15-year services pact stands out in deal to update lighting at Italian schools

When energy company A2A S.p.A. was looking for a lighting supplier as part of its refurbishment of 70 schools in Brescia, it put a priority not just on the lights, but also on IoT servicing. So much so that it committed to a remote monitoring deal that will last for 15 years.

That’s right, 15 years.

A typical service deal might be more along the lines of three to five years. So the 15 that Milan-based A2A contracted to German lighting company Trilux stands out as at least three times longer than what you might expect.

Arnsberg-based Trilux could get used to this sort of thing.

“The customer has contracted our cloud-based services for the next 15 years,” Trilux Italia sales manager Sirio Greco said. “And this is just the beginning. The project is continuously evaluated and will be used as a blueprint for other schools.”

A2A tapped Trilux for cloud-based services as well as for the 16,000 LED luminaires across the schools in northern Italy, which range from nursery through elementary and high schools.

The energy company is handling broader energy upgrades at the schools. While it is installing the Trilux luminaires itself, it is relying on Trilux to connect the luminaires to a central monitoring point. Trilux is tying them all together through its cloud-based digital monitoring services and its LiveLink lighting management system.

Installations are now complete at 40 of the 70 schools, with the other 30 to follow next summer, when school is out.

A2A is monitoring lighting from a central location, using the Trilux technology.

“The remote monitoring allows A2A to control and manage all systems from their central office or any other connected device,” a Trilux spokesperson told LEDs Magazine. “With this system they have detailed information on energy consumption and savings, as well as the actual status of each lighting system for maintenance. They can also have remote access to change or update the local configuration of one school — for example, when they need to adjust schedules or other lighting parameters.”

The refurbishment includes the replacement of T8 fluorescent bulbs and of some incandescent lamps, using a mix of Trilux LED luminaires including the E-Line Next suspended model, the Arimo Fit recessed model, and the Mirona Fit, to cover classrooms, sports halls, and other areas.

Brescia’s aim with the new lighting is to save money both on energy and on maintenance.

Trilux anticipates energy savings of 70%, the company told LEDs. It did not reveal how much A2A is paying for the lights and for the service technology. A2A is the main contractor on the project, selling to the city of Brescia.

MARK HALPER is a contributing editor for LEDs Magazine, and an energy, technology, and business journalist ([email protected]).

For up-to-the-minute LED and SSL updates, follow us on Twitter. You’ll find curated content and commentary, as well as information on industry events, webcasts, and surveys on our LinkedIn page and our Facebook page.