Residents in northwest Calgary are finding it a little more comfortable now to drive at night, sleep and stargaze, thanks to the completion of the EnviroSmart Streetlights Retrofit Project in The City's northwest quadrant. The City of Calgary, ROADS completed the northwest portion of the citywide residential retrofit in December 2002, changing out 10,400 existing residential streetlights to new lower wattage, flat lens fixtures in just nine months. The northwest retrofit has resulted in the reduction of: glare, blinding sideways light entering a driver's eyes; light trespass into private property, which disrupts sleep patterns; and, light pollution, known as sky glow, which makes stars more difficult to see in urban areas. By using significantly less electricity, the new energy-efficient streetlights also reduce operating costs and greenhouse gas emissions produced by gas and coal-burning generators. The EnviroSmart Project is one of the most extensive and significant streetlight retrofit projects in North America. This project was nominated for the 2002 Environmnetal Achievement Award.
Samenvatting