City of Palmerston is kicking energy efficiency goals after completing its Making the Switch program 12 months ahead of schedule. 

Council has replaced 4,879 street and public space lights with new energy efficient LEDs, which will save more than 470 tons of carbon dioxide. This is equivalent to planting more than 500 hectares of Australian forest trees and is set to save City of Palmerston up to an estimated $517,000 annually. 

Each light has been fitted with a smart controller to monitor and manage the lighting in real time. The smart technology will provide maintenance data and significant cost savings to Council. 

The $3.65 million project was initially proposed to be completed over two years, but instead finished below budget and ahead of schedule, with the final light converted on 1 May 2020. 

Part of Council’s annual savings from the project has been distributed to delivering the Lighting Dark Spots program. The program identifies dark and unsafe areas with poor or no lighting in need of upgrades. Areas targeted in 2019-20 include: 

• Memorial Park, Centre City 
• Round-about on Flockhart Drive, Marlow Lagoon 
• Flockhart Drive and Catalina Road, Marlow Lagoon 
• Waterhouse Crescent, Driver 
• Melastoma Drive, Moulden 
• Moulden drain, Moulden 
• Bonson Terrace, Moulden. 

Both lighting upgrade projects provide a number of benefits to the community including improvements for pedestrian and vehicle safety, general community safety, liveability and amenity. 

For more information on Making the Switch, visit www.palmerston.nt.gov.au/operations/major-projects/making-switch

Quote from City of Palmerston Mayor Athina Pascoe-Bell
“As a Council we aim to create a sustainable environment for our community and our future generations. 

Making the Switch is milestone project which has transformed our City, by providing significant benefits for our community. The upgrades have improved lighting quality and reliability in residential streets, on our footpaths and in our parks, improving the amenity and livability of our Community.”

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