Challenge
The City of Joondalup, covering 39 square kilometres and serving as a key centre in the Perth metropolitan area, faced the challenge of modernising its ageing and diverse streetlighting infrastructure. With a mixture of main-road luminaires, post-top decorative fixtures, and underpass lights, the city also needed to phase out outdated mercury systems. Rising energy costs and the need for more responsive, cost-effective maintenance further underscored the need for a smarter approach. Joondalup sought a solution that could deliver immediate energy savings, reduce operational burdens, and provide real-time control and insights over its lighting network.
The City partnered with Telensa to deploy a scalable, resilient smart streetlighting system. Telensa’s PLANet® Central Management System (CMS), powered by ultra-narrowband (UNB) wireless technology, now connects nearly 1,800 streetlights across Joondalup. Just three Base Stations—each with up to 10 km coverage—were required to achieve full network control, offering built-in redundancy and future capacity.
Joondalup uses PLANet to remotely monitor, manage, and optimise its lighting infrastructure. The CMS provides real-time data on metering, faults, burning hours, and more. These insights are used to create customised dimming profiles, manage constant light output, and schedule targeted maintenance. Ownership of the network gives the city operational independence, while Telensa provides software updates, hosting, and support. This approach results in lower costs per light and a tailored solution for Joondalup’s climate and infrastructure needs.
“We wanted to work with a company that had proven smart lighting deployments in a similar climate to ours, as Joondalup is hot and close to the ocean and a company that provided a high level of technical support”
David Hale Electrical Projects EngineerJoondalup’s CMS has also proven invaluable in operational coordination. For example, when CCTV operators report camera outages, staff can instantly check if power is reaching the pole, helping avoid sending the wrong contractor and saving time and cost.
Joondalup’s investment in Telensa’s smart streetlighting solution has delivered measurable savings, improved responsiveness, and a more sustainable lighting service. With nearly 1,800 lights under smart control and a proactive, self-managed network model, the city has not only modernised its infrastructure but also laid the groundwork for further smart city innovation. The project demonstrates how energy efficiency, operational control, and long-term value can go hand in hand.
