In 2005, I co-founded the Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan. One of our key findings was that by pursuing better technology in street lighting we could lower our energy consumption by as much as 70%. In 2008, I launched an experiment. On Walnut Street in the neighborhood of Shadyside, we replaced half of the street lights with energy efficient LED models. The Pittsburgh LED Streetlight Project started.

Over the course of the next three years, we enlisted the help of the best in the business – both locally and nationally. We created groundbreaking research into the options cities have to light their streets. We created the first Lighting Code for the City of Pittsburgh and set new standards for others to follow. In the end, we created “The Pittsburgh Model” of how any city, town or organization could utilize the best in present technology in order to save energy – and save your residents money.

I hope that this site will help you see the benefits of adopting a LED Streetlight Project in your town and provide you with the tools to start today. Our journey that began in 2005 with a call to action to address climate change has resulted in a comprehensive strategy for 21st century urban street lighting – and nearly 3,000 new LED fixtures that have changed our future.

Councilman Bill Peduto
Pittsburgh City Council District 8