Energy saving solar lighting installed along a shared footpath in green spaces around the borough for year-round use

As part of the London Borough of Hounslow’s greenways programme and in a bid to promote sustainable travel behaviour to businesses, schools and residential areas, the borough has been developing a network of shared use footpaths catering for cyclists, pedestrians and mobility impaired people.

The London Borough of Hounslow needed a cost-effective lighting solution that was energy efficient, low maintenance and provided wayfinding light along a shared footpath within the greenway to enable access all year round.

Cost-savings are an increasing necessity for public authorities as they try to manage limited budgets, but more importantly, the safety and wellbeing of residents and visitors remain their top priority. London Borough of Hounslow is no exception to this and therefore when looking for lighting solutions needed an affordable, practical option that would provide wayfinding light all year round for many years to come.

The challenge

This project aimed to connect a school entrance to a controlled crossing over a major arterial road in a residential area populated by many students, the path is 2.5 meters by 200 metres and connects directly to a previously unused exit at the back of the school.

London Borough of Hounslow was faced with a need to provide a lighting solution that would give wayfinding light and enable school children to access their local school all year round. With the rise in electricity prices and the cost of traditional lighting schemes, the challenge, however, was selecting quality lighting while wrestling with limited budgets.

The solution

Solareye80s were the perfect choice for the project, an outdoor solar powered ground light designed for cycle tracks and pathways. Through harnessing power from the sun, Solareye80s provide significant cost savings when compared to mains lighting and minimal impact on the environment.

Installation is simple, requiring little disruption and no hard wiring making it a practical, cost-effective option. Once in place, the lighting will virtually look after itself, requiring minimal to no maintenance.

The environmentally-friendly lighting option provided the borough with the affordable wayfinding light while giving the community an enhanced feeling of safety and security.

The benefits

Tested in UK weather conditions with ongoing rigorous quality control, Solareye80s are proven to work all year round. They offer a practical, economical and sustainable lighting solution in off-grid areas or that do not warrant full lighting schemes.

“Full lighting is regularly out of reach for us due to budget limitations. However, having a path that can’t be used in the depths of winter when children still need to go to school didn’t seem acceptable. Solareye ground lights deliver an affordable and practical wayfinding light solution all year round.”

– David Wilson, Transport Projects Officer,  London Borough of Hounslow

Want to find out more?

If you have an area that requires night time delineation or way marking, installation of the Solareye80 is:

• Simple to install and maintenance free
• Cost effective, thanks to low installation costs
• Certified waterproof (IP68) and vandal-proof/impact resistance (IK10)

To download this case study as a PDF click here. If you would like to find out whether Solareyes are right for your project please get in touch with our specialists by calling 0845 293 8062 or completing our online form here.