by Shane Henson — May 25, 2012—Amerlux has partnered with Illuminating Concepts and IntelliStreets to create the SmartSite state-of-the-art light-emitting diode (LED) street lighting and network control system.
Amerlux, a manufacturer of a broad array of optically superior, energy-efficient lighting solutions for the retail, supermarket, hospitality, commercial and outdoor lighting markets, has supplied the LED-equipped luminaires and is marketing the system across North America. SmartSite, powered by IntelliStreets, is a technically advanced street lighting system that integrates energy-efficient LED lighting technology with a robust, bi-directional mesh network control system that manages lighting, audio, video and energy usage throughout an environment.
SmartSite could help increase the security and improve the lighting surrounding a wide variety of buildings, but may be of particular interest to facilities managers of college campuses whose many walkways can receive heavy traffic at all hours of the day.
Operating effectively without cable installation, underground trenching or wire maintenance to set up the control of the outdoor lighting, sound and video, SmartSite is a 24/7 area-wide system that offers architectural luminaire styles, a robust platform, digital wireless solutions, Wi-Fi capabilities, and a myriad of homeland security features. SmartSite also offers multimedia solutions that can upgrade an existing infrastructure to provide information, advertising, security and entertainment for public spaces with streetlights that automatically adjust the lighting to illuminate the area with the specific amount of light needed. The digital display banners, and synchronized sound from integrated speakers on each “Smart” light pole, will provide a seamless audience experience as well as generate a measurable revenue stream, says Amerlux.
The basic version of the system features a self-organizing (which means, among other things, that it can still operate if one of the poles is damaged) wireless mesh network that facilitates significant energy savings: not only does it use inherently efficient LEDs, but the lights can be dimmed significantly as ambient conditions change, such as after sidewalks and streets empty late at night. The built-in sensors can actually turn off one side of the street before the other at sunrise.
Amerlux estimates that the system can cut energy use by up to 70%, and that the LEDs will last 50% longer than with conventional controls. Each light assembly also includes an all-weather speaker system to broadcast a wide range of information.
