GENERAL PRESENTATION
The Dutch capital Amsterdam, a city of 811 000 inhabitants, is marked by its historical heritage. The city is famous for its old centre with its 17th century canals, the many museums and theaters and its open and tolerant cultural climate. The city plays the role of the engine of the Dutch economy with sectors of activity like creative industries, information and communication technologies, new media, tourism, agrifood and flowers, the third harbour in Europe and Schiphol Airport, its 300 destinations and 50 million passengers.
PUBLIC LIGHTING MANAGEMENT
The municipality is responsible for
- street lighting
- decorative and architectural lighting
The public lighting maintenance is outsourced. The City of Amsterdam formulates the desired goals and policy for maintenance. It orders and instructs the contractors and takes care of the central purchasing. The City finally controls and is accountable for the results achieved.
Engineering, fault handling and installation are also outsourced activities.
LIGHTING STRATEGY
Lighting master plan
The Beleidsplan openbare verlichting specifies the goals of the public lighting strategy. It focusses on standardisation of lampposts and fixtures/luminaires, sustainability and energy efficiency, innovation and total cost of ownership. There is a separate plan for illuminating monumental buildings and bridges.
Some recently implemented lighting projects
- Complete renovation of historical lampposts and fixtures (Kroonlantaarn) used in the canal district and the 19th century districts.
- Pilot smart lighting project (Hoekenrodeplein, leisure area in the South East of Amsterdam)
- Static and dynamic dimming project (depending on weather conditions and traffic situation)
Perspectives for the future
In the coming years the municipality will pay special attention to the overall quality of the urban nightscape by promoting greater consistency in the use of light, stimulating innovation and encouraging experimentation, with a particular focus on sustainable lighting.
The municipality also plans to renew the public/private organisation for the maintenance of public lighting.
LIGHTING FACTS AND FIGURES
- Number of lighting points: 135 000
- Total power used for public lighting (kW): 43.3 gWh p/year
EVENT LIGHTING
Amsterdam Light Festival
For more information, see the online LUCI Light Festival Calendar
LUCI EVENTS
The City of Amsterdam hosted a City under Microscope in September 2017.
