Some monuments of Madrid, such as the cathedral of the Almudenathe Plaza de la Villa and the Carlos V roundabout, turn off their lights at 10:00 p.m. Following a question from Vox in the ordinary permanent commission of Works and Equipment, the delegate of the area, Paloma García Romero, has shown herself open to studying lighting cases proposed by municipal groups. as long as they comply with the “energy expenditure regulations”. Specifically, Vox has proposed a “solar-powered lighting plan that allows sculptural and architectural monuments to be illuminated all night.”
Romero responded to Vox’s question that lighting in the capital is governed by the energy efficiency regulation for outdoor lighting and that “there is no need” for a new plan because the area manages “4,914 light points in singular elements with LEDs.” efficient”. However, the Vox spokesperson in the City Council, Javier Ortega Smith, has insisted that the use of sunlight in this plan is specifically designed to “comply with regulations regarding energy expenditure.”
Furthermore, the councilor has maintained that this proposal solves two issues “to attend to”: “Buildings that do not even have ornamental lighting and those that have an early shutdown schedule that does not favor their image.” In line with the second problem listed by Ortega Smith, the spokesperson stated that “there are public buildings, ornamental fountains and sculptures that are part of the landscape of Madrid and beautify the city that go unnoticed when they turn off early.”
Plates that capture light during the day for use at night
In addition, Vox points out that it would put the capital “on par with other European cities that already keep monuments lit all night” giving the appearance of a “lively and elegant city.” Ortega Smith defends that it is an initiative that also would increase “safety in areas with poor lighting” and that, currently, due to the lack of this, “they are prone to theft, assault or violence.” For this reason, the party proposes a plan based on plates “that collect light during the day so that the energy is then used at night without raising the energy bill.”
In response to this, Romero has assured that he takes “the gauntlet” of the proposal and that he will study changes as long as they do not exceed the current lighting limitations. The area manager has been open to evaluating the requests of the municipal groups on a case-by-case basis and wanted to highlight “the City Council’s commitment to efficiency reflected in the current campaign to replace sodium lamps with LED lights to reduce the spent”.
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