With energy prices rising, Taman Jurong pilots lighting system that can reap savings of over 70%

SINGAPORE – Block 180 in Taman Jurong may look like any other HDB block in Singapore, but come nightfall, one thing stands out: Instead of brightly lit corridors, some floors may appear darker than usual. 

This is owing to an ongoing energy-saving pilot by the West Coast-Jurong West Town Council, which uses a smart lighting system implemented by home-grown company Agranergy.

As part of the smart lighting system, the lights in the corridors, void deck and stairwells of the block will dim when no movement is detected for three minutes, said Ms Belle Guo, one of the co-founders of Agranergy.

Under current settings configured for the pilot, the lights dim over two to three seconds to 30 per cent of their full output when no movement is detected.

“This level is low enough to maximise energy savings but bright enough to... ensure the area does not feel pitch-black or unwelcoming to someone approaching from a distance,” added Ms Guo.

The pilot, which was rolled out in early March to Block 180, has already achieved energy savings of over 70 per cent, she said.

It is expected to conclude in June, after which assessments will be made by the town council on the feasibility of extending it to more Housing Board blocks.

This initiative comes on the back of news that the electricity tariff in Singapore has gone up for the second quarter of the year to 27.27 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) without goods and services tax, due to the conflict in the Middle East. This is an increase of 2.1 per cent from the previous quarter, when the tariff was 26.71 cents per kWh without GST.

“Given the energy context that we are in, I think it’s a good opportunity to rethink how we want to think about the lighting strategy for our community,” said Mr Shawn Huang, who is the MP for the Taman Jurong ward of West Coast-Jurong West GRC.

“Singapore is very brightly lit. So, in some areas, we could actually reduce (the brightness), dim it, but without compromising safety or visibility,” he added in an interview on March 30.

The initiative began in the offices of Taman Jurong Community Club (CC) in early February, before a collaboration with the town council allowed its expansion to Block 180.

Unlike conventional motion-triggered lighting, where a light turns on only when a person stands almost directly under it, the new smart lighting system is different in that residents are not expected to have to navigate their way home in a darkened environment, explained Ms Guo.

With the Agranergy system, residents’ paths are illuminated before they reach them.

For example, once lift doors open at a certain floor, sensors detect this movement, and lights across the corridor are swiftly brightened. This means the lights on that floor are brighter by the time the lift doors are fully open.

When a resident is detected in the stairwell, the lights of the floor the resident is on are brightened together with those of the floors immediately above and below it, lighting up pathways both up and down the stairs.

Block 180 was chosen for the pilot as it is one of two similar HDB blocks in Taman Jurong, allowing for an apples-to-apples comparison, explained Mr Huang.

For instance, the two blocks each have a total of 122 units and 242 lights spread across 18 storeys in the same layout.

Mr Huang said the feasibility of replacing the current lighting system, maintenance and overall costs will need to be studied after the conclusion of the pilot in June.

“We have not made a decision yet because it’s not concluded, but the initial results show that we have nearly 70 per cent in cost savings, which is very encouraging,” he said, adding that the system might be expanded to the rest of Taman Jurong and the West Coast-Jurong West constituency.

The cost savings enjoyed by the CC will be channelled into programmes for residents, including activities for seniors or young people, or for redistribution to families with disadvantages. “Every dollar saved is every dollar that we could use somewhere else for community costs,” said Mr Huang.

Meanwhile, the cost savings seen by the town council will be channelled to other improvement works and upgrading of facilities. “It also means town councils (become) more cost-effective and sustainable in the longer term,” he added.

Residents of Block 180 expressed mixed feelings about the new lighting system.

“From here, if I look out, I think it’s not as nice. Bright is nicer,” said Madam Rohana Sulaiman, on her experience of looking out at the corridor from inside her flat. “And the neighbours here seldom walk around, so it’s always dark.”

However, the 63-year-old homemaker also said it was reassuring that the smart lighting system could function as an “early warning system” to alert her when there are people on her floor.

“Most of the residents here are elderly people, so it is reassuring that I will know when someone is here, since the dimmed lights will brighten,” she added.

Similarly, resident Marcus Khoo had reservations about the darkness of the block when the lights are dimmed. “It feels like it’s fully dark, especially when it rains,” said the 50-year-old, who works at a desalination plant.

However, he recognises the value of having dimmed lights. “If the lights switch on, I’ll know someone is around.”

Correction note: An earlier version of the story said the energy-saving initiative was piloted by Taman Jurong Town Council. It should be West Coast-Jurong West Town Council. We are sorry for the error.