Signify Malaysia advances sustainability goals with smart lighting innovations

New Straits Times

4 days ago

KUALA LUMPUR: Signify Malaysia, formerly known as Philips Lighting, is ramping up efforts to support Malaysia's sustainability agenda by promoting smart lighting solutions and forging strategic industry partnerships.
Signify Malaysia president Sukanto Aich said the company's commitment aligns with the government's National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act (EECA) 2024, both of which aim to accelerate the country's shift to a greener economy.
"At Signify, our vision is to unlock the extraordinary potential of light to create brighter lives and a better world by offering energy-efficient and environmentally friendly lighting solutions that significantly reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions for our customers," he said after launching the Beyond Illumination: Signify Innovation Day 2025 here recently.
According to Sukanto, Signify is targeting Net Zero emissions by 2040 and aims to reduce emissions across its value chain by 50 per cent by 2030, compared with 2019 levels.
The company's smart lighting innovations include ultra-efficient LED technology that offers up to 30 per cent more energy savings than standard LEDs, as well as 3D-printed luminaires made from recycled materials such as discarded fishing nets.
"By switching from conventional lighting to LED, customers can save up to 50 per cent of energy, and by adding smart connected lighting, they can achieve an additional 20 to 30 per cent savings. Lighting alone accounts for around 30 per cent of energy consumption in cities, so reducing this by up to 80 per cent is a major step toward Malaysia's energy transition targets," he said.
In addition, Signify is working globally to enhance sustainability efforts, including a partnership with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team.
"This partnership goes beyond marketing. We provide smart connected lighting that helps Mercedes meet its Net Zero goals while also improving the health and well-being of drivers and engineers through innovations like our Nature Connect lighting, which mimics natural daylight to support circadian rhythms," Sukanto added.
Meanwhile, Signify Malaysia commercial leader for professional business Iva Lee said the professional lighting business is seeing robust growth due to rising demand for LED conversion, smart connected systems and regulatory compliance.
"We're witnessing exciting times in Malaysia with customers across offices, industries and public infrastructure shifting to smart lighting to meet new requirements under the EECA," she said.
Iva noted that government incentives such as the Green Investment Tax Allowance (GITA) and Green Investment Tax Exemption (GITE) are also encouraging businesses to invest in energy-efficient lighting and solar solutions.
"Through our Green Switch Programme, we help customers access these incentives, which can offer benefits of up to 100 per cent tax exemption or solar rental schemes," she said.
On renewable energy, Iva highlighted that Signify's investment in solar R&D has resulted in high-performance, longer-lasting lighting solutions with improved battery life.
She added that these innovations – including connected systems integrated with Interact City for remote monitoring and optimisation – have helped many customers reduce energy bills and maintenance costs while ensuring performance.
Globally, Signify has completed large-scale smart lighting projects, including the upgrade of 150,000 streetlights in Jakarta with its Interact City system.
In Malaysia, Melaka's installation of 6,000 connected LED streetlights has cut energy costs by up to 80 per cent, while enhancing public safety and operational efficiency.
— BERNAMA