Located in the Savoie department, at the gateway to the Vanoise National Park, the commune of Aussois attracts many tourists every year thanks to its authenticity and family spirit.
With the aim of reconciling public safety and environmental protection, this village-station decided to renovate its entire lighting system in collaboration with GROUPE RAGNI. This choice stems from a fruitful previous cooperation and the desire to promote French industrial know-how.
Maurice BODECHER, First Deputy Mayor of Aussois and Chairman of the Aussois management board:
” Today, we’re trying to strike a balance between essential lighting and night-time preservation, given our proximity to the Vanoise National Park. This approach is largely justified for the benefit of flora and fauna, especially as we have observed the presence of animals such as foxes in the village, proof that they are not disturbed by public lighting. “.
The municipality mainly opted for retrofitting, replacing 294 light points over a three-year period in order to conserve the existing luminaires and thus reduce its carbon footprint. Traditional lighting aesthetics VENCEand ROGNACluminaires, and the modernity of the EMBLEMEmodels harmonize perfectly with the natural, authentic setting of Aussois.
This eco-responsible initiative has resulted in significant savings in terms of cost and consumption:
- The luminaires were reduced from 4000k to 2200k inside the village and 2700k on the outskirts,
- Better uniformity is now noticeable thanks to flow-cutting fixtures that avoid illuminating facades and direct light more effectively towards the road,
- Reduced consumption was made possible by replacing 100 W SHP bulbs with 15 to 26 watt LED paving stones,
- 70% savings were achieved by reducing lighting between 11pm and 6am.
In just a few months, the results were conclusive, showing the total disappearance of the light halo that had been hanging over the community; a source of pride for this village of 711 inhabitants, committed to reducing light pollution.
During the Covid period, Mayor Stéphane BOYER experimented with total extinction of public lighting for almost a year:
” Several residents told us of their feelings of insecurity, although no incidents have occurred. When the sky is starry, it’s pleasant, but when it’s overcast, you can’t see a thing. There have been times when I’ve finished my journey by the light of my phone. As a tourist village, we have a lot of movement, and night-time reduction is the best compromise to ensure sufficient lighting to get around. “.
Sensitive to sustainable development and biodiversity, the Mayor adds:
” In this project, we managed to reconcile our environmental concerns with our budgetary constraints, which is crucial. CSR will become widespread and mandatory in the future, so it’s essential that RAGNI is at the forefront in this area. “.
We would like to thank the Mayor of Aussois, Stéphane BOYER, his1st deputy and Chairman of the Régie, Maurice BODECHER, Mr. Laurent FRESSARD, Director of the Régie, for their availability, as well as Arnaud JAROCKI from the AREL agency, who contributed to this excellent collaboration with the village of Aussois on this major project.
