Frequently asked questions

Get the answers to some frequently asked questions about the project and about LED lights.

What is the project?

The Public Lighting Energy Efficiency Project (PLEEP), supported by the Road Management Office (RMO) in conjunction with various local authorities across Ireland, will see a number of regions countrywide retrofitted in stages with energy efficient LED street lights over the next three years as part of the government’s drive to assist local authorities in reaching their energy efficiency targets by 2030.

The project is being rolled out on a regional basis with a lead authority managing the roll out in each of three regions. Support is being provided by the Road Management Office (RMO), a shared service between the local authorities. Each lead authority will appoint a contractor to undertake the retrofit. The South West Region will be the first to commence, followed by the Eastern and North-West Regions.

Le Chéile have been awarded the contract to retrofit the first of these nationwide regions, the South West Region, which will see over 77,000 public street lights retrofitted across counties Cork, Clare, Limerick, Kerry and Waterford over the next 30 months as the first stage of the project. Cork County Council is the lead local authority for this region.

Retrofitting to LED lights is better for the climate, saves money and improves light quality. It can:

• Cut energy use in half and reduce CO2 emissions

• Help Ireland meet our statutory energy efficient targets

• Reduce energy and maintenance costs by 55%

What County Councils are involved?

This contract is for the South West Region of Ireland, covering the following five Local Authorities: Cork County Council, Clare County Council, Kerry County Council, Limerick City & County Council; and Waterford City & County Council.

When will the lights in my area be upgraded?

Each regional project will have a website about the project, which will provide updates on progress in the region. You can find details here.

The project began in 2022 will take a number of years to fully complete.

It is being approached on a phased basis, with each of the three regions commencing in sequence.

Once the project has commenced in a region, retrofitting will roll out on a county-by-county basis.

Will LED lights cause light pollution?

Light pollution is commonly defined as any adverse effect of artificial light on people, animals and the environment.

For people, the effects range from excessive illumination of the night sky in and around cities to disruptions of the sleep cycle due to badly positioned outdoor lighting in residential areas. Animals use natural light sources as a navigational aid and thus may become confused or scared away by artificial illumination.

Compared with traditional light sources, LED luminaires provide a unique opportunity to reduce the negative environmental impacts of existing lighting systems.

The use of a range of optics in LED outdoor lighting and lighting control technologies have made it possible to focus lighting only where and when it is needed, reducing light pollution.

In addition, the combination of LED luminaires with adaptable monitoring and dimming control technologies can further minimise light pollution.

The local authority sector has developed comprehensive guidance on best practice implementation of LED light retrofitting. This guidance includes guidance on reducing light pollution and light colour temperature and is being followed by all contractors. The guidance is available here.

Will LED lights cause more glare?

Contractors will follow luminous intensity glare rating requirements detailed in DN-LHT-03038: Design of Road Lighting for the National Road Network for each type of environmental zone.

Contractors carrying out the retrofit project must take consideration of this, avoid excess illumination, and consider anti-glare shields.

Have the implications for wildlife been considered?

Contractors will follow luminous intensity glare rating requirements detailed in DN-LHT-03038: Design of Road Lighting for the National Road Network for each type of environmental zone.

Contractors carrying out the retrofit project must take consideration of this, avoid excess illumination, and consider anti-glare shields.

What impact will the project have on special areas of conservation?

These Directives set out the framework for the protection, conservation and management of important habitats, birds, flora and fauna of special interest on the Natura 2000 network of sites which sites have designated conservation objectives.

How will the project be implemented in dark sky areas?

The project will only replace existing luminaires with LED luminaires and special consideration will be given to the design of LEDs in dark sky areas.

LED luminaires are more directable and cause less light spillage. They also offer opportunities for trimming and dimming of lights reducing light levels.

Reporting a Fault

To report a fault with a light please use link: https://deadsureapp.com/ – click the letter at the top right corner and log fault.

