Motion Sensor Adaptive Street Lighting Across Dutch Train Stations

Solution

Smart adaptive street lighting

ProRail selected Tvilight’s state-of-the-art motion sensor street lighting solution, CitySense Plus. The selection was made after running extensive tests on a handful of stations.

During the test, the motion sensor adaptive lighting solution proved to be energy efficient, saving over 40% energy every night. Furthermore, the “light-on-demand”, which brightens street lights only in the presence of humans, also seemed to increase the sense of safety for commuters and railroad personnel. Since the lights remain dim when no one is around, light pollution was also reduced, making people residing nearby happy. The tests received positive reviews from everyone involved, and thus, formed a strong ground for ProRail to deploy this solution across the stations throughout the Netherlands.

“ProRail has always been committed to reducing our environmental footprint while ensuring the safety of our passengers and employees. Tvilight’s CitySense Plus motion sensors have been a game-changer for us. By deploying these sensors, we’ve significantly reduced energy consumption. The lights now activate only when needed, and it’s had a positive impact on our energy bills,” explains a spokesperson from the Dutch Railway.

They further added, “Minimizing light pollution for the neighboring communities was also one of our key concerns. The adaptive lighting allowed us to achieve this goal effectively. We’ve received positive feedback from residents living nearby, appreciating the reduced light spillage during the night. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.”

All the motion sensor street lights are connected to Tvilight’s central light management system, CityManager. It enables ProRail to monitor and control each street light remotely through an intuitive dashboard. They can even change the settings of the motion sensors, like the lamp hold time (how long the lamp should remain lit at 100% when a person is detected), light rate up and down (how quickly the illumination and dimming should take place), neighbors (adjacent street lights), and so on, in order to tailor specific lighting needs for a particular station.

Another huge advantage ProRail sees is the CityManager’s automatic fault/ alert notifications. The system emails a status report on a daily or weekly basis. For ProRail, it reduces the number of inspection rounds, and the breakdown service no longer depends on passengers’ complaints. This turns expensive reactive maintenance into economical proactive maintenance. Plus, it keeps the lighting infrastructure up-to-date, ensuring public safety.

Optimized Maintenance

Smart street lighting optimizes maintenance by remotely monitoring each light’s performance. The system can detect and report faults or failures in real-time, allowing the maintenance crew to carry out targeted and efficient repairs. This proactive approach reduces the downtime and maintenance costs, ensuring that street lights remain operational with minimal disruption.

Enhance Safety

Motion sensor street lighting at certain places, such as the edge of train stations and level crossings, increases safety by creating a subtle lighting environment. It can change the color of street lights, for instance to blue, when someone enters this zone. This in fact raises the alertness and prevents negative thoughts, making the railway infrastructure safer for everyone.

Positive Public Image

Implementing adaptive street lighting in platforms and parking areas showcases the railway authority’s commitment to sustainability and passenger safety. It enhances the stations’ aesthetics, increases safety, and reduces energy waste, portraying the authority as environmentally responsible and passenger-focused, thus improving its public image.

Optimized Operations

Adaptive street lighting in a railway yard optimizes operations by dynamically illuminating specific areas in real-time. It responds to personnel presence and activity, ensuring well-lit work zones while conserving energy in less-used areas. This enhances efficiency, reduces costs, and facilitates smoother railway operations.

Pleasant Experience

Smart street lighting also helps create pleasant experiences for the passengers. With automatic adjustment of the light level and color temperature, travelers will feel a more welcoming and inviting atmosphere.