Every city wants to be one – but what is it? Opinions on how a “smart city” should be are as many as the aspirants, though there is an end result which counts for them all. By using modern technologies knitted together, the smart city is a step towards a more sustainable society.
The development is driven by urbanisation. In Metropolitan areas the concept is a way to meet the pressures resulting from an increasing population. The EU is an enthusiastic promoter of the movement and is running its own “Smart Cities Initiative” in order to accelerate the transformation of cities into fossil-free and low-resource communities.
Holistic approach
Copenhagen is considered a frontrunner and was recently awarded the Smart Cities Award for its “Copenhagen Connecting”-project.
“It’s extremely important that you don’t embark on this kind of project for technology’s own sake. A smart city should be created for the benefit of the citizens, to improve their quality of life. For Copenhagen this is also an important step to realise our vision of a C02-neutral city in 2025”, says Søren Kvist, spokesperson and Project Manager at Copenhagen Solutions Lab, the City of Copenhagens incubator for smart city initiatives.
Copenhagen Solutions Lab works cross-departmental with the city’s administration, in partnership with local and international companies and knowledge institutions. This task group provides a 360 sounding board to evoke and test new ideas, technologies and solutions to create a more liveable city in Copenhagen.
“The smart city cannot be seen solely as a matter for the community. We need to interact with many different stakeholders: universities, business life and companies related to energy, water, gas, telecom, sanitation and so on… The realisation of a smart city needs a holistic approach and we’ve found this is an easier way to communicate.”
Lighting as infrastructure
And even if the potential is endless, the connected society has to be born according to a plan. Before heading off, experts were hired to identify possibilities and socio-economic effects. Right now, Copenhagen Connecting is entering a new phase. A test area is built for evaluating different solutions and techniques.
“We’re not first to the ball, many of these technologies have been tried in other cities – but we need to make sure that they’ll work in our Nordic climate and environment”, says Søren Kvist.
An innovative twist is how Copenhagen is planning to use outdoor lighting as infrastructure for the smart initiative. Street lighting is everywhere and every luminaire is connected with electricity, something that’s crucial to get all this tech stuff working. In the coming years 20 000 existing streetlights will also be changed into LEDs.
“Of course it’s a good thing for the environment as they are very energy efficient. But it’s interesting how lighting is also turning into an infrastructure solution, as a vital part when building connectivity”, says Søren Kvist.
Every LED-module can be connected to the city’s IT-system where they can interact with each other. The lighting poles are also excellent for housing sensor equipment for water, wind and pollution as well as for traffic sensors.
“LED-luminaires also have an important advantage as they are always operating. They’re never totally switched off, only dimmed to extremely low levels. This means that other equipment will have power supply, regardless of the time of day.”
From traffic to flooding
The ideas are flowing.
“Traffic is a core subject. For example, we can use the system to generate data for traffic lights, in order to create green waves for car drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. This means reduced pollution related to red light starts and stops and a safer traffic environment with less accidents. But it also saves valuable time for our citizens. Parking is crucial. If the system can be used to guide drivers directly to a free parking lot, it will save a lot of driving, irritation and CO2”, Søren Kvist explains.
“Sanitation is another area that we are looking into. With the help of ‘intelligent trashbins’ we can keep the city clean and plan our routes in a more efficient way. Recently we’ve had some problems with heavy rains and flooding and this system could provide us with the information to guide our efforts”
Some of the ideas are already up and running as the municipality of Copenhagen is gifted with an enterprising traffic department. For instance, one has developed a ‘green wave’ application helping commercial traffic to avoid red lights. Copenhagen is known for its well-developed cycling infrastructure and some routes are paved with LEDs shifting between red and green light. This helps the cyclists to keep the right speed and avoid unnecessary stops.
A sharing society
So, what can the lighting industry do to keep up the pace?
