May 27, 2025
In Altkirch, energy consumption has been reduced by 80% thanks to LED lighting
As of October 2024, the City of Altkirch has completed the full modernization of its streetlight system. In just a few months, the town’s 1,400 streetlights were replaced with LED fixtures, resulting in a reduction in energy consumption of nearly 80%.
This project, led by Ineo Réseaux, a subsidiary of Equans France, as part of a 12-year contract, also includes regular maintenance of the installations and the implementation of energy-monitoring software. Funded through the “intracting” program, the project incurs no additional costs for the municipality: the energy savings achieved fully cover the expenses incurred, despite rising electricity prices.
A modernization project funded by energy savings
In April 2023, the City of Altkirch signed a 12-year Comprehensive Public Performance Contract (MPGP) with Ineo Réseaux, a subsidiary of Equans France, worth 2.5 million euros.
This project is being carried out by a consortium of companies, led by Ineo Réseaux as the lead contractor and Spie City Networks as a co-contractor.
After 18 months of work, completed in September 2024, the City now has a modernized public lighting network capable of balancing energy efficiency with service quality.
To achieve the ambitious goal of 80% energy savings, 100% of the lighting fixtures in the system have been replaced with LED fixtures, which are more energy-efficient and durable.
Nighttime lighting is now optimized thanks to an automatic dimming system that activates at 8:00 p.m. and remains on until sunrise.
Initially programmed to achieve 68% energy savings, the system was refined to reach 80% energy efficiency through a series of technical optimizations carried out by Ineo Réseaux.
A decisive step toward a connected and sustainable city
To finance this project without straining the municipal budget, the municipality opted for the “intracting” program, an innovative mechanism based on reinvesting the energy savings achieved. Thanks to this strategy, Altkirch saw its annual energy consumption drop from 706,837 to 140,483 kWh between 2023 and the end of 2024.
This model not only supports the energy transition but also ensures safe nighttime street lighting for residents, while minimizing the impact on biodiversity through softer, better-regulated lighting.
Talking to Young Children About Lighting
A presentation by Nicolas Gence and Martin Renevier, street lighting engineers at the École des Tuileries in Altkirch
As part of its efforts to raise awareness about public lighting and the energy transition, Ineo Réseaux visited a combined fourth- and fifth-grade class this week.
Through an educational workshop, the students learned about the fundamental principles of light in a fun and accessible way: its origin, its composition, and its role in human color perception.
The workshop specifically addressed the concept of color temperature and its influence on the appearance of objects, as well as the impact of lighting on flora and fauna.
The students learned about the importance of energy conservation in street lighting and discovered how reducing light intensity helps protect the environment.
An LED light fixture equipped with lenses was presented to provide a concrete illustration of the technological innovations implemented for more environmentally friendly and sustainable lighting.
“This project in Altkirch perfectly illustrates our vision of smart, sustainable, and user-centered street lighting. Thanks to LED technology and optimized light distribution, we’ve been able to combine energy efficiency, simplicity, and quality of service. The goal of 80% energy savings has now been achieved, without compromising residents’ safety or comfort. It’s also a great demonstration of what virtuous financing models like intracting can achieve: investing without straining budgets, by reinvesting the savings generated. “We are proud to have supported the City in this ambitious transition,” says Liêm Cao Thai, Regional Director of Ineo Réseaux Nord-Est, a division of Equans France.
“This project enables the City of Altkirch to put its commitments to reducing energy consumption into action, and the results are already visible. Improvements in energy efficiency—particularly through dimming the lights without turning them off completely—mark a concrete step forward and lay the groundwork for the connected city of tomorrow,” says Nicolas Jander, Mayor of Altkirch.
