The English city of Cambridge is testing out a glow-in-the dark pavement that could become a much less expensive and more eco-friendly alternative to traditional streetlights.
The English city of Cambridge is testing out a glow-in-the dark pavement that could become a much less expensive and more eco-friendly alternative to traditional streetlights.
It’s called Starpath, which is a surface treatment that’s embedded with UV absorbing particles.
When the sun starts to go down, the material starts to glow.
The overlay is coated with a substance that allows for maximum light and minimum wear and tear.
So far, the city council has only applied it to one historic path, but said that if it works out they’ll probably do more.
They did assure residents that if they do proceed, they’ll weigh the safety benefits against the addition’s impact on the historical integrity of the area.
If the technique proves to be a success, it could be of great benefit to other cities and towns as well, especially those that are in the throes of financial difficulties.
The creator of the pavement also pointed out that not only is electricity costly, it can be unreliable.
He said, "In this day and age, with the cost of power going up and power stations being turned off, some way down the track there has to be an alternative way.”
