designing lighting global (dlg) - VOL II ISSUE 3 by designing lighting

designing lighting global

Lighting designer Ashish Thakkar uses subtle and precise illumination to complement the stunning and sculptural Aatma Manthan Museum in India

20 YEARS IN CONTROL

Pharos Architectural Controls - celebrating its 20th anniversary year in 2024 - is an award-winning and independently owned British manufacturer of dynamic lighting control solutions for architecture, themed entertainment, and other specialist industries. Our hardware and software solutions are designed and built in-house, backed by a 5-year warranty, and supported by an experienced technical team. Pharos products are trusted to run

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6 EDITOR’S NOTE

An introduction from our editor Ray Molony.

8 HOSPITALITY: Integration

Sensation

The integration of flexible LED luminaires with high metrics was key to creating the stunning interior of the latest Sexy Fish restaurant.

10 DESIGN FILE

Some striking projects from around the world.

12 COVER STORY: SCULPTING WITH LIGHT

Lighting designer Ashish Thakkar used subtle and precise illumination to complement the stunning and sculptural Aatma Manthan Museum in Rajasthan.

20 ENTERTAINMENT: Night at the Opera

When updating its auditorium lighting, the historic opera house on Hamburg's Dammtorstrasse achieved not only energy savings in excess of 80 per cent but also superior lighting quality and high visual comfort.

24 RESIDENTIAL: The House Designed for Light

A house built sensitively over a Roman quarry in Croatia has been given a sensitive lighting scheme by its designer Dean Skira.

28 OFFICES: Ribbons of Light

Susan Lake Lighting Design has created a stylish people-centric office in the Walkie Talkie building in the City of London. Ray Molony reports.

30 LIGHTING AND WILDLIFE:

Where Bat Protection is a Red Line

Lighting with a special light recipe is limiting the night time disturbance of bats and other wildlife on a walking and cycling path in Northern Ireland.

VOLUME 2 ISSUE 3 2024

34 SPECIAL FEATURE: Most Photometric Data is ‘Problematic’

The UK’s Lighting Industry Association and laboratory experts 42 Partners say that many of the photometric data files used by lighting designers are not as they appear. Here the two organisations guide us through the signs to watch out for.

38 BUILD BACK BETTER AWARDS

2024: Lighting Category Winners

48 CIRCULAR LIGHTING

Turning Waste into Works of Art

A start-up company is combining the use of AI technology, 3D printing and post-consumer waste to create what it terms ‘luminous works of art’.

50 INNOVATIONS

We curate the stand-out designs this quarter.

52 CONTROLS CASE STUDY: Students of Control

Lighting controls consultant Dave Tilley exports a real-world lighting challenge, this time in a student accommodation building in London.

54 TRADE SHOW CALENDAR

We mark your diary with all the big events in lighting design right into 2024.

55 ORGANISATION NEWS

The latest reports from the lighting design community and its representative bodies.

The Hamburg state opera house has a lineage tracing back to the original opera house at Gänsemarkt, established in 1678.

57 ADVERTISERS INDEX

58 UP CLOSE

We meet the CEO of the International Association of Lighting Designers Christopher Knowlton.

ON THE COVER: Ashish Thakkar used colour judiciously at the Aatma Manthan Museum in Rajasthan

Thank you for joining us at

DALI North America Summit

A sell out inaugural event

Key topics covered:

Setting the Stage for Innovation

Diving into DALI Specifications

Business Cases and Real-World Applications

The DALI Alliance Leadership Panel

Looking Ahead: A Bright Future for DALI

“The education opportunities have been extraordinary It was wonderful to network with other lighting industry professionals, and couldn’t recommend being here enough”

“A really beneficial and new experience – thanks DALI” - Luke Baar, Loytec Electronics

“Great training agenda, and brilliant conversations with other DALI members”

“DALI is really taking off in North America – we ’ re excited to be a part of it”

Our feedback - Coleen Harper, CEO and Executive Director of the IES - Bill Brosius, Tridonic - Scott Resienbosch, Xyston Technology

Find out more about DALI:

VOLUME 2 ISSUE 2 2024

Editor: Ray Molony

Editor: Ray Molony

Publisher: Randy Reid

Associate Publisher, Advertising: Cliff Smith

Director of Audience Development: Angie Hullfish

Staff Writers: Parker Allen

Published by EdisonReport

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designing lighting global is focused on the Business of Lighting Design™ and provides business information to the lighting design community across the world. In addition to the website, designing lighting publishes bi-monthly online magazines featuring original content, interviews within the community and highlights successful and awardwinning lighting designs.

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THE HIDDEN PITFALLS OF PHOTOMETRIC DATA

BIGGER, STRONGER DESIGN PRACTICES CAN ONLY BENEFIT CLIENTS

In this issue, we dedicate a significant number of pages to a crucial issue in lighting design: the accuracy of photometric data.

Unfortunately, our findings suggest that many lighting designers unwittingly accept flawed photometric data as gospel simply because it successfully imports into these programs.

The lighting design profession has come a long way, philosophically speaking, in recent years. First it came to an accommodation of sorts with those practices who create lighting designs and also supply the equipment. This manifested itself in the change of membership rules for the International Association of Lighting Designers to allow socalled design-and-supply members. Personally, I’ve always thought that their exclusion was a harsh rule, a purist view that doesn’t take into account the real world, especially in those territories which don’t have a culture of paying design fees. Additionally, there are some design-and-supply outfits which do superb lighting schemes. In my view, there’s good lighting and there’s bad lighting. It’s not about who’s supplying it.

It’s crucial to acknowledge that while tools like Relux and Dialux allow for sophisticated lighting calculations, the integrity of these calculations is entirely dependent on the quality of the input data.

One glaring issue is the presence of uplight in fixtures designed for downlighting. Despite advancements in goniophotometry that strive to eliminate stray light, we continue to encounter data that inaccurately represents a luminaire’s performance—resulting in overstated lumen outputs and flawed glare calculations. The implications extend beyond mere aesthetics; erroneous data can misguide compliance with building codes that hinge on accurate efficacy metrics.

Another IALD rule change that has just been the written into the code of ethics is that members should give sufficient weight to sustainability in their designs. This should be less controversial than the previous rule change. While it is an aspiration, it’s a laudable one and it does give designers some ammunition to protect their designs in the face of pressure to compromise.

Moreover, the lack of standardised dimensions in photometric files can wreak havoc on design layouts. Missing or incorrect physical dimensions can render plans ineffective, jeopardising not only aesthetics but also compliance with safety regulations. The same holds true for the glaring inaccuracies in symmetry. A lighting design file should reflect an average luminaire’s performance, yet we often see asymmetrical data that obscures the true nature of the product.

Further in these pages I talk to the IALD’s CEO Christopher Knowlton about how lighting design practices can grow. Knowlton is no slouch at lighting design and has a roster of great projects to prove it. But he also has an MBA and is business minded, and he’s given a lot of thought to this topic. His diagnosis of the problem and his proposed remedies make interesting reading.

Lastly, we cannot ignore the logistical nightmares posed by poorly labeled files. The disconnect between file names and catalogue numbers complicates the designer’s job, making it cumbersome to locate the correct data.

The lighting design profession has never lacked for creativity, or indeed the tools to create stunning projects. Rather, its weakness has traditionally been on the business side. For, as Knowlton points out, it is well financed and managed practices which can invest in its staff, its knowledge and its resources. And that can only be good for our clients.

In our fast-paced industry, accuracy is paramount. Manufacturers and laboratories must prioritise the quality and clarity of photometric data to empower designers. After all, effective lighting design is more than just numbers; it’s about illuminating spaces with precision and intention. Let’s aim for better data, and better designs.

Ray Molony EDITOR

INTEGRATION SENSATION

The integration of flexible LED luminaires with high metrics was key to creating the stunning interior of the latest Sexy Fish restaurant

Neon 23 3D, which employs advanced dual-bending optic technology to provide uniform lighting across its curves.

Complemented by the vibrant task lighting of Ultimo Neon 16 High CRI, the bar accentuates the rich colours of the cusine, ensuring every dish is a visual delight.

Intimate private dining booths are thoughtfully illuminated with the soft, discreet lighting of Nano Flex, seamlessly integrated into double-layered coves. Its ultra-slim 4mm PCB width maintains a sleek, unobtrusive aesthetic. The lighting designers also extended their expertise to the sushi counter, where the high-CRI Lumen Line with an impressive R9 rating of 99+ enhances the cove lighting, making the freshest ingredients pop with vibrant hues.

In the kitchen, high-quality task lighting helps ensure precision for the culinary team.

Even the bathrooms reflect this luxurious approach, as the mermaid mural is illuminated by ultra-slim Nano Flex lining the mirrors, adding an artistic touch to the space.

