Houston to convert all streetlights to LEDs

Houston Mayor Annise Parker has announced that the city of Houston will convert 165,000 streetlights to low emissions light-emitting diode (LED) lights, making it the largest project of its kind in the United States. Replacing the lights will reduce the city’s streetlight energy usage by 50 percent, cut municipal greenhouse gas emissions by five percent and save the city US$28 million.

The project will be implemented through a partnership between the city and CenterPoint Energy, with additional benefits including new hiking and biking trails for the city, sponsored by the company.

“Our partnership with CenterPoint will reduce Houston’s carbon footprint, increase the quality of outdoor lighting, improve connections in our burgeoning hike and bike trail system and improve the quality of life and safety of residents, all while saving the city money,” said Mayor Parker. “These are big wins for Houston.”

Houston has focused on energy use reduction to reduce emissions, and with good success. The city’s municipal operations emissions have realised a 32 percent decrease from the 2007 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory. At the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group Mayors Summit earlier this year, Mayor Parker announced that Houston would reduce GHG emissions another 10 percent by 2016. The LED streetlight conversion will bring the city closer to realising that goal.

“Converting all of Houston’s streetlights to LED technology is a significant win for Houston’s air quality and GHG emission reduction goals,” said Brian Yeoman, Houston Director for the C40. “Mayor Parker is leading the nation.”

In addition, an agreement has been reached that will allow hike and bike trails along CenterPoint’s utility Right of Ways (ROWs). The city and CenterPoint will utilise existing ROWs to provide north-south connections in the city’s growing network of hike and bike trails. The Bayou Greenways 2020 project will create trails along the city’s bayous, which tend to run east and west.

“I want to applaud Mayor Parker, the Parks and Recreation Department and CenterPoint for working together on connecting our city in a new way,” said Roksan Okan-Vick, Executive Director of the Houston Parks Board.  “As the Houston Parks Board works to complete the Bayou Greenways 2020 project, initiatives like these will serve as important neighbourhood connections and provide for greater flexibility for people and wildlife.”