Perceptions of the nocturnal public space and technological innovations − citizen evaluation of a smart public lighting installation in Nantes

Nicolas Houel,Dany Joly,Laurent Lescop,L Lescop,A Kępczyńska-Walczak

doi:10.1051/shsconf/20196402003

Nicolas Houel, Dany Joly + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/20196402003

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Abstract

The recent introduction of digital tools in public lighting represents a milestone in the evolution of street lighting. Simultaneously to this innovation phase, urban lighting is currently being studied in terms of energy and environmental sobriety, to reduce its financial and ecological impact. This study presents the observations and evaluations carried out by nocturnal urban dwellers of an experimental public lighting system, set up in real conditions. The evaluations question the relevance of sensors integrated to the lighting material in real time via a series of survey managed autonomously by residents of the experimental environment.

Highlights

The leading position of public lighting in urban spaces, determined by progressive and innovative approaches that are still topical [1][2] has since long been supported by initiatives dealing with the safety of people and property, traffic, and the balance between the electricity production and consumption in France [3]
The chosen protocol questioned several beliefs supported by the citizens and the communities, namely: Are the citizens’ views relevant in terms of environmental considerations about artificial lighting? Is technological innovation, in particular the solution of embarked sensors, of interest for the communities? Are lighting level and comfort connected? Lastly, the experiment led to the evaluation of acceptability regarding a dynamic lighting system, in which the light intensity changed depending on the movements detected in the street
The two studies aimed to explore three current questions: Are the citizens’ views relevant in terms of environmental considerations about artificial lighting? Is technological innovation, in particular the solution of mobile sensors, of interest for the communities? Are lighting level and comfort connected? For each question, the results collected in the studies are encouraging

Summary

Introduction

The leading position of public lighting in urban spaces, determined by progressive and innovative approaches that are still topical [1][2] has since long been supported by initiatives dealing with the safety of people and property, traffic, and the balance between the electricity production and consumption in France [3]. The first results of the investigation, taking place at the level of a street, aim to contribute to the elaboration of a collection tool for physical and sensory indicators on a bigger scale, to build a quantitative and qualitative database about nocturnal public space and its perceptions. If the first results appear to highlight contradictions with the established beliefs, the limited number of the panel calls for reproducing this evaluation on a bigger scale, in order to confront the results and assess the state of beliefs and potential objections in a quantitative way Reproducing this system on a bigger scale would allow to participate in the implementation of a form of education about lighting sobriety for the communities and their users, allowing to talk about light extinction and dimming policies in public space, or the concept of dark scheme in a collective way, to contribute to the current research on fair lighting

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