Throughout the day and night, the advanced DMX and Dali technology allows for precise control over the lighting, maintaining the perfect ambiance for every occasion.

At the heart of the dazzling new lighting scheme at Sexy Fish's Mayfair location and the brand-new Manchester restaurant is the creative vision of the lighting designers at 18Fifty.

Their understated integration has transformed the dining experience, seamlessly integrating cutting-edge linear lighting solutions that elevate both ambiance and aesthetics.

As guests approach, they are welcomed by the warm glow of LED Flex Ultimo Neon 10, which subtly lights up the exterior canopy.

Inside, the bar area becomes a mesmerising focal point, where ethereal fish sculptures are dramatically highlighted. This careful attention to detail showcases the intricate artistry of the sculptures, creating a captivating visual spectacle.

The bar itself is a statement of design, featuring Optico

With its lighting transformation and statement architectural elements, Sexy Fish stands as an example of the UK's vibrant hospitality scene. Building on this success, the brand is poised to expand internationally, with a new restaurant opening in Dubai later this year, ready to share the experience with a global audience. ■

PROJECT CREDITS

Project: Sexy Fish

Luminaire suppliers: LEDFlex

Lighting Designers: 18Fifty

Photographer: Johnny Stephens/Caprice Holdings

Products Specified: Ultimo Neon 10 SV, Ultimo Neon 16 SV, Ultimo Neon Maxi SV, Optico Neon 23 3D, Nano Flex 160, Lumen Line 160.

Control System: DMX and Dali

Inside, the bar area becomes a mesmerising focal point, where ethereal fish sculptures are dramatically highlighted.

Even the bathrooms reflect this luxurious approach, as the mermaid mural is illuminated by ultra-slim Nano Flex lining the mirrors, adding an artistic touch to the space.

International lighting design practice Nulty has produced a lighting scheme for Raaya by Atmosphere, a private-island retreat situated in The Maldives. Brought to life by Panchshil Realty and Pune-based design practice Dar & Wagh, the 5-star resort was shaped by its paradise location. Clean architectural lines and wide-open spaces ensure that the views out across the island take precedence, and an earthy material palette blurs the boundaries between the interiors and the landscape.

Raaya NULTY

LITHUANIAN STATE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA HALL

MAMA

The Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra Hall in Vilnius stuns with dramatic criss-crossing lines of LED light. It’s the work of Mama architects. Principals Marius Mateika and Indrė Ankudavičienė say their focus is on the listener. They say that their objective was to achieve an entirely new acoustic standard, tailored specifically for symphony orchestra performances of the highest calibre. They also meticulously devised the standard elements such as rhombuses, triangles, and both smooth and ribbed planes and assembled the interior using these components.

ZOOM/TPU

The Doruk Nilüfer Hospital in Bursa, Turkey, has just been shortlisted in 2024 Inside World Festival of Interiors. And no wonder, the fluid volume and integrated lighting set it apart in the healthcare sector. It’s the creation of İstanbulbased architectural and interior design firm ZOOM/TPU, which was founded by Atilla Kuzu and Levent Çırpıcı in 1994 and has made a name for itself with futuristic interiors. The name ZOOM/TPU offers an insight into the company’s design process: ‘zooming in’ on details of their work ranging from construction plans to custom-designed furniture.

Doruk Nilüfer Hospital

Thakkar used recessed LED spotlights precisely aimed to give a balance between light and dark, a deliberately non-uniform treatment of the curvaceous interiors.

SCULPTING

WITH LIGHT

Lighting designer Ashish Thakkar used subtle and precise illumination to complement the stunning and sculptural Aatma Manthan Museum in Rajasthan

The Aatma Manthan Museum in Nathdwara, India, is a challenge for a lighting designer.

Designed by Sanjay Puri Architects, ranked in Archello’s list of Top 100 architects worldwide, it’s entered through a large foyer, purposely designed as a fluid volume. The walls, ceiling, structural columns, reception desk, and seating benches are homogeneously finished with a thin layer of foam concrete that fluidly encapsulates all of these elements, while simultaneously absorbing sound.

This sculptural volume, enveloped in a concrete grey, calms visitors, transporting them to a tranquil state prior to entering the 18 sequential zones that have been created.

Within the base of the 270-foot high statue of belief, the museum has been designed to evoke self analysis, bringing together a holistic combination of the soul (aatma), mind (mana), and body (tann), all in an 18,000 square foot space.

In keeping with the concept of the museum in terms of what needs to be portrayed, the overall space is divided into a series of rooms, each of which offers a different experience through the depiction of natural elements in immersive experiences.

Visitors are led from this cavernous entrance to a narrow undulating corridor with images portraying the making of the museum. Next, each room is entered one by one, with different themes conveyed through audio visuals and immersive experiences.

The design of this museum overcomes the challenge of working with a floor plan that is irregular in shape, with multiple structural elements, creating a sequential flow of volumes and experiences with a neutral palette throughout to enhance the audio visual and immersive experiences within.

The museum is a unique cultural institution dedicated to exploring the depths of human consciousness, spirituality, and philosophy. Established as a space for introspection and enlightenment, the museum aims to bridge the gap between ancient wisdom and contemporary understanding.

The museum's name, Aatma Manthan, can also translate to the ‘churning of the soul’, reflecting its core mission to encourage visitors to reflect on their inner selves and the broader existential questions of life. This vision is rooted in the belief that understanding oneself is fundamental to navigating the complexities of modern existence.

The Aatma Manthan Museum features a diverse array of exhibits that encompass various themes related to spirituality, philosophy, and psychology. Visitors can explore sections dedicated to ancient texts, such as the Vedas, Upanishads, and various philosophical treatises from around the world. These exhibits often include interactive displays that allow for a more immersive experience, encouraging visitors to engage with the material on a deeper level.

One of the standout features of the museum is its collection of art inspired by spiritual themes. Sculptures, paintings, and multimedia installations showcase the creative interpretations of artists who have delved into the realms of consciousness and self-exploration. This artistic representation not only

enhances the aesthetic appeal of the museum but also stimulates intellectual discourse among visitors.

The museum actively engages the community through workshops, seminars, and talks led by spiritual leaders, psychologists, and philosophers. These events encourage participants to explore various techniques for selfdiscovery, including meditation, mindfulness practices, and philosophical discussions.

The museum often collaborates with local and international organisations to host special events that delve into contemporary issues like mental health, societal pressures, and the quest for meaning in an increasingly fast-paced world. Such initiatives create a vibrant atmosphere where individuals can share their experiences and learn from one another, fostering a sense of community.

The architecture of the Aatma Manthan Museum itself is designed to inspire reflection and tranquility. The building incorporates natural elements such as gardens, water features, and open spaces, creating a serene environment conducive to contemplation.

Upon entering the museum, visitors are greeted with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The staff is trained to assist in guiding individuals through the exhibits, offering insights

The project’s success is its marriage of deft lighting craft and stunning interiors.

and facilitating discussions. The layout is designed to allow for personal reflection, with quiet areas for meditation and contemplation scattered throughout the space.

The Aatma Manthan Museum is particularly popular among students, scholars, and individuals seeking personal growth. Many visitors leave with a renewed sense of purpose and a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them.

The Aatma Manthan Museum stands as a beacon of hope and knowledge, inviting individuals from all walks of life to embark on a journey of self-discovery and spiritual awakening. By merging art, philosophy, and community engagement, it cultivates an environment where meaningful conversations can flourish, helping people to navigate the intricacies of life with greater insight and understanding.

The lighting design has been crafted to complement and amplify the building’s purpose and values. Thakkar used recessed LED spotlights precisely aimed to give a balance between light and dark, a deliberately nonuniform treatment of the curvaceous interiors.

This gentle illumination is strategically placed to highlight key exhibits without overwhelming the senses. Warm-toned lights create an inviting atmosphere, fostering a feeling of comfort and safety as visitors navigate through various sections.

Specific artworks and displays are enhanced with spotlighting and accent lighting. This technique draws attention to important pieces, allowing visitors to appreciate the details and craftsmanship. By focusing light on sculptures and installations, the museum encourages a closer examination, inviting contemplation on the deeper meanings behind the works.

Colour was used judiciously as a deliberate yet restrained complement to the white spaces. The lighting is balanced against the use of digital projectors used in the space.

In the display areas, the lighting is minimised and the emphasis is on the exhibits themselves. The project’s success is clearly a marriage of deft lighting craft and stunning interiors. ■

PROJECT CREDITS

Project: Aatma Manthan Museum

Location: Nathdwara, India

Architects: Sanjay Puri Architects

Client: Tatpadam Upvan

Area: 18,000 square feet

Design Team: Madhavi Belsare, Payal Raut, Subodh Amin

MEP consultants: Resonance Mep consultants

Lighting consultant: Ashish Thakkar

Luminaires: Plus Light Tech

AV consultant: Mr. Avijit Samajdar, Axis Three Dee Studios Pvt.

