Smögen’s smart streetlights: reliable, wireless and sustainable
By combining POLAB’s durable luminaires with reliable wireless control from LumenRadio’s AirGlow, the coastal town of Smögen was able to modernize its street lighting in an extremely demanding environment.
The small tourist town of Smögen is located along Sweden’s beautiful yet rugged west coast. This setting had long been a challenge for traditional street lighting. The old high‑pressure sodium lamps have been battered and bruised over the years by salt, storms, moisture and corrosive seabird droppings.
Sotenäs, the local authority in charge of Smögen, started looking for a long-lasting lighting solution that would:
- Withstand the coastal environment
- Reduce energy consumption
- Minimize light intrusion into nearby homes
- Give them adaptable lighting in areas with low nighttime activity
Their existing system consisted of 50–70W high-pressure sodium luminaires installed along narrow streets and residential paths close to the sea. Sotenäs replaced these with POLAB’s Valdur.
Durable design meets smart wireless control
Valdur is an innovative luminaire which has won awards for its design. It is made of an extremely durable, scratch-resistant material which has a much lower CO₂ footprint than die-cast aluminium. Valdur also has LumenRadio’s AirGlow technology integrated giving lighting manager wireless control over their streetlamps via a simple app.
Around 100 Valdur’s were installed and Sotenäs saw an immediate improvement in efficiency, with the new LEDs using only 22W per fixture. Compared to the sodium lamps, which were drawing up to 80W with drivers, this was an energy reduction of 72%.
Johan Johansson works for Sotenäs Municipality and was the Operations Manager for the Smögen street lighting project.
“We have a very demanding coastal environment and we needed luminaires that could handle it,” he says. “We know that every luminaire we replace saves energy – and with wireless control you can save even more.”
A warm colour temperature was selected to create a more pleasant atmosphere for residents – a choice which also helped reduce the impact street lighting was having on wildlife and insects.
“It’s very important for us to be able to adjust individual luminaires,” explains Johan. “Otherwise, in these narrow streets, the light will shine straight into people’s windows.”
The response from residents – or rather the lack of it – has been a real plus.
“The experience in Smögen has been very positive and the people living here haven’t reported anything negative,” he adds. “We haven’t received a single complaint – not one.”
Reliable wireless and fast deployment
The wireless system was commissioned on site with support from LumenRadio. Field testing confirmed a reliable range of up to 150 meters between units, with signals easily passing through wooden structures.
“The buildings are very close together, so you might think the luminaires wouldn’t see each other. But that hasn’t been a problem,” says Johan. “We can also configure using the app – I’ve found the whole system logical and easy to use.”
The installation offers flexible control through both group and individual dimming, allowing Johan to tailor light levels to the unique needs of each street or area.
Night-time levels can be adjusted based on local conditions, ensuring that lighting is sufficient for safety while minimizing unnecessary brightness in low-traffic zones or sensitive residential areas.
The system is also future-ready, with the ability to integrate motion sensors at any time, providing an additional layer of energy efficiency and dynamic lighting control without requiring new infrastructure.
“We’re very happy with the installation,” concludes Johan. “Thanks to POLAB’s luminaires with AirGlow wireless control from LumenRadio, we’ve been able to modernize street lighting in one of the area’s most demanding environments.”
