In a world where streetlights have long been tethered to outdated utility monopolies with little incentive for innovation, Streetleaf is flipping the script.
And its next move, a national vendor agreement with D.R. Horton, the U.S. homebuilder has the company bringing its solar technology mindset to consumers’ attention.
Streetleaf CEO Liam Ryan said the move, in many ways, makes operations easier.
“Our first projects were in Tampa, [but] as we started expanding across Florida and into other states in the U.S., we kept bumping into the same kind of hurdles, even dealing within the same company ... of teaching them what’s going on, this is how our product works, you have to become a vendor with your specific location,” Ryan said.
Ryan said the Arlington, Texas-based homebuilder has over 110 different divisions across the country and can establish Streetleaf not only as a sustainable alternative to traditional on-grid services but also as an innovator in eco-friendly energy solutions.
“People, when they hear solar and battery, immediately think new. They think something that may be like a new technology, which in their mind, a lot of people think is a risk,” Ryan said. “We de-risk the developer or the community from having to maintain or service the streetlights. It’s hard to shake up the status quo.”
With this deal, Ryan said Streetleaf can become “first of mind” vs. being a “last-minute solution.” No financial details were disclosed.
“We’re in a very niche market in solar street lighting, and we target very specific customers, including homebuilders,” Ryan said. “The fact that D.R. Horton, the most prolific home builder in the nation, is willing to work with us shows that Streetleaf and solar-powered streetlights are entering [the] mainstream market,[and] are becoming the standard of what you do in new communities.”
According to Ryan, besides being 100% renewable-powered, Streetleaf’s lights are cost-effective compared to traditional lights because they don’t require upfront infrastructure.
“You don’t have to dig a hole, trench run, wire run, conduit between each streetlight, which is a benefit on time and costs as it relates to a community,” Ryan said. “It’s really just the installation and the easiness factor that makes it cost effective as well as being a renewable power.”
D.R. Horton already installs smart home technology in every home it builds, according to a release. Next, it will incorporate smart neighborhood solutions like Streetleaf’s streetlights.
“We selected Streetleaf as a national vendor due to their proven experience, reliability and dedication to providing top-quality service,” said Brad Conlon, senior vice president of business development for D.R. Horton. “Sustainable infrastructure is highly attractive to homeowners, and the added peace of mind that comes with knowing the lights are designed to remain operational even during many extreme weather events like hurricanes is equally important.”
Ryan said the next challenge will focus on growing the company’s footprint in larger spaces.
“We love our agreement with D.R. Horton, and that’s on what I call the smaller roads, like residential roads,” Ryan said. “Obviously, as we grow our footprint with companies like that, we’re also looking to expand our products into larger roads [and] larger opportunities within cities.”
According to the company, over 7,300 Streetleaf streetlights have already been installed in more than 100 projects across the U.S. Ryan said this has led to over 2 million pounds of CO2 savings compared to traditional streetlights.
“Any housing project being developed without solar-powered streetlights is a missed opportunity for the future of that community,” Ryan said in a statement. “The demand for sustainable living solutions is growing exponentially.”