Acoustic consultant: Sonosphere Acoustic design consulting.

Photo credits: Vinay Panjwani

Specific artworks and displays are enhanced with spotlighting and accent lighting.

The Hamburg state opera house has a lineage tracing back to the original opera house at Gänsemarkt, established in 1678.

Due to Atrium's efficient lens optics, the 18W LED module variant surpasses the required room illuminance of 200lx.

The team selected Erco Atrium LED double-focus downlights, which have narrow-beam lens optics, perfect for tall spaces like auditoriums.

The citizens of Hamburg take great pride in their state opera house, a cultural institution with a lineage tracing back to the original opera house at Gänsemarkt, established in 1678. In 1827, it found its new home on Dammtorstrasse.

Today, under the leadership of General Music Director Kent Nagano, the State Opera stands as one of Europe's premier opera houses. The existing structure, designed by architect Gerhard Weber, was inaugurated in 1955. Recognised as a protected monument, it features a spacious glass façade and an elegant auditorium that accommodates 1,690 spectators.

The recent modernisation efforts encompassed upgrading

NIGHT AT THE OPERA

the lighting in the auditorium, previously equipped with high-voltage halogen lamps.

The switch to LED technology was clearly identified as a means to significantly decrease energy consumption. The team selected Erco Atrium LED double-focus downlights, which have narrow-beam lens optics, perfect for tall spaces like auditoriums.

In buildings like the State Opera, hall lighting is technically linked to stage lighting, allowing seamless integration into the performance's dramaturgy. The demand for smooth and consistent dimming performance is substantial, with the turning on and off of lights needing to be virtually unnoticeable. Erco crafted a tailor-made solution for

Hamburg, modifying around 150 doublefocus downlights with DMX drivers that facilitate dimming from 0.1 per cent to 100 per cent and allowing for the programming of custom dimming curves. These adjustments also meet the flickerfree standard, which is crucial for clear, distortion-free digital photography and videography.

The Atrium double-focus downlights demonstrated exceptional quality in various aspects during the sampling process in the auditorium. In compliance with the preservation requirements, their warm white LED colour temperature of 2700K matches that of the previously used halogen lamps.

The downlights blend seamlessly with the light from the auditorium's restored historical wall fixtures and, thanks to their colour rendering, enhance the deep red velvet of the seating with an intense glow.

Due to Atrium's efficient lens optics, the 18W LED module variant surpasses the required room illuminance of 200lx.

Since the luminaires were scheduled for installation in the auditorium's lighting ceiling during the opera's six-week seasonal hiatus, the planners required a reliable delivery schedule. The individual DMX addresses were pre-programmed into the drivers at the factory, adhering to the opera technicians' specifications, which expedited the on-site installation process.

In use, the lighting meets the expectations. Energy consumption has dropped by over 80 per cent due to the reduced power per lighting point. The decrease also results in a lower heat output, creating a more comfortable work environment in the lighting ceiling.

And of course, the once frequent need for lamp replacements is now obsolete.■

PROJECT CREDITS

Project: Hamburg State

Lighting designer: ITGT Ingenieurteam

Elektrotechnik GmbH & Co. KG, Kiel Interior

Luminaires: Erco Atrium double-focus

Photography: Frieder Blickle/Erco

Energy consumption has dropped by over 80 per cent due to the reduced power per lighting point.

In buildings like the State Opera, hall lighting is technically linked to stage lighting, allowing seamless integration into the performance's dramaturgy.

In compliance with the preservation requirements, the downlights have a warm white LED colour temperature of 2700K which matches that of the previously used halogen lamps.

The double-focus downlights have DMX drivers which facilitate dimming from 0.1 per cent to 100 per cent and allowing for the programming of custom dimming curves.

The for

housedesigned light

A house built sensitively over a Roman quarry in Croatia has been given a sensitive lighting scheme by its designer Dean Skira.

A stunning family home in Croatia, designed by Dean Skira, merges modern architecture with ancient heritage, creating a living tribute to both past and present.

The ancient stonework beneath forms the heart of the site, shaping both the design and atmosphere of the residence.

In Skira’s hands, architecture became a holistic art form, as he designed every element of the home, from the structure to the interiors and, most importantly, the lighting.

The design respects the archaeological site, with the house elevated four metres above the quarry to preserve and showcase its beauty.

But it is the lighting that transforms this home into a truly poetic space, blending light and shadow to create an immersive visual experience.

The lighting design goes far beyond mere illumination—it is an essential part of how the house communicates with its surroundings.

Skira, known for his expertise in lighting, designed the system to be more than functional; it’s an art in itself.

The lighting scheme is subtle, mostly hidden, with fixtures carefully integrated into ceiling openings and walls to let the light itself define the space.

His philosophy is that light fittings are secondary to the effects they create on the surfaces they illuminate.

Inside the home, the lighting interacts with the architecture, creating dramatic yet

The outdoor lighting mirrors the care given to the interior—uplights and downlights with various colour temperatures are meticulously positioned to highlight the natural colours of the stone in the ancient quarry below.

The design respects the archaeological site, with the house elevated four metres above the quarry to preserve and showcase its beauty.

serene atmospheres throughout. Every detail of the interior—sculptures, paintings, and even the plants—was chosen with lighting in mind.

Custom planters within the home allow wiring for uplights to be hidden, while plant shadows are cast upon the ceiling, turning the living room into a dynamic canvas of light and shadow.

A simple press of the ‘cool’ button dims the rest of the lighting, leaving only the subtle ‘landscape lighting’ within the house for a theatrical, immersive effect.

The exterior lighting is seamlessly integrated with the interior through expansive 35m-long, 3m-high glass windows, ensuring that the landscaped surroundings and the house itself become one continuous visual experience. The outdoor lighting mirrors the care given to the interior— uplights and downlights with various colour temperatures are meticulously positioned to highlight the natural colours of the stone in the ancient quarry below.

The lighting system, controlled by Lutron HQ, adapts to the time of day and the presence of people, making it both intuitive and unobtrusive. It dims automatically after 22pm, providing just enough light.■

The exterior dining table is illuminated by tightly-controlled recessed LED spotlights.

PROJECT CREDITS

Designer: Dean Skira

Landscape designer: Dionaea Zagreb.

Architect in charge: Leonid Zuban

Structural engineer: Franko Grubisic

Lighting suppliers: iGuzzini, Delta Light, Flos, Arcos, Artemide and Catalani & Smith

Lighting control: Lutron

Pictures: Damir Fabijanić and Luca Cioci

The use of iGuzzini Trick luminaires brings drama into the corridors.

RIBBONS OF LIGHT

Susan Lake Lighting Design has created a stylish people-centric office in the Walkie Talkie building in the City of London. Ray Molony reports.

Lighting designer Susan Lake was challenged to create a stylish people-centric space for underwriting firm the Lancashire Group at its offices in the City of London.

The company is located on Levels 28 and 29 of 20 Fenchurch Street, the co-called ‘Walkie Talkie’ building designed by Uruguayan architect Rafael Viñoly.

Working with interior designers MCM, she has created a bold and fun scheme for the space, which is punctuated by a sculptural staircase connecting the two levels.

An integrated handrail light that creates warm, evenly-lit stair treads, emphasises the ribbon-like form of the staircase twisting through the space.

An integrated handrail light that creates warm, evenly-lit stair treads, emphasises the ribbon-like form of the staircase twisting through the space.

Overall, the aim of the lighting plan was to complement the design concept of providing engaging, adaptable spaces.

Complementing the ribbon staircase, the main light feature is designed to give the appearance of handwritten drawing that wraps around the perimeter of the space without obstructing the view of the City below.

Wrapping the light around the perimeter, together with the central, suspended halo above the reception desk, creates not only a focal point within the space, but also, when viewed from outside the building, an eye-catching feature that avoids external light spill.

Overall, the aim of the lighting plan was to complement the design concept of providing engaging, adaptable spaces.

A rhythm of light along the circulation spaces leads to the informal booth meeting spaces, where a welcoming, focused light is achieved by adding a low-level glow in the booth seating, and washing the wall behind with indirect lighting to bring light levels down to a human scale.

Multi-functional track downlighting in the main social reception space allows for flexible lighting configurations

that enable the client to utilise the space for different purposes.

While Lake’s aim was to create a bold, dynamic, and fun environment, it was also to minimise the lighting’s carbon footprint by ensuring lighting levels are no greater than necessary to balance with the natural daylight within the spaces, the control system adjusting the lighting to compensate for the amount of ambient light available.