Who are Le Chéile?

Le Chéile, is a joint venture partnership between public lighting specialists Enerveo Ireland, Al Read Electrical and Claremorris-based Electric Skyline. Le Chéile has been awarded a contract by Cork County Council for the retrofit of public street lighting across the south west region of Ireland.

Is my county replacing its light?

All city and county councils are replacing public lights to energy efficient lights on a systematic basis. Twenty-one councils are participating in this National Public Lighting Energy Efficiency Project.

You can find out if your county is participating in this project here.

What are the project benefits?

The benefits of the project fall into three main categories: climate, costs and quality.

LED lights use half the energy of traditional public lights, and allow for dimming at appropriate times, which can add a further 7% to 26% efficiency. A reduction in energy use means a reduction in harmful CO2 emissions.

When energy use is reduced, energy costs are also reduced. Local authority energy costs will fall by an estimated 50%. Alongside this, LED bulbs last up to 20 years so it is estimated that maintenance costs associated with ongoing luminaire replacement will also reduce by 60%.

Advancements in LED technology also mean LED lights provide an improved visual environment, enhanced public safety and reduced light pollution.

The regionalised approach of the National Public Lighting Energy Efficiency Project offers economies of scale, consistency in approach and standards and greater public sector efficiencies.

The project also provides an opportunity to gather asset management information to better manage our public lighting network.

What will the colour temperature be?

The selection of the colour temperature is an important aspect of street lighting design, and it depends on the area of application and different preferences. The selection of the light colour temperature requires consideration of the following criteria:

road types and classification
road users
pedestrian dominated areas
historical buildings
facial recognition
conservation areas
residential areas
National Park areas
night-time economy
crime risk, safety and security
landscape areas such as parks, gardens and rivers.

CCT or ‘Correlated Colour Temperature’ is a measure of the colour of light emitted. Colour temperature is expressed in Kelvins (K) measured on a numbered scale.

Decisions on colour temperature will consider these criteria but in general:

The CCT for residential estate areas, rural residential settlements and mainly pedestrian areas is recommended to be warm c. 3,000K, considering the impact of light on circadian rhythm.
Where the local authority has a concern over anti-social behaviour in residential estates, the CCT is recommended to be neutral c. 4,000K.
A warm c. 3,000K CCT is recommended for around historical buildings and old town centres to help enhance the historic character of buildings.
The CCT for National Park areas and bat conservation areas is recommended to be 2,700K. However, it shall be considered on a scheme-by-scheme basis.
The CCT for other areas is recommended to be 3,000K in accordance with BS 5489-1:2013 unless otherwise stated by the local authority.
Regarding the pedestrian crossings, CCT of LED luminaires shall be distinguishable from the surrounding area, therefore CCT of LED luminaires shall be differentiated on the pedestrian crossings. For example, if the public lighting CCT is 4000K on the road surface, 3000K CCT shall be applied for the luminaires on the pedestrian crossing to create greater contrast or vice versa.
The CCT shall be selected for the national road network as per DN-LHT-03038 August 2018: Design of Road Lighting for the National Road Network.

Does the project meet environmental standards?

Yes. The project is designed around the existing public lighting infrastructure with minimal interventions other than luminaire replacement and repair of defective components.

Prior to commencement, each local authority as the planning authority will determine whether the project is compliant with the statutory requirements set out in Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) and the Birds Directive (2009/147/EC). These Directives set out the framework for the protection, conservation and management of important habitats, birds, flora and fauna of special interest on the Natura 2000 network of sites which have designated conservation objectives.

Will the project impact on trees or vegetation?

Only existing public lights will be retrofitted. There may be some trimming of trees or vegetation to facilitate the fitting of the luminaires or to ensure that lights operate most effectively.

What will happen to the old lights?

The project will replace existing luminaires with LED luminaires, which have a much longer lifespan. The waste luminaires will be processed in accordance with a waste management plan for the project in each area.