Smart and dynamic route lighting control based on movement tracking

Intelligent LED lighting pilot was carried out along a light traffic route in a housing area in Helsinki. The goal of the research was to develop and test a lighting control system with an optimal lighting behavior, which saves energy without lessening safety and security of route users during the dark. The developed lighting control solution was based on tracking route users' movements and location along the route with passive infrared (PIR) sensors. Using this information, the system could create lighting conditions where the illuminated area reaches further in front of the user than behind. This was considered as an optimal solution from the perspectives of energy savings and user comfort. The control was implemented on a real life test site used by pedestrians and cyclists consisting of 28 lighting posts with controllable LED luminaires. The recorded PIR data was analyzed to evaluate the performance of the developed system in northern outdoor conditions and to compare different lighting control schemes and their influence on energy consumption. The experiences gained during the piloting showed that the system could operate in outdoor conditions, but strong wind in a cold environment caused false sensor activity. The used arrangement of the three PIR sensors with wide field of view made the system sensitive to false detections, especially as installed high in lighting poles surrounded by foliage. The relative energy saving compared to the existing control solution of the area was 60–77% depending on the used smart control scenario and the calendar time.