As part of an Energy Master Plan launch, Newport’s Lighting Audit Report was launched in Hotel Newport on 5th October 2022 by the community group “Friends of Mayo Dark Skies”
Lighting specialists “Dark Source” were commissioned by Mayo County Council to prepare the Dark Sky Lighting Energy Plan and Audit, under the Sustainable Energy Community project for the town of Newport. This is part of an energy saving project, in collaboration with the community and with Mayo County Council and the resulting report revealed impressive savings could be made by further dimming reductions, without impacting safety concerns. The report concluded that much of the existing lighting profiles are over achieving the intend lighting levels, leading to excess light and therefore energy waste as well as light pollution. A copy of the report can be downloaded via the link below.
Newport is considered the gateway town to Mayo Dark Sky Park and has been a community host town to Mayo Dark Sky Festival since its inception. The town is becoming known as a dark sky destination, attracting a growing number of international visitors in winter months, boosting the local tourism economy during the off-season.
For more information on this community led project, contact:
Georgia MacMillan
mayodarksky@gmail.com
Newport’s Sustainable Energy Community Report
In parallel to the dark sky lighting energy reduction plan, Mayo County Council commissioned PlanEnergy to prepare a Master Energy Plan for the town and this document can be found here.
Newport has founded a Climate Action Group as a result and the community is hosting regular meetings.