Page 36 - Respond 2016 Magazine

cities

aluminium

street light

poles ahead www.metro-smart.com

in green race By Christine Nash
Director / CEO Metrosmart
International
Director / CEO Polestar
International

A simple switch from steel to aluminium lighting poles can save
energy, costs and will last for a century.

Since the commercialization of aluminium in 1851, 75% of weight, yet makes 1/3 less product than aluminum and uses 70%
aluminum ever produced is still in use either in its original form or more energy in its life cycle. One ton of aluminum produces 3 times
as recycled product. It is the most common element on earth and more product than one ton of steel. In 2015 the United Nations
along with glass is the greenest sustainable and most recyclable presented 17 Sustainable Development Goals and it was agreed
product in history. In comparison iron is the fourth most abundant by 195 Nations at the COP21 Paris agreement to combat climate
element on Earth, comprising about 5% of the Earth’s crust by change with these suggested global goals.

Two of those goals are linked to business and industry:
1) Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure and
2) Partnerships for those goals.

Historically street light poles were made either from timber or
steel. In most parts of the world both are still used. There are vested
interests at play such as the steel manufacturing plants as well as
consultants who have specified the steel pole for so many years they
see no reason to change. The hip pocket of the contractors is the
other vested interest as there is more money to be made out of the
cheaper steel galvanized and or painted pole than from the more
expensive anodized aluminium street light pole. Municipalities and
local governments have a lot to gain from switching to aluminum
anodized street light poles as they only have to pay for them once in
100 years whereas a steel pole has only a twenty five year life cycle.

Unfortunately this is in conflict with the interests of the contractors
who stand to gain a bigger profit from buying a cheaper product
on which they can put a bigger profit margin particularly when
that product will require regular maintenance and replacement
which the aluminum pole does not. So if the contractor cannot
be given financial incentives to buy aluminum instead of steel
poles it needs to be so legislated or specified by consultants and
then the authorities, be they the Roads & Transport Authorities
or Municipalities need to act on their advice. Happily, this is now
Aluminum with LED strips on the length of the occurring more and more frequently across the developed and
spine of the poles, Education City, Doha, Qatar. developing nations.

34 www.rtcc.org