LED STREETLIGHTS

872. Hon ALISON XAMON to the minister representing the Minister for Energy:

I refer to the recommendation of the American Medical Association and the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia that light-emitting diode streetlights in residential areas should be at correlated colour temperature of 3000 kelvin or below and to the rollout of 4000K LED streetlights in Mt Claremont and other suburbs.

(1)  Could the minister please advise whether the selection of lighting accounted for traffic volume and the land use of surrounding areas?

(2)  Could the minister please advise whether LED lights at or below 3000K CCT were considered; and, if so, why these lights were not selected?

(3)  Could the minister please table any environmental or human health studies undertaken prior to selecting LED streetlights for Perth?

(4)  If no such studies were undertaken, why not?

Hon STEPHEN DAWSON replied:

I thank the member for the question. The following information has been provided to me by the Minister for Energy.

(1)–(4) Western Power is currently partnering with a number of local government authorities to design and upgrade streetlights across the network with light-emitting diode technology to replace traditional luminaires. The LED technology has several benefits that include enhanced illumination, longer life, lower maintenance costs and improved energy efficiency, which means they are more cost-effective for councils to run. All new luminaires meet the current Australian standards for road category, spacing and safety requirements. At the time that LEDs were first installed, the 4000K was the most efficient and accepted light. Since then, technology has improved and further options have been made available. Western Power aims to make 3000K LED lights its standard installation from 1 January 2020.

 

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