And rather than lighting all areas uniformly, the lighting scheme focuses light only into areas that require it, while the perimeter is devoid of lights other than the feature lighting, not only to give the feature prominence, but also to reduce light spill outside the building. As a result, the average lighting power consumption is 8W per square metre.

In addition to making prudent use of lighting within the scheme itself, Lake adopted a circular economy approach in the specification, selecting products designed to be repaired, refurbished, reused, and disassembled.■

The main light feature is designed to give the appearance of handwritten drawing that wraps around the perimeter of the space without obstructing the view of the City below.

The ribbon light themes continues to spectacular effect in the boardroom.

WHERE BAT PROTECTION’S a red line

A popular walking and cycling path, the Comber Greenway is a seven-mile-long traffic free route between Belfast and Comber in Northern Ireland which has been enjoying increased footfall over the last few years.

The route is used by pedestrians and cyclists for both commuting and leisure purposes. However, during the winter months and on dark evenings, the number of people using it was seen to decline.

Following research by the Department for Infrastructure and consultation with local residents and users, there is now a LED lighting scheme under trial on the urban section of this traffic free route.

This has improved visibility and the perception of safety for users after dark while minimising disruption to local wildlife and in particular the sensitive bat population.

The lit-up pathway now is truly the vital community asset it was meant to

be in East Belfast and can be enjoyed by residents who live along it and commuters who use it for walking and cycling right throughout the year.

The Comber Greenway is one of the most used urban greenways in Northern Ireland, and meanders seven miles out into the countryside along mostly flat terrain – making it popular amongst people of all abilities.

The purpose of the project was to illuminate the walkway to allow

The spectral power is between 590nm and 790nm, giving the light source a red appearance with a correlated colour temperature (CCT) of 1000K.

Lighting with a special light recipe is limiting the night time disturbance of bats and other wildlife on a walking and cycling path in Northern Ireland.

pedestrians and cyclists to use it during the evening hours, especially in the winter months. The project now provides a safer space for those who wish to walk, wheel, or cycle all year round.

What makes the project unique is the challenge it came with –obtaining lighting that would serve the public safely and protect the environment, as the area is known as a bat feeding corridor.

The Department for Infrastructure, working with Signify, decided to install luminaires that have a special light recipe limiting the night time disturbance of bats whilst providing a light source with a colour rendering index (Ra) > 60 to promote safety and security for users.

The design uses a special light recipe which has a high colour

rendering, providing a safer feeling space for those who wish to walk, wheel or cycle all year round. The scheme has been designed with the local environment in mind. The design uses a light recipe which filters out the blue peak making the light source red in appearance.

This spectrum has been proven to minimise the night time disturbance to bat colonies, while internal back louvres on the luminaires and lower mounting heights will minimise light spill into the hedgerows to shield wildlife and diminish light pollution into adjoining properties.

The Department for Infrastructure working with Signify, who supplied LED lighting via their contractor M&P Bradley and promoted their Clearfield light recipe – this special light recipe has been proven to limit the night time disturbance of bats as the light source has no UV content and has removed most of the blue part of the spectrum. The spectral power is between 590nm and 790nm, giving the light source a red appearance with a correlated colour temperature (CCT) of 1000K.

The project uses 233 Philips Digistreet Micro luminaires connected with Interact Cellular Node, which allows for remote monitoring and control of the lighting system that brings lighting together with data and the IoT so you can create spaces that adapt to your needs, making them more efficient, connected, and sustainable.

The project will also see the installation of multi sensor radar detection. Multisensor is a ZhagaD4i certified sensor connected to the luminaire via the Zhaga Book 18 socket and is considered the best choice for light on demand applications especially for cycling paths, as it has the capability to control a group of luminaires when motion is detected.

This allows the best use of light on demand by setting a low background level of illumination that can be increased when the

radar is triggered by motion, providing a base level of illumination for the majority of the night to limit environmental impacts, whilst increasing the illumination level when required, providing a safer space for those who wish to walk, wheel or cycle all year round.

The project was designed with the local environment in mind, using a special light recipe of the Philips ClearField technology which filters out the blue peak making the light source red in appearance, to limit the night time disturbance of bats, while internal back louvres on the luminaires and lower mounting heights minimised light spill into the hedgerows to shield wildlife and diminish light pollution into adjoining properties.

Research undertaken shows some species of bat are light adverse and the introduction of lighting can have a negative effect on their commuting and foraging behaviours.

Following consultation and engagement with residents, the new lights on the urban section of the greenway between Beersbridge Road and Billy Neill Halt have been programmed to operate during hours of darkness from dusk to 10.30pm and from 6.00am to dawn.

The introduction of a new red spectrum lighting scheme, the first of its kind on the British Isles, is showing to make travel throughout the whole year more feasible while also minimising light pollution and protecting the local environment and bat population along this corridor.

The pilot will be reviewed by the Department after two years and will help form a decision on whether the scheme should be further extended along the rural section between Billy Neill Halt and Comber. But there is no doubt that the project is already proving to be a win-win for citizens and the nocturnal animals in the corridor. ■

The lighting design uses a special light recipe which has a high colour rendering, providing a safer feeling space for those who wish to walk, wheel or cycle all year round.

SMART SOLUTIONS SHINE

At Saint Thomas’s Hospital in London, a lighting upgrade has included the reuse of existing luminaires and the addition of intelligence in the form of wireless nodes. Ray Molony reports.

‘It’s very flexible so we can programme a luminaire to either dim or switch off, depending on where it is in the hospital’.

The NHS Trust responsible for Saint Thomas’s Hospital has now started the long journey of refurbishing its lighting and making it the backbone of a smart control system that has functionality beyond lighting. (Pic: Ray Molony)

With a £1.7 billion turnover, 18,000 staff, 2.6 million patients, and 6,500 babies born every year, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust (GStT) in London is one of the biggest NHS hospital trusts in the United Kingdom. It has multiple sites and many buildings, and an estimated 65,000 luminaires.

The NHS Trust has now started the long journey of refurbishing its lighting and making it the backbone of a smart control system that has functionality beyond lighting.

The first phase began recently when UK firm Trojan Lighting reconditioned a number of ageing fluorescent lights in situ, installing an LED gear tray with a MyMesh intelligent node.

The engineer responsible for the project, engineering site lead David Crane, says the initial reason for keeping the lights in place was because disturbing the metalintegrated ceiling in the hospital’s wards would have been disruptive to patients. ‘We didn’t start out to do a ‘sustainable’ project,’ he told Designing Lighting Global magazine, ‘so the sustainability is really a side benefit.’

Additionally, the Trust’s interest in the wireless MyMesh system came from Crane’s initial plan to automate the emergency lighting testing and reporting, which was occupying the time of two full-time members of the facilities team.

‘I didn’t want to go a [proprietary] system from a manufacturer because in the public sector we need to have value for money,’ says Crane. ‘What’s good about MyMesh is that we can use it with a luminaire from any manufacturer.’

The medical physics team at St Thomas were initially concerned about radio-frequency interference with clinical equipment but after extensive trials, the technology was approved for use in the hospital.

The upgrade of the outdated luminaires in the wards allowed the engineering team to add intelligence to the gear tray during the work. This gave the NHS Trust additional control, which connected the MyMesh nodes in the lights to occupancy sensors.

‘It’s very flexible so we can programme a luminaire to either dim or switch off, depending on where it is in the hospital’.

Crucially, the wireless network also has the power to deliver other services such as asset tracking. Keeping tabs on wheelchairs, incubators and beds is a major headache for the Trust so it is exploring connecting these to the network.

The NHS also plans to roll out the technology across the extensive St Thomas’s site with plans to extend it to sister facility Guy’s Hospital.

It is beginning to be used at Lewisham Hospital, where Crane reports that energy savings of 66 per cent have been realised by a combination of LEDs and 1,000 new occupancy sensors.

‘The savings were incredible’ says Crane, who installed energy meters on dedicated lighting power distribution boards three months before the project and monitored it for six months after the project. ■

The NHS Trust at Saint Thomas’s Hospital is exploring tracking its wheelchairs and other assets using the wireless network system that is currently in the light fittings. (Pic: Alamy)

M ST

PHOTOMETRIC DATA IS ‘PROBLEMATIC’

A photometric data file for use in lighting design is supposed to represent the average performance of an average luminaire of that type.

A lot of photometric data in the form of LDT and IES files pass across our desks, and the majority of them are problematic.

Lighting designers use advanced tools like Relux and Dialux to produce incredibly detailed lighting designs with near photorealistic renderings of the lighting effects. They use the glare tables and glare calculations in the programs and yet they base them on bad input data.