“Actually, I think the industry is doing a lot. After many years focusing solely on energy efficiency, producers have started to develop products adapted to network technology. I think it is important to continue on this path, focusing on connectivity and Internet of Things. For us it is also vital that developers within the lighting industry choose to work with open technology”, says Søren Kvist.
Open technology means flexibility and the possibility to share information for the greater good.
“Our vision is to generate open data that can be shared with local entrepreneurs and companies with business ideas that contribute to the smart city and peoples wellbeing. Of course, we carefully consider integrity issues at all times and living in a big data era we have to design all smart city solutions with citizens privacy rights in mind”.
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Universities: Optimising buildings through data-driven lighting systems
Universities today face growing pressure to reduce carbon emissions, operate more efficiently, and create environments that actively support learning, research, and student wellbeing. From historic campuses to cutting-edge research facilities, managing such diverse estates is complex. Increasingly, data is proving to be a powerful tool in meeting these challenges. Smart lighting systems such as Fagerhult’s Organic Response are central to this transformation. By combining wireless technology with intelligent sensors, these systems collect and analyse data on energy use, occupancy patterns, and light levels. For university estates and facilities teams, this data-driven approach enables more informed decisions, helping to optimise building performance, reduce environmental impact, and create better spaces for students, staff, and visitors. So how does data-driven lighting work in a university context, and what are the benefits for higher education estates? Integrating smart lighting into complex university estates Smart lighting systems are no longer standalone solutions. They are an integral part of a wider, connected approach to campus building automation. At the application level, wireless lighting technology is particularly well suited to universities, where estates often include a mix of new developments, refurbished teaching spaces, and heritage buildings. For older campus buildings, where rewiring can be disruptive, costly, or impractical, wireless systems allow advanced lighting controls to be introduced with minimal structural intervention. This supports the decarbonisation of existing university estates while maintaining architectural integrity and minimising disruption to teaching and research activities. At the same time, smart lighting integrates seamlessly into new-build projects, enabling universities to future-proof their buildings from day one. Automating lighting to minimise waste across campus One of the biggest operational challenges for universities is ensuring that lighting is used only when and where needed. With long opening hours, irregular occupancy patterns, and a wide variety of space types, wasted lighting can quickly become both costly and unsustainable. Traditional lighting control systems are typically fixed at the point of commissioning. Once installed, they offer limited flexibility and often fail to adapt to changes in space usage, timetables, or occupancy. As a result, lighting may remain on in empty lecture theatres, corridors, or meeting rooms. A smart lighting system overcomes this by dynamically adjusting lighting in real time using sensor data. Lighting levels can respond automatically to occupancy, daylight availability, and predefined settings, while system parameters can be reconfigured manually or automatically throughout the building’s lifetime. For universities, this means: Lecture theatres and teaching rooms are lit only when in use Corridors and circulation spaces adapt to traffic levels Libraries and study areas maintain appropriate lighting while avoiding unnecessary energy use The result is optimised energy consumption without compromising visual comfort or safety. Turning lighting data into meaningful campus insight At the heart of smart lighting systems lies data. Large volumes of information on energy consumption, occupancy, and lighting performance can be securely collected and stored in cloud-based platforms, giving estates teams visibility across their campus. NVT Fagerhult has conducted studies analysing occupancy data to understand how small system adjustments can deliver significant energy savings. By fine-tuning sensor time-out periods and adjusting light levels relative to occupant proximity, it is possible to reduce energy use while maintaining a positive user experience. The findings show that: In high-traffic areas such as corridors, libraries, and open-plan study spaces, adjusting light levels delivers the greatest savings In spaces that are frequently unoccupied, such as meeting rooms or seminar rooms, optimising time-out periods is more effective For universities, this data-driven insight supports not only energy reduction but also improved understanding of space utilisation, helping inform future planning and investment decisions. Using lighting infrastructure as a data backbone Smart lighting systems also offer value beyond illumination. Because the lighting network spans