Eupave Symposium on Concrete Roads – Prague 2014 Urban Roads Session

Public lighting contributes to the safety and quality of life in urban areas and, like all services, is confronted with the challenge of “doing better with less.” Closer ties between the trades of the road and lighting offer proven opportunities for significant economic and environmental gains once steps are taken to look at projects in an integrated manner, taking closer into account the photometric properties of pavement surfaces with luminous fluxes. The “Pavements and Light” partnering approach applied in France over the past 5 years is bearing its initial fruit. Pavements in concrete and some other types have been clearing the way towards gains in this area. The first demonstration of a specifically studied concrete roadway at the Cettons II eco-friendly business park showed the feasibility of taking luminance better into account. Rapid technological and organisational progress, like the introduction of energy performance contracts, help to bring to maturity the collaborative work of contracting authorities, engineering firms and contractors handling roadway and lighting projects, thus making it possible to achieve the goal of better lighting at lower cost throughout the service life of the road or street. Continuing progress with decorative concrete reinforces this concept and the vision of a sustainable city in which concrete participates actively in meeting the new demands of city dwellers.