One part of the problem – and we don’t attach any blame for this – is that while the lighting design programs have made it possible to import and use any valid data file, they are quite specific in saying that they accept no responsibility for the quality and accuracy of the data used in their calculations.

They must have got so fed up with poorly formatted files being rejected by their wonderful programs that over the years they have made it possible to import virtually anything.

We can only conclude that most lighting designers believe that if it imports into Relux and Dialux it must be right. However, nothing could be further from the truth.

Let’s list some of the common things we see in photometric data files used for lighting design.

Uplight that should not be there.

These days most goniophotometers collect data in absolute calibrated intensities, with the lumen output calculated by summing the intensities over the spherical data collection field.

Any goniophotometer will measure some stray light during the test as it is impossible to make the surfaces of the test area and the gonio itself completely non reflective, a good well-run laboratory will minimise this

Any goniophotometer will measure some stray light during the test as it is impossible to make the surfaces of the test area and the gonio itself completely non reflective.

stray light. But there will always be some.

Photometric tests should be performed using data steps small enough to record the full details of the luminaire distribution including any unexpected anomalies.

dimensions give the physical size of the luminaire. Does it matter if these dimensions are wrong?

A properly run lab will carry out a few extra readings to establish the extent of this stray light. With these extra readings it is possible to process the raw gonio data to remove the stray light.

We have seen uncorrected photometric data for sealed back downlight-only high bay and low bay luminaires with 4 to 6 per cent uplight i.e. at least 4-6 per cent over declaration of lumen output.

It is actually worse than this as there will also be stray light in the downward intensities so the ultimate lumen output error will be higher than the non-existent uplight percentage.

Does it matter if there are a few percent of uplight or stray light that should not be there?

Well yes it does; Stray light incorrectly increases lumen output so all luminaire efficacy calculations (lumens per Watt) required by building regulations and codes will produce values that are too high.

Including non-existent uplight in glare calculations when calculating the RUG (UGR) table will produce values in the standard Glare table that are too low.

Incorrect or missing dimensions.

We see a lot of photometric data files with missing or incorrect dimensions. LDT files describe two sets of dimensions: physical and luminous. The first set of

Well yes it does; If the physical dimensions are wrong, then your luminaire layout plan is worthless.

We are placing luminaires in close relations to other services such as sprinklers, AC ducting and vents, signage etcetera. If the luminaire size is wrong then you can’t tell if your layout will work.

The second set of dimensions give the size of the luminous portion of the luminaire. Does it matter if these dimensions are wrong? Again, yes it does; The main value dependent on these dimensions being correct is the RUG (UGR) table. If the luminous size is wrong the values in the standard glare table are incorrect.

We see a lot of data for luminaires with some light emitted horizontally and upwards where the luminous height in the file is zero in all four planes. This is physically impossible and should yield a false glare table. However lighting design programs do not sense check your data; they perform the calculations and produce values in the standard glare table that are incorrect.

Glare is a hot – and much misunderstood – topic present on nearly all specifications. Getting the glare table calculated correctly is very important.

There is another wrinkle here: IES files only describe the luminous dimensions. There is no way for an IES file to provide physical dimensions. There are several

problems with this. If the file is correct, the dimensions in the IES file are the luminous dimensions. The physical size of the luminaire is usually larger than the luminous size, so your layout will not tell you if your luminaire bangs into the AC ducts.

An IES file for a luminaire with no luminous height will have a height of zero so will not be visible in your layout from certain points of view. This could be a bit of a problem for suspended or surface downlights.

If the file is wrong and the dimensions are the physical size, the luminous size of the luminaire is usually smaller than the physical size, so the values in the standard glare table will be incorrect. Increasing the luminous area gives lower values in the glare table, so surely no unscrupulous manufacturer would ever do this to intentionally get a better UGR table? (!)

Lighting design programs offer a workaround for this problem by providing a facility to edit the dimensions of luminaires, but this is an extra step for the designer which can be avoided by using correctly formatted LDT files instead of IES files. There is quite simply less work required to do the job properly.

No symmetry or incorrect symmetry.

A photometric data file for use in lighting design is supposed to represent the average performance of an average luminaire of that type (except for emergency lighting

products where there are legal constraints).

Most photometric data files we see have no symmetry applied to them. If a manufacturer is developing a luminaire, they would want the test data from the prototypes to be ‘warts and all’ so they could see if it has been manufactured correctly.

If the luminaire is meant to have some symmetry and the test data does not, either the test set up was incorrectly or the test sample was wrong. Either way, as a developer, they would want to know.

Photometric data released to clients should be the average data of the production run of that luminaire which requires a symmetry to be applied. Not only does this give the necessary average performance, it will show the product in the best possible light (no pun intended) as the design will show the expected symmetry.

It seems this distinction between development data and product data has been lost and most labs are only issuing non-symmetric files and leaving the manufacturer to apply any symmetry.

Too much / not enough detail.

Photometric tests should be performed using data steps small enough to record the full details of the luminaire distribution including any unexpected anomalies. Routine tests would be

Photometric tests should be performed using data steps small enough to record the full details of the luminaire distribution including any unexpected anomalies.

in 1-degree steps in elevation and 5-degree steps in azimuth with the ability to reduce this step size when required. This is test data, it is not suitable for release for use with lighting design software.

Lighting design programs calculate the average effect of a luminaire over a small area, then repeat the calculation for the next small area.

The size of the area is determined by many parameters but is typically in the range of 0.2 to 10 square metres.

Visual representations and maximum and minimum values are obtained by using the results from each of these areas, while the main calculations are based on the combined effect of all these small areas in the lighting scheme. Each area requires the calculation of an average intensity from the luminaire at various angles, the more detailed the file the longer it takes to calculate the average.

The released data for lighting design purposes should have the correct data steps appropriate to the distribution.

For instance, a dense opal downlight luminaire that has an almost perfectly lambertian distribution (output is proportional to the cosine of the angle) can be described with 19 data steps (0 to 90 degrees in 5-degree steps, each elevation angle is relevant to all azimuth angles, this is a small calculation load for the program. If a test data file is provided with say 0 to 180 degrees in 1-degree steps in elevation and 5-steps steps in azimuth, the program must calculate not from 19 data steps but from 13,032 data steps which increases the calculation load on the program and so slows scheme calculation down without having any effect on the accuracy of the calculation. Providing extra detail is not harmful but it is wasteful and unnecessary and will slow the lighting designer down.

Trying to design with a symmetric 10-degree FWHM (Full Width Half Maximum) spotlight with 5-degree elevation data steps is wrong, misleading and potentially very inaccurate.

There would only be three data points that are significant, 0 degrees, 5 degrees and 10 degrees with no detail about what happens between each point. This luminaire would require data in 0.5-degree or possibly 0.1-degree elevation steps to describe the beam shape correctly.

A lot of LED streetlights have very sharply delineated peak intensities in elevation over a relatively small azimuth spread. The old CIE Streetlight data format expected variable intensity steps in both azimuth and elevation with maximum detail being 2.5-degree in elevation and 5-degree in azimuth over the peak with, relaxing to 15-degree in both directions well away from the peak.

We have seen LED streetlights that require even smaller steps in both planes. Missing the peak intensity due to wide data steps in street lighting is very poor practice as it results in incorrect values for Threshold Increment (TI) and both longitudinal and overall uniformity.

The same requirements for detail apply to narrow beam flood lights and some extreme emergency luminaires that have a very narrow peak and a sharp run back above and below the peak.

Don’t forget designers have statutory responsibilities under safety legislation when designing emergency lighting installations and can be held criminally responsible for their designs.

Missing peaks and troughs in the data will also result in lumen output errors and therefore incorrect results for luminaire efficacy calculations (lumens per Watt) required by the building regulations and codes.

A polar curve showing straight lines is a pretty good indication that the data steps are too wide to correctly describe the luminaire. If a detailed file shows a very jagged polar curve, the lighting designer may decide not to use that luminaire in a scheme as the visual effect when installed may result in stripes on the floor that are not shown in the average calculations of the lighting design program but result in end user complaints of stripes on the floor.

File name and catalogue number.

We believe it is a relatively simple matter to make the file name and catalogue number match in some way. This makes it easy for designers to find a particular product data file from a list. We see a surprising number of files where the file name has no relationship to the catalogue number and in some cases catalogue number and file name that are supposed to match are different, so the lighting planner cannot be sure which data to use. Manufacturers and laboratories should make it easy for designers to find and verify your data and be sure which product it refers to.

Whilst we are on the subject another peeve is ridiculously long file names/catalogue numbers, exporting LDT files from a particular website produces catalogue numbers of 300 characters and more.

