Aruba. Philips Iluminación and the government of Aruba have begun an alliance for the development of the lighting project which consists of four phases in a period of 2016 – 2020, with the aim of making a change of image of the lighting infrastructure of the island of Aruba.
The project contemplates the conversion of the conventional lighting system of the public buildings and emblematic squares of Aruba towards lighting with LED technology marking the vanguard and mainly in support of energy efficiency. Which plays a prominent role linked to the aruban government's strategy in the field of sustainability, which aims to obtain a 100% sustainable city by 2020.
The first phase of this project will be delivered in 2016, which includes 35 refurbished government buildings with 17,246 lamps and 2619 indoor LED luminaires, maximizing energy efficiency. In addition, the lighting of two emblematic squares: Padu Square and Paardenbaai Plaza (formerly Welcome Plaza), which will use Color Kinetics technology, with around 1000 iColor Flex LMX nodes, 94 Color burst luminaires, 64 Color Graze, and 20 C-Splash luminaires, which will have amazing water and lighting shows, as well as 149 outdoor lighting points that will guide the pedestrian routes welcoming more than 1 million tourists who arrive in Aruba every year.
"Aruba is very committed to innovation for its community. We welcome Philips Lighting to our Island, a company with 125 years of innovation, a trusted partner that helps us reduce and manage energy consumption – ultimately supporting Aruba's economic growth," said Mike Eman, the Prime Minister of Aruba.
Philips Iluminación estimates that the deployment of energy-efficient LED lighting on the island could result in an initial energy saving of more than 60 percent and annual CO2 emissions will be lower by 3,000 and 4,000 tons in 2020, equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of 2,000 to 3,000 homes in Latin America and the Caribbean (1).
The financing of the project comes from the energy savings obtained from the conversion to lighting with LED technology. Under the agreement, Philips Lighting will pay the initial installation costs of the lighting and will be offset by the energy savings obtained over a period of five years.
"Aruba's vision of sustainability is truly pioneering and provides a showcase that other Caribbean islands could use. Working with the government will provide us with a powerful combination of energy-efficient lighting that also beautifies public spaces for the enjoyment of citizens and tourists. This will be positive for the environment and the local economy alike," said Héctor Mendoza, project manager of Philips Iluminación in Latin America.
