Signify Connected Lighting System Arrives in Cologne, Helping to Build Germany's First Smart City

Global lighting leader Signify (Euronext Amsterdam ticker: LIGHT) is helping connect 85,000 lighting points across Cologne, Germany, by deploying the Interact City smart connected road lighting system, aiming to enhance citizen safety and quality of life, improve energy efficiency, and reduce costs. The Signify Interact City smart connected road lighting system supports the installation of integrated sensors on lighting fixtures, and the collected data can be used to create environmental benefits and redefine the meaning of lighting. RheinEnergie AG will be responsible for the smart upgrade of lighting points across the city, helping Cologne achieve comprehensive smart connected lighting coverage over the next 15 years.

Cologne is the fourth largest city in Germany. As one of the leading cities in digitalization in Germany, the Cologne government, together with companies and institutions such as RheinEnergie AG, is committed to developing into one of the first smart cities in Germany. To this end, in January 2019, Cologne launched a city-wide connected lighting initiative, gradually upgrading more than 85,000 public lighting points to digital connected lighting by deploying the Signify Interact City smart lighting management system.

"Public lighting is key to creating a comfortable urban environment, so we are constantly exploring various ways to actively participate in urban lighting construction," said Dr. Andreas Cerbe, Network Director at RheinEnergie. "After partnering with Signify, their system has not only helped significantly reduce the city's lighting energy consumption, but also effectively improved the quality of night lighting in Cologne."

With the support of the Interact City smart connected road lighting system, continuous monitoring and management of all lighting can be easily accomplished with just one control panel. The system helps RheinEnergie efficiently carry out maintenance plans and provides data analysis, report generation, and assessments based on the operation and status of lighting points. This operational convenience is a key reason why RheinEnergie chose Signify.

In addition, lighting fixtures within the system’s coverage area can support the installation of integrated sensors, such as sensors for collecting environmental or traffic flow data, providing reliable data for sustainability and future city development. The open interfaces of Signify’s connected lighting system support integration with RheinEnergie’s SAP system, consolidating lighting fixture inventory data with RheinEnergie’s accounting and procurement data. This means that Signify’s Interact City smart connected road lighting system can provide comprehensive and stable digital infrastructure for various public systems in major cities like Cologne, helping to build smart cities.

"We are delighted that Cologne and RheinEnergie have chosen Signify to participate in the urban lighting digitalization initiative," said Karsten Vierke, General Manager of Signify Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. "Through this collaboration, we will jointly demonstrate the key role connected lighting plays in enhancing the attractiveness of modern cities, improving quality of life, and promoting sustainable development."

Building a Connected Future Smart City

The Interact City smart connected road lighting system enables the interconnection of street lights and other public lighting points, allowing remote monitoring and operation of each lighting point via a central control panel. This assists city managers in implementing single-lamp control as needed, improving the management efficiency of road lighting assets and better managing urban lighting assets. Good urban lighting helps ensure personal safety and enhance citizens' sense of security. Connected lighting not only illuminates secluded areas such as parks and tunnels, reducing the probability of danger, but also meets special lighting needs in exceptional circumstances, immediately increasing luminance when citizens' personal safety is threatened. For example, after a citizen calls for help, the lighting brightness in their area can be increased to guide emergency rescue efforts.

Signify has already helped several major cities, including Los Angeles, Buenos Aires, and Pune in India, complete the deployment of connected LED lighting and lighting management systems. As a key component of urban digital infrastructure, connected lighting empowers cities to achieve high energy efficiency and low emissions through advanced energy-saving technologies. In this way, Signify will support Cologne and an increasing number of cities in advancing safety, intelligence, and sustainable development, bringing high-quality urban life to more people.