Ten years after the first edition established in 2009, the City of Geneva has revised its lighting plan. The aim of this new version is to better take into account the key issues linked to the preservation of biodiversity while making every effort to improve the lighting accompanying users of public areas, in particular people travelling on foot or by bike.
The lighting plan is a tool enabling the city to plan and manage its public lighting. It provides a global and strategic vision of lighting, with objectives to be achieved across the entire territory, while giving recommendations for tangible action with regard to lighting.
The first lighting plan developed by the City of Geneva (2009-2020) established a map and global analysis of public lighting, with objectives primarily in terms of energy and quality. Its implementation helped reduce electricity consumption through public lighting considerably (in excess of the 35% announced) and limit light pollution, while improving the quality of the lighting. Over the past ten years, the City of Geneva has dimmed the lighting of streets equipped with new lamps by 40% between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Revision of the lighting plan
In only one decade, the paradigms have changed. It is no longer simply a matter of reducing the energy bill but also of taking the impact of lighting on living organisms into account, be they humans, plants or animals. The major challenge of the new lighting plan is to find a balance between public areas that are sufficiently well-lit that human activities can be conducted in a safe and pleasant manner, and sufficiently dark to preserve biodiversity.
A black background for Geneva
A key aspect of the revision of the lighting plan, the black background makes it possible to locate sensitive areas within the territory where specific recommendations must be applied with regard to artificial lighting in order to preserve biodiversity and contribute to its survival. The map of the black background in Geneva is the fruit of extensive work conducted with different experts in the field of biodiversity. These observations are completed by an analysis of the urban territory and human activities during the night.
The main aim is to find the right balance between limited lighting in certain locations identified to protect flora and fauna and lighting adapted to all users of public areas. The lighting plan is the result of these reflections and includes recommendations prescribing the type of lighting desired according to the location.
Alternative lighting, today and tomorrow
Artificial lighting is a form of reversible pollution. Through the introduction of the new lighting plan, the City is taking action and implementing corrective measures to limit the impact of this pollution and promote peaceful areas at night.
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Département de l'aménagement, des constructions et de la mobilité - Direction
Anaïs Balabazan
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Article modifié le 25.03.2024 à 08:55