The LDT file format specifies a maximum of 78 characters for luminaire name and luminaire number, the subsequent ELX format specifies a maximum of 24 characters. The default maximum expected length for lighting design programs is now 40 characters. While lighting design programs may tolerate more characters, they often do not have enough room on the screen to display everything.

The LDT file format specifies a maximum of 8 characters for the file name, the subsequent ELX format specifies a maximum of 12 characters, while both limits are currently ignored by lighting design programs, there are still several applications that stick to the Windows path length and line length limit of 256 characters. It’s annoying to have to edit the file name / catalogue number just to read the file and means lighting designers are required to do more work to use a particular product.

Perhaps this is us being ‘old school’ as we were brought up on 8.3 format for file names, but if you need more than 20 characters for a file name or catalogue number then perhaps you are not really in control.

You might think none of this really matters, the files downloaded go into Relux and Dialux and produce answers – so what. As a supplier to designers and users, shouldn’t manufacturers and test laboratories ensure that the data presented is in the best possible format to help their clients make effective and efficient use of their products.■

BUILD BACK BETTER AWARDS 2024 LIGHTING CATEGORY WINNERS

No fewer than 14 entries took awards in the 2024 lighting category, including seven projects, six products and one industry initiatives. The judges awarded four Platinums, their ultimate accolade as well as eight Green awards to recognise investment in sustainability by the lighting industry in recent years.

PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES PRODUCTS

PLATINUM and GREEN

Saint Patricks’s Church, County Mayo, Ireland by Dark Source

Covent Garden Market, London by BDP

PLATINUM

by Arup

Bromley Old Town Hall by Nulty

City of London Supplementary Planning Document by Speirs Major

Thames City, London by Foundry

W Hotel, Edinburgh by LIGHT ALLIANCE

GREEN

Presteigne and Norton Dark Sky Community, Powys by Dark Source

PLATINUM and GREEN

Arden by Philip Payne GOLD

and GREEN

Lania by LumiAdd

Oculus Mini by Lucent Lighting

Resus by The Regen Initiative

Lifetime Indicator by Tridonic

by Sylvania Group

OptiClip TERRA

Silver Jubilee Bridge, Runcorn

ST PATRICK’S CHURCH

MAYO

Dark Source

The ‘Dark Sky’ approach to the illumination of Saint Patrick’s Church in County Mayo, Ireland, has won both a PLATINUM and GREEN award.

The project advocates visual and physical manifestation of environmental ethos through the considerate use of light on a publicly respected architecture as a communication platform.

It challenges the common doctrine that one must fully illuminate the architecture to communicate its purpose or value.

Instead, this lighting scheme by design practice Dark Source, inverts the relationship between light and dark by emphasising the carefully selected architectural features whilst retaining unilluminated surfaces in abundance, and informing a confident canvas superimposed on the night sky.

Uplighting is only used where the spill can be contained. Front façade windows’ backlighting is emphasised verticality along with the stained glasswork whilst all the other windows relied on passive illumination.

The warm-lit windows aim to evoke an inviting sense of domesticity. The old scheme only focused on emphasising

the verticality through excessive floodlighting whilst the new lighting restructured this hierarchy by balancing both vertical and horizontal experience.

The church grounds were treated as an extension of the façade illumination to encourage social activity after dark. This transformed the church’s night-time role from being an object of interest to a destination worth visiting both for the locals and visitors.

Community involvement has been a big part of design development with activities ranging from taking active part in the lighting tests to installing shields on site.

2200K was utilised across the board to minimise the environmental impact whilst providing a consistently warm and inviting feel for the built environment. The new LED lighting scheme (inclusive of the interior re-lamping) resulted with 2 tonnes of CO2e and 40 per cent light pollution reduction reiterates that a powerful night-time image can be created through judicious use of light even on a façade illumination project.

Important suppliers include Linea Light, Heper, Stoane Lighting, Harte, Rosco and Evica. Picture: Georgia MacMillan, Michael McLoughlin.

COVENT GARDEN MARKET

BDP

The relighting of London’s historic Covent Garden Market by BDP has won both a PLATINUM and GREEN.

Contemporary lighting techniques were key to reinventing the grade II* listed historic market hall. Lighting was rebalanced by increasing the number of lanterns and lowering the power consumption and source brightness of each fitting.

Modern optics with a warm colour temperature deliver a uniform palette of evenly distributed comfortable lighting, maintaining the character of a predominately gaslit conservation area whilst increasing security at night. Existing lamps on the Grade II* listed Market Hall emitted huge amounts of misdirected and high energy lighting and the building-mounted lanterns on all four sides of the building were no longer fit for purpose.

BDP contacted the UK-based manufacturer of the originals and had them refurbished, or produced replicas. The practice used historic photos and old drawings to piece together the original lantern design and locations dating from the time of construction to restore the original design.

There are now eight repurposed lanterns on each side of the building and 12 in the colonnades, set in a zig-zag formation.

Dimmable LED modules designed to replicate the special aesthetics of gas lighting engines replaced the outdated lamps.

The repurposing and restoration of the original hanging lanterns was welcomed by the client who was keen to reduce energy and minimise waste. The portico buildings have been illuminated and the bottleneck balustrade that wraps around the building mezzanine uplit to reveal the warmth of the stone, and the London brick chimneys highlighted to provide texture, height and depth.

Building columns are accented with vertical brightness and contrast at low level. The re-lit piazzas now direct arrivals from the underground station and create a sense of balance, harmony and welcome.

Dynamic RGBW lighting for special events creates a sequence of experiences for this cosmopolitan urban environment. Given the heritage status of the project, all lighting installations had to get agreement from the Covent Garden Area Trust and the conservation team at Westminster City Council. BDP’s practical hands-on approach to design included extensive 1:1 mock-ups which were reviewed with stakeholders.

The team worked with the specialist contractors on the mounting methodology to drastically reduce the impact on the historic fabric; previously there were three or four penetrations per fitting, which it reduced to two. The project improves social sustainability, aiding regeneration, improving safety at night and encouraging footfall.

The specialist lighting contractor was Studiotech. Picture: Tom Niven

SILVER JUBILEE BRIDGE

Arup

The illumination of the Silver Jubilee Bridge, which crosses the River Mersey between Runcorn and Widnes, has won a PLATINUM Build Back Better Award, the highest accolade.

The lighting designer Arup aimed to celebrate the intricate beauty of the structure, with its graceful form that swoops high over the river, and connect it with the community below.

‘We see lighting as a useful tool for placemaking, landmarking, and educating observers. We thought beyond our title as designers to becoming historians and storytellers. Our ambitions were to reflect the history, structural form and details, honour its builders, reduce obtrusive light, and emphasise the structure against the modern Mersey Gateway Bridge upstream’ says the firm.

The old lighting scheme inefficiently flooded the bridge with cold white light, flattening architectural details and causing significant light obtrusion above the towns and on the marine environment.

Arup’s design began by characterising the nocturnal scene, followed by archive research into the bridge’s site, context, and history.

This informed its ‘inside-out’ lighting concept, illuminating the lower and upper chords of the bridge arch with concealed projectors.

Its research showed how the lack of local lighting competition allowed subtler techniques, using low-power luminaires discretely concealed within the structure.

This technique of ‘lighting from within’ reveals all the fine

detail of the structure, telling the story of its construction from the foundations to the apex, highlighting textures, and revealing the labour behind every structural rivet which binds it together.

The raw elegance of these engineering features is celebrated up close to pedestrians on the bridge.

From afar, its magnificent form is clearly defined and offers an alternative visual perspective after dusk.

The concept aimed to minimise obtrusive light for residents and its negative impacts on biodiversity and the nocturnal environment.

By integrating luminaires within the structure, the team significantly improved efficiency, achieving over 95 per cent energy savings and a similar reduction in light spill into the night sky.

Normally, elegant white light illuminates this landmark. However, Arup engaged children at Widnes Academy to create their own coloured light show. Through an interactive workshop with colour pens, gels, torches, and large-format drawings of the bridge, they developed a set of colourful concepts. Their show is displayed every January, allowing all the children to enjoy it from their playground and across both towns.

Client: Halton Borough Council

Lighting Designer and Light Show Content Design: Arup

Main Contractor: Balvac

Lighting Sub-contractor: Studiotech

Lighting Equipment: Griven Lighting

Controls: Ecue

Community Engagement: Widnes Academy

Picture: Mike Dinsdale / Midi Photography and Steve Samosa Photography

BROMLEY OLD TOWN HALL

Nulty

Bromley Old Town Hall, winner of a GOLD Build Back Better Award, has been sympathetically refurbished to restore the original design aspirations of the old town hall, and to reinvigorate the building with a flexible workspace, all-day restaurant, and boutique hotel.

