Going bats: Dutch town is first in world to install bat-friendly LED street lights

Eindhoven, the Netherlands – Signify (Euronext: LIGHT), the world leader in lighting, today completed its first bat-friendly lighting installation in a town. Rare bats in Zuidhoek-Nieuwkoop, in the Netherlands can now go about their nocturnal business undisturbed thanks to new connected LED street lights designed specially to emit light that does not affect their natural senses and rythms. The street lights use a special light recipe that is perceived by bats as darkness, yet which provides enough illumination for residents, helping make the roads and pavements safer, while being highly energy efficient. The project illustrates Signify’s leadership in developing innovative LED technology that is both smart and supports conservation and sustainability.

To further optimize light levels, the municipality installed Signify’s Interact City connected LED lighting systems and management softwareThis lighting management system enables close to real-time, remote management of LED light points that together provide energy savings of up to 70% compared to conventional High Pressure Sodium (HPS) street lighting. By being connected, the system allows each light point to be controlled remotely, enabling the authorities to respond to a request from a resident to turn up or lower the brightness of the lighting outside their home and able to quickly raise the light levels in the area to aid emergency services. And when the streets are empty very late at night, the authorities can dim the lights and cut unnecessary energy use.

Signify became the new company name of Philips Lighting as of May 16, 2018.