Alcalá de Henares trusts Edison Next for the maintenance and improvement of the public lighting network.

The City Council of Alcalá de Henares has launched one of the most ambitious monumental lighting projects in recent years. Under the name Alcalá Luce, the initiative proposes a new way of interacting with the Complutense historical heritage, integrating criteria of sustainability, technological innovation, and heritage respect to transform the city’s nighttime experience. Edison Next Spain will be responsible for making this project possible, which we want to go beyond a mere aesthetic renovation of lighting. We have conceived Alcalá Luce as an urban-scale intervention in which light will become a tool to improve energy efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and enhance the value of architectural heritage. One of the main challenges of the project will be addressing the lighting of a historic center with extensive cultural and architectural value, where many installations are obsolete or offer limited visibility at night. One of our objectives is that the action will allow the recovery of the nighttime presence of the most emblematic buildings, improve the perception of volumes and construction details, and offer citizens a clearer and more coherent view of the monumental complex. Our technical approach is based on the premise of intervening on heritage with the least possible intrusion. To this end, at Edison Next we will apply completely reversible solutions adapted to each building, combining high-efficiency LED technology, precise control of lighting levels, and respectful integration into the urban environment. Alcalá Luce is structured around two main axes that, together, will create a continuous nighttime route through the historic center. The first operates in the area of Plaza de San Lucas, the entry point to the historic center from the train station. From this location, the lighting renovation will advance towards Calle Libreros, reinforcing its role as a cultural axis and transition towards the monumental heart of the city. The project sets a minimum reduction of 30% in greenhouse gas emissions compared to the previous situation, an objective that we will achieve by replacing old luminaires with more modern ones using latest-generation LED technology, as well as control systems that will allow adapting lighting to the actual use of the spaces. The second axis of the project is developed in one of the most representative heritage areas of Alcalá de Henares, along the route connecting Plaza de los Santos Niños with landmarks such as the Palacio Arzobispal, the Monasterio de San Bernardo, or the facade of the University of Alcalá. In this section, the new lighting will seek to visually organize the nighttime space and reinforce the cultural reading of the architectural complex. To maximize the commitment to sustainability, the project also incorporates a photovoltaic installation aimed at reducing non-renewable energy consumption, reinforcing the comprehensive efficiency approach that guides the entire action. With an awarded investment of 567,672 euros, Alcalá Luce represents a new way of approaching lighting in historical environments, understanding it as an intelligent, efficient infrastructure aligned with current environmental challenges. This ambitious project will build a new nighttime experience in Alcalá de Henares, in which light will act as a cultural guide, an element of urban cohesion, and a tool for energy efficiency. For us at Edison Next, initiatives like Alcalá Luce perfectly reflect our way of understanding urban lighting, a driver of sustainable innovation that allows improving the citizen experience and moving towards more efficient and responsible city models.