Lighting design practice Nulty worked in close partnership with Cartwright Pickard and Fusion Interiors Group to unify the heritage design story with the modern requirements of a mixed-use scheme.

Originally built in 1907 to house the town hall and courthouse, the building evolved in 1939 when an extension was added to incorporate a new council chamber, and again in later years when the basement was repurposed to create a nuclear fallout shelter.

The lighting design had to accommodate these complexities and help to knit together the different chapters of history.

As the original aesthetic was largely intact in the Grade II listed 1907 section, the lighting design is primarily decorative and pays reverence to the architecture.

The team studied source materials to understand the style of luminaires that were originally used, then refurbished and reinstated decorative light fittings across the key areas.

When it was not possible to re-establish an original fitting, luminaires were faithfully reproduced by the same heritage lighting specialist to maintain a consistent design language.

Fittings were updated to make them appropriate for a contemporary context, with emergency lighting hidden within the heritage pieces to protect the sincerity of the aesthetic.

The team was less constrained by the heritage in the 1930s section where everything had been stripped out, so an artificial skylight ceiling was introduced in the central hall to replicate the original skylights.

The backlit ceiling works harmoniously with the surrounding architecture, but it is an inherently modern solution and features dynamic white light linked to daylight sensors.

In the co-working space, every attempt was made to produce a high-quality fit out that resonates the spirit of the original local authority building. Solid-state solutions were used to bring the performance of the meeting rooms and workspaces in line with contemporary workplace expectations.

Downstairs in the basement, wall mounted linear lighting brings warmth and character to the raw brick and concrete aesthetic and improves permeability. The final scheme balances contemporary lighting interventions with an authentic design narrative that prioritises reuse.

Suppliers: Madson Black, Cooledge Lighting, Deltalight, Flos, Tryka, Orluna, Intra Lighting, Filix

Picture: James French

W HOTEL

EDINBURGH

LIGHTALLIANCE

The W Hotel in Edinburgh has won a GOLD Build Back Better Award for lighting design practice LIGHT ALLIANCE.

Judges said the practice captured the spirit of the world's leading festival city by combining functional light and features in innovative ways.

Bespoke lighting has been carefully integrated to provide extraordinary spaces which stimulate the senses, delivering an immersive and memorable experience. Lighting was integrated within furniture, assembled offsite, and using 3D printed forms/features to reduce waste and optimise efficiencies.

optimised spaces with intuitive controls and systems which are easy to maintain.

Designs were optimised using 3D software, with suppliers, equipment and materials selected to minimise embedded carbon. Embodying Scotland’s rich cultural tapestry, a multitude of narrative streams are interwoven across the hotel’s three buildings.

Many lighting components effectively disappear during daylight hours, appearing only when and where light is required. The lighting intent strikes a balance between uniformity and visual interest, to ensure that spaces are accessible and inclusive, yet able to create the right character for a W brand hotel. The result is a flexible, dynamic, and vibrant city-centre destination, which can be tailored to suit specific times, events, and occasions.

These include Ancient Pride/Land of the Free, Secret Passages/Mythical Creatures, Scientists/Inventors + Visionaries, Untamed Energy/the Volcanic Heart of Scotland, Warrior Poets/ Disruptors.

Mostly all lighting elements throughout are bespoke and often based on standard components tailored to the space or application, resulting in flexible, energy-efficient, and

The illumination of the transformative Thames City project in south London has won a GOLD Build Back Better Award for its lighting designer Foundry.

Thames City is the revitalisation of 10 acres of former industrial land into a landmark residential-led mixed-use development.

It signals a vibrant new chapter for the area, establishing Nine Elms as a global destination. It's distinguished by a stunning collection of landscape spaces, including courtyards, green podium gardens, and an expansive linear park.

Open to the public, it features a series of beautifully designed green spaces, ideal for hosting events and opportunities for outdoor recreation.

With a thoughtfully planned network of waterside walkways, cycle paths and green areas, the landscape aims to promote active lifestyles and enhance the well-being of all who visit.

Two towers in Phase 1 of the development —No. 8 and No. 9— rise 35 and 54-storeys respectively, from a two-storey podium. The buildings offer new luxury riverside apartments and a

Selected features include: a deconstructed woven tartan sculpture that sails through the entrance lobby, a trophy wall with bespoke unicorn heads (The national animal of Scotland), architects tools’ pendant inspired by James Craig (the architect of Edinburgh New Town), immersive spa treatment rooms corridors and suites, handcrafted tailored furniture and joinery with integrated programmable lighting elements, the surprising cinema tunnel within a ‘close’ between buildings, alchemy-inspired beaker lamps on a volcanic rock bar, tree canopy lighting feature surrounding the main bar, mythical creature inspired hand-blown crystal digital chandelier, concealed and integrated lighting throughout the W deck roof-terrace, low-impact integrated façade ribbon lighting, customised and innovative lighting features throughout guestrooms and suites. The latter are all based on sustainable materials, replaceable parts and upgradable components.

Client: Nuveen

Architect and Interior Design: Jestico + Whiles

Control Integrator: Link Media Systems

CGI/Design Intent Renders: F10 Studios

host of resident amenities including wellness facilities, a 30m swimming pool, residents lounge, cinema, karaoke rooms, private dining and a sky lounge.

Independent lighting design practice Foundry worked with the client team to refine and fully deliver the initial concept masterplan created by Equation Lighting into a specific phase 1 identity and character, working in harmony with the natural texture, changing colours and movement in the foliage, stone and water, our lighting focuses on enhancing the sensory aspects of the landscape design, encouraging people to slow down and observe their surroundings.

The blend of warm light and darkness reveals and enhances the various buildings and landscape elements of this development after dark.

Much of the lighting is low height, creating an intimate environment that encourages people to dwell.

Lighting to the primary circulation is focused from columns to support wayfinding, framed by highlights to the stone cladding of the building, trees and foliage, while low-level fixtures reveal the internal routes and low-level planting.

THE CITY OF LONDON LIGHTING SPD

Speirs Major

THE PRESTEIGNE AND NORTON DARK SKY COMMUNITY

Dark Sky

The Presteigne and Norton Dark Sky Community in Powys, Wales, by Dark Source has won a GREEN Build Back Better Award.

Covering an outer area of 40 square kilometres and a combined population of 2,700, the historic towns of Presteigne and Norton in Powys, have become the first International Dark Sky Community in the country.

The project – led by Presteigne & Norton Town Council, Powys County Council and independent lighting consultancy Dark Source – supported the local community initiative to tackle the significant light pollution caused by the blue LEDs introduced to save energy back in 2008.

This unique collaboration established a much-needed town

precedent as the large majority of the Welsh Dark Skies consisted of reserves, parks and sanctuaries until now.

Comprehensive long-term lighting tests were carried out and community feedback was vigorously sought throughout the project as part of the design development.

A total of 380 lighting columns were refurbished with 2200K LED luminaires with 96 per cent with full cut-off beam. The CRI was also kept low to minimise impact on biodiversity.

On Broad Street, heritage-style lanterns are retrofitted with gas mantle LEDs in order to enhance the experience of the historic thoroughfare.

Some 40 per cent of the lights have been programmed to switch off while the remaining 60 per cent have been pre-set to half their intensity after midnight. In employing such curfew and dimming profiles, light intensity and energy usage were significantly reduced whilst prolonging the longevity of the luminaires.

The project has reduced annual CO2 emissions by 4.5 tonnes which has been facilitated by the extension of the scheme into a nearby industrial estate under the jurisdiction of the Welsh Government so that the lighting character remained consistent across the town.

The success of this lighting project has prompted the authorities to consider rolling similar schemes out across the county.

Suppliers: TRT, Pudsey Diamond

Picture: Leigh Harling Bowen

In July 2023, the City of London Corporation Planning and Transportation Committee voted unanimously to adopt the ground-breaking document (SPD), a statutory set of guidance for external lighting within the City of London.

The document, developed by Speirs Major in collaboration with the City’s planning team, was an initiative that came out of the authority’s 2018 Lighting Strategy, which sought to establish an innovative approach to lighting within an area that boasts some of the tallest contemporary tower buildings in Europe, set within a unique mediaeval street pattern.

The SPD, believed to be the first of its kind in the UK, takes a creative and flexible approach to reducing the environmental impact that lighting creates while encouraging solutions that will realise the social and economic benefits of good design.

The 2018 Lighting Strategy the City identified a series of desired outcomes, including reducing energy waste and light pollution, improving the quality of the public realm and mitigating potentially harmful effects of obtrusive light on both residents and local biodiversity.

These objectives formed the basis for the SPD, which aims to ensure that all new developments include proper consideration for how lighting will complement the unique architectural and heritage context, as well as addressing important issues of

ARDEN

Philip Payne

sustainability, safety, accessibility, inclusion and amenity for residents, workers, visitors and tourists.

