Recently, the Hengyang City Administration Bureau announced that the city has been actively promoting urban lighting management reforms, facility upgrades, and cultural integration in recent years. Guided by the core principles of “safety, green, and intelligence,” these efforts aim to enhance urban quality and support the integrated development of culture and tourism.
Green Lighting Initiatives
Hengyang has deepened its commitment to green lighting by ensuring that 100% of new roads are equipped with LED light sources. The city has also been systematically upgrading older lighting systems, achieving an LED streetlight coverage rate of over 90%. By implementing an intelligent “zoning, grading, and time-sharing” control system, the city matches lighting schedules with pedestrian flow and seasonal changes, saving 15.6 million kWh of electricity annually. This represents a 37.5% increase in energy efficiency, equivalent to reducing carbon emissions by 900,000 tons. Additionally, the adoption of photovoltaic streetlights in urban villages and other areas has further contributed to the development of a low-carbon Yancheng.
Smart City Innovations
Hengyang is pioneering the intensive use of urban space through smart city initiatives. The provincial pilot project of “multi-pole-in-one smart light poles” on Xianfeng Road has yielded significant results, reducing the number of poles by 50.7% and cutting management costs by 42.6%. Leveraging a multifunctional smart lamp pole operation and control platform, the city has integrated applications such as smart urban management, security, and transportation. These innovations enable automatic traffic light adjustments based on real-time traffic flow and video-linked congestion management, setting a benchmark for old-city renovations across the province.
Urban Lighting Beautification and Cultural Integration
In 2024, the Hengyang Lighting Service Center implemented a comprehensive urban lighting beautification project. This included the removal of 2,620 illegal pole billboards and the repair of 1,573 lighting hazards along the Xiangjiang Scenic Belt. The city also upgraded lighting at key transportation hubs, such as the high-speed railway station, Huaxin Interchange, and Xiangjiang Bridge. By incorporating elements of Chuanshan culture and Anti-Japanese War culture into streetlight designs, Hengyang has enhanced its nighttime appeal, contributing to a thriving night economy and cultural tourism. These efforts helped attract over 74 million tourists in 2024.
Addressing Lighting Gaps
To tackle lighting deficiencies in back streets, alleys, and older communities, Hengyang has continued its efforts to eliminate “blind spots and dark areas” while optimizing “weak areas.” In 2024, the city inspected and repaired 14,000 streetlights, maintaining a lighting rate of over 99%. In November 2024, the Municipal Street Light Management Office was officially renamed the Urban Lighting Service Center, marking a shift from “passive maintenance” to “active service” in its management model.