the entire campus, it can act as a backbone for additional sensors and data collection. By integrating sensors for CO₂, temperature, and humidity into the lighting infrastructure, universities can reduce the need for multiple standalone networks. This provides a cost-effective and streamlined approach to monitoring environmental conditions across teaching spaces, libraries, laboratories, and social areas. Real-time environmental data can support: Improved indoor air quality management Health and wellbeing initiatives for students and staff Compliance with building and safety standards In some cases, this information can also be shared with building users through digital displays, increasing transparency and awareness of environmental quality. Proven performance in higher education environments Fagerhult’s smart lighting solutions are already delivering measurable benefits across higher education estates. At the University of Warwick Library, the introduction of intelligent lighting has resulted in significant energy and cost savings, while occupancy data has provided valuable insight into how students use different areas of the library throughout the day. Similarly, at Queen Mary University of London, smart, sustainable lighting has helped support long-term carbon reduction targets while enhancing visual comfort in teaching and study spaces. These projects demonstrate how data-driven lighting can support both operational efficiency and the academic mission of universities. The future of smart campuses As universities continue to prioritise sustainability, efficiency, and student experience, the role of data-driven technologies will only grow. Smart lighting systems offer a practical and scalable way to support these ambitions. “Data is the key to unlocking the full potential of smart lighting systems,” Nick concludes. “By harnessing the power of data, universities can improve energy efficiency, support wellbeing, and create more responsive and sustainable campus environments. As the technology continues to evolve, the opportunities for optimisation are virtually limitless.” Explore how Organic Response can help your estates team reduce energy use, gain insight into space utilisation, and future-proof your campus. Speak to our experts to find out more.
The flexible office - Long-term investment for property owners
As a property owner, meeting the needs of tenants while creating sustainable and smooth management is often a complex equation. With Control Track Versa, new and sustainable opportunities are created to streamline the process and offer good lighting for tenants. Petter Berg works with pre-sales for extensive property projects at Fagerhult in Oslo. Discussions with customers and more prominent property owners often revolve around the problem of meeting multiple interests both during the construction process and after the tenants have moved in. “The interests of the various actors often clash at the expense of the lighting quality. And then no one is delighted with either the process or the result,” says Petter Berg, Lighting Adviser Manager at Fagerhult. Petter Berg quote Petter Berg has closely observed the development of Control Track Versa and sees future opportunities for property owners. Not least, those who work actively with reuse and sustainability and want to create attractive environments for existing and future tenants can quickly achieve profitability in larger projects. “Being able to offer tenants good lighting without replacing the entire system every time someone moves is a huge sustainability advantage as a property owner. With Control Track Versa, each luminaire can be reused throughout its entire life cycle. In addition, the track itself can take on a new shape if the office changes design.” Property owners can benefit from the advantages of Control Track Versa during construction. The track can be installed earlier during construction and is completely independent of the future furnishings and the tenant’s choice of luminaires. “The fact that the installation can be done in principle at any time and is not dependent on the premises being cleaned of construction dust or that it takes place just before the property is completed makes a big difference. It is an ingenious way to buy time,” says Petter Berg. Collage three rooms - same Versa solution In parallel, installations can be made in fixed areas such as corridors, elevators, toilets, and public places that are not affected by the tenants’ choices. With fewer installation points, installation is also faster and easier. “The track has a flexible 230V system, so there is no need for cable ladders or extra wiring. Therefore, Control Track Versa is also very suitable for open ceilings. Since it is completely independent, the system is also future-proof. Each luminaire can be supplemented with a sensor for smart lighting control.” According to Petter Berg, Control Track Versa bridges the gap between electrical consultants and interior designers. He clearly sees that the track can be very useful in larger construction projects where many parts need to fit together. “When we work together, it often turns out very well. It is clear that a party is needed that connects the developer, electrical consultant and interior designer, and that is where Control Track Versa is now becoming an important party for us at Fagerhult.”