Only around 400,000 people call Florence home, yet more than 15 million tourists visit each year—its beauty and history make it one of the most popular cities in the world. With the submission of its Climate City Contract, the city continues to advance its commitment to protecting its people and heritage by becoming climate-neutral by 2030.
Nestled in the heart of Tuscany, Florence spreads across 102 square kilometres in central Italy. Since signing the Aalborg Charter in 1998, this UNESCO World Heritage Site has focused on safeguarding its cultural heritage and protecting residents from the effects of climate change and mass tourism.
A light revolution
Florence is illuminated by over 40,500 lampposts and 3,500 traffic lights, all of which required upgrades to meet the energy-saving targets outlined in the Sustainable Energy Action Plan (2020) and the Smart City Plan (2030-2050). The challenge was to design a solution that respected the requirements of UNESCO recognition while improving efficiency.
Florence took it a step further by turning its lighting infrastructure into a multifunctional network—integrating video surveillance, environmental sensors, WiFi, IoT networks, and traffic management systems—while minimising impact and cost.
“Public lighting is the backbone of the city and can easily support other services, reducing land use and costs.”
Through the H2020 SCC1 REPLICATE funded project (2016-2021), Florence tested a tailored refurbishment plan for public lighting in one of its districts to deliver efficiency while integrating additional services.
The pilot was carried out in two main ways. In Cascine Park, an adaptive lighting system combined LED lights with fibre optic cameras to improve security. The lights adjusted in real time based on alarms, ICT system-controlled vehicle access, and park traffic. In northwest Florence, 30 IP cameras were installed to monitor pedestrian flows, detect unusual behaviour, count vehicles, and regulate traffic. The project was a success, reducing energy consumption in the district by over 40% and saving 650 tonnes of CO2 annually.
Florence's Lighting Evolution: #Firenzecambialuce
In 2018, Florence expanded this initiative citywide with the launch of #Firenzecambialuce. The city replaced old sodium and mercury vapour lights with 30,000 LED fixtures across 1,572 streets, squares, and gardens. The project was mostly funded by PONmetro community funds, and executed by the Municipality of Florence and SILFIspa. The upgrade also extended to all 3,682 traffic lights, reducing the city’s traffic light energy bill by €160,000 annually, from €240,000 to €80,000.
What were the key drivers supporting the implementation?
- Innovating the business model: SILFI went beyond traditional service delivery by taking on the design, implementation, and management of the smart lighting system. By integrating additional services, SILFI enhanced its capabilities and expanded its market opportunities. As an energy services company, SILFI assumed financial risks with the expectation that energy savings would offset the initial investment, creating a sustainable financial model. This innovative approach provides a replicable framework for other cities.
- Navigating technical risks: Establishing standards for video surveillance and environmental sensors was key.
- Stakeholder engagement: Florence involved the community in its effort to reshape the city’s nightscape through open meetings where residents learned about the new LED system and shared their concerns. These sessions ensured a smooth transition and allowed residents to influence the changes in their city.
- Financing: The upgrade came with a significant investment—€380 per lamppost, totalling around €1.5 million for the entire project. The infrastructure is expected to last 20 years. The city anticipates saving €394,200 annually from reduced energy consumption.
- Multilevel governance: This efficiency plan met the regional and ministerial legislative framework.
And what were the lessons learned?
- Beyond LED technology: The project demonstrated the potential of systemic thinking, integrating energy efficiency with broader urban improvements for a greener, safer, and more connected city.
- Comprehensive benefits: The initiative reduced CO2 emissions, lowered energy bills, improved safety, and enhanced city services like traffic control and WiFi.
- Smart city integration: The smart lighting system is now a core component of Florence's smart city design, connecting with the smart grid, control room, and directly benefiting residents.
- Gaps in traditional practices: The project highlighted the challenges of transitioning from traditional business models to innovative smart city concepts, particularly in technology, stakeholder management, and financing.
- Legal and cultural considerations: National legal frameworks and the unique cultural heritage of Florence significantly influenced the project’s timeline and execution.
- Maintenance challenges: Remote maintenance of sensors and cameras was identified as crucial, given the rapid evolution of these technologies.
- Future-proofing: The services integrated into the smart lighting system must evolve in step with technological advancements to remain effective.
Potential for replication
Florence’s success with its smart lighting initiative provides a valuable model for other cities aiming to implement similar projects. Key factors for replicability and upscaling include:
- Comprehensive planning and community involvement: Florence’s approach combined technical upgrades with extensive community engagement, ensuring that the project was not only technically sound but also socially accepted. For other cities, involving local stakeholders early and continuously can smooth the path to implementation and help tailor solutions to specific community needs.
- Adaptability to local contexts: While the core model of smart lighting and multifunctional infrastructure is replicable, cities must adapt the approach to their unique regulatory, cultural, and environmental contexts. Florence’s consideration of UNESCO requirements and local heritage conservation set an example of how projects can respect local characteristics while advancing modernisation.
- Strong public-private partnerships: The collaboration between Florence’s municipal authorities, SILFI, and public and private stakeholders was crucial. For replication, cities should foster partnerships that bring together government bodies, local businesses, and external experts, creating a shared vision and pooled resources for success.
- Innovative financial models: SILFI’s role as an energy services company, assuming financial risk with a sustainable payback through energy savings, provides a flexible funding framework. Other cities can adopt or adapt this model to attract investment and manage financial risks, making large-scale infrastructure upgrades feasible even with limited public funds.
- Scalable technology solutions: The use of adaptive lighting, integrated sensors, and multifunctional lampposts in Florence demonstrates the scalability of smart technologies. Cities looking to replicate this success should assess the scalability of the technology solutions to expand beyond initial pilot areas, allowing for gradual and manageable city-wide implementation.
- Monitoring and evaluation: Effective monitoring and evaluation were key to Florence’s success, allowing adjustments throughout the project lifecycle. Replication requires cities to establish clear metrics and robust data collection from the outset, ensuring they can measure success, optimise performance, and demonstrate the impact to stakeholders and funders.