) and milestone recognition is no longer available.
Copyright 2009. Reproduction requires the written permission of the Commonwealth of Australia as represented by the Department of Environment, Heritage, Water and the Arts.
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