Under the newly adopted guidance, lighting is integrated into the planning application process at a very early stage with applicants for major developments required to submit a lighting strategy as part of any pre-application and then a fully developed lighting concept at the application stage.

Technical details of lighting schemes are then delivered post-planning as part of the conditions, including mandatory information on how the lighting will be operated and maintained.

Supporting this guidance is provided to help applicants to achieve the desired outcomes. A simple methodology limits light spill and brightness based on a series of ‘District Brightness Zones’ including residential, heritage, cultural and tourist areas, and commercial, retail and transport hubs.

Each of these has varying ‘curfews’ to help control external illumination and the impact of interior lighting, particularly for highly glazed buildings, including dealing with such issues as the lights being left on in empty buildings.

The SPD also includes a ‘Lighting Charter’ that encourages existing building owners and their tenants to sign up to many of the initiatives on a voluntary basis.

Considered to be the first-ever wooden emergency exit sign available on the UK market, the Arden from Philip Payne has won both PLATINUM and GREEN.

The Arden has an impressively low embodied carbon score of 29.87kg CO2e, up to 30 per cent lower than many non-wooden exit signs. Crafted from European joinery-grade oak sourced from responsibly managed forests, the Arden contributes to sustainable forestry practices.

The production process, within the UK, maximises material efficiency, with waste from CNC machining repurposed to heat the UK production facility.

At the end of its lifecycle, the oak body is fully recyclable, supporting a circular economy approach.

Every aspect of the Arden is designed with sustainability in mind, says Philip Payne. The high-transmission acrylic legend panel contains up to 90 per cent recycled content. The advanced Lithium Iron Phosphate battery boasts an expected design life exceeding eight years, significantly reducing maintenance requirements and waste.

The long-lasting, British-made LED module has a rated lifespan of 100,000 hours.

Glow-wire tested to 850°C, it meets stringent fire resistance standards. The DALI 2 certified emergency module enables integration with building management systems for efficient monitoring and control.

RESUS

The Regen Initiative

The Resus fluorescent-to-LED retrofit fixture from The Regen Initiative has won both a GOLD and GREEN.

The Resus offers a simple fluorescent-to-LED retrofit option for upgrading luminaires. Designed to fit the majority of existing T5 and T8 fluorescent fittings, its design allows it to pick up on existing fluorescent lamp holders, using them only as a mechanical fix.

All electronics are remote by the way of a remote driver allowing the product to be controls agnostic. Resus is designed to operate within any space where a fluorescent lamp once occupied.

It’s controls agnostic, meaning Resus can work within any building management system and will operate with any fixed output, DALI or wireless drivers, and will, as standard, operate with key switch, self-test and DALI monitored addressable emergency systems.

Resus features 3D-printed end caps which can be changed to suit T5, T8 and PLL lamp holders.

In an upgrade, the existing fluorescent lamp and driver are removed but that the original fitting remains in situ thus negating the need for the product to be placed through the e-waste stream and retaining all its embodied carbon.

The materials used in Resus contain a significant percentage of post-consumer recyclate and, other than cutting to length to suit the lamp dimensions, requires no post-finishing.

Self-assessment to TM66 scores the product at 3.1. The product is also assembled without the use of adhesives, resulting in the product being able to be repurposed and ultimately easily recycled at end of life, in line with circular economy principles.

The Lania track-mounted spotlight from LumiAdd, partially made from spent coffee grounds, has won both a GOLD and GREEN.

LumiAdd says the light is arguably the most sustainably made track spot in the world as it’s made in the UK from plant polymers with a low carbon footprint and uses waste coffee grounds to add colour and texture.

The grounds are combined with polylactic acid (PLA) but retain a unique texture and colour which cater to the aesthetic preferences of environmentally conscious consumers.

Combining the coffee with plant polymers from renewable sources like sugar cane, enhances the environmental value and reduces fossil fuel use.

Aside from the sustainable material and use of waste, the Lania trackspot range is versatile and highly efficient.

It boasts up to 130 luminaire lumens per circuit Watt, a colour rendering of Ra90 and a maximum output of 1600lm delivered.

It’s available in four different beam angles including an adjustable option. LumiAdd has printed products using other waste streams, including reclaimed oyster and scallop shells, spent grain from beer production and waste from chocolate production.

LumiAdd uses plant-based polymers to 3D print luminaires. It says that the plant polymers it uses are significantly more sustainable than conventional materials currently used in the lighting industry.

They produce 33 per cent less Co2 emissions than petro-chemical polymers and 97.5 per cent less Co2 emissions than aluminium.

3D printing on demand results in zero waste. LumiAdd products achieve the highest TM66 (CIBSE Circular Economy Assessment Method for Manufacturing) category of excellent circularity. LumiAdd also offers a buy back scheme to support the return of LumiAdd luminaires at the end of their first use to ensure they can be reused again.

OCULUS MINI Lucent Lighting

The Oculus Mini downlight from Lucent Lighting has won both a GOLD and GREEN for its sustainability credentials.

The recessed eyeball luminaire achieves a TM66 rating of 2.5 for ‘excellent circularity’ and is manufactured in the UK using 89 per cent recycled materials.

The modular design supports Lucent’s ProCycle scheme, ensuring the fixture remains in circulation for at least 20 years.

This platform allows for easy upgrades and repairs to the LED technology, significantly extending the product’s lifespan.

The modular approach eliminates the need for tools during installation, demounting or maintenance, distinguishing the Oculus Mini from its competitors.

It boasts a high IP rating, making it suitable for kitchen, bathroom, and fire-rated applications.

The fixture’s screw-in module design, compatible with Lucent’s legacy downlights, reflects the brand’s dedication to backward compatibility and product longevity.

This ensures that even the third generation of the LED51 module can be used with minimal adjustments, maintaining a consistent form factor.

The Oculus Mini features a streamlined structure consisting of a fixture head and an installation frame. This minimalist design ensures seamless adaptability across various applications, including trim versions, plastered-in trim-less, tape and join, and solid ceilings like wood and stone.

The familiar gimbal design is enhanced by a unique approach where the head sits slightly recessed within the frame, offering a clean, unobtrusive look with a 30-degree adjustment capability.

By using recycled aluminium, Lucent has created a highly efficient and sustainable product which reduces environmental impact while enhancing durability and longevity.

The Oculus Mini is aimed at applications in hotel lobbies, retail establishments, and luxury residential spaces. It has fully adjustable positioning and a variety of beam options—including SuperSpot, High Efficacy, and WarmDim.

LIFETIME INDICATOR Lifetime Indicator

Tridonic’s Lifetime Indictor which shows a driver’s health and ageing rate has won a GOLD Build Back Better Award.

The innovative feature, included in Generation 4 Premium drivers from this month, is based on a unique algorithm.

These values are accessible via NFC using the brand’s free 4 service App and allow users to understand the lifespan of the driver and its degradation rate accurately.

A low ageing rate indicates optimal utilisation and provides a clear picture of the component's longevity. Should a driver's degradation be high, the company can identify the causes and take measures to prolong its life, leading to less frequent replacements and reducing maintenance.

OPTICLIP TERRA

Sylvania Lighting

The OptiClip TERRA by Sylvania, an office light made from cardboard, has won a GREEN Build Back Better Award.

The OptiClip TERRA combines replaceable light sources with luminaire housings made from recycled/recyclable materials, particularly cardboard.

This innovative initiative was a collaborative effort involving Sylvania’s top specialists and external cardboard production experts.

The company’s goal was to create a product that is environmentally friendly, energyefficient, user-friendly, and of high quality.

Transforming cardboard from a packaging material into robust, office-suitable light fixtures posed significant challenges, requiring rigorous testing and multiple iterations.

TURNING WASTE INTO WORKS OF ART

A start-up company is combining the use of AI technology, 3D printing and post-consumer waste to create what it terms ‘luminous works of art’.

LumiBuilder is promising that its Waste to Wonder philosophy will allow unprecedented customisation for its customers and lead to hundreds of variations to suit different spaces, ‘all with the guarantee of sustainable, socially responsible design'.

The company – launched by lighting industry executives Kuldeep Vali, Paul Taylor, Tanil Patel and Dr Mai Abdelsalam Soliman – has unveiled its first offer, a 3D printed pendant based on the honeycomb, which it terms ‘nature's own engineering masterpiece’.

It describes the light as a ‘glowing testament’ to its Waste to Wonder philosophy and one that echoes the efficiency and beauty of the beehive.

It says its lamp shades can be recycled multiple times, significantly reducing the carbon footprint associated with production and shipping.

LumiBuilder’s business model is, it says, to 3D print its products locally, close to its clients, through a network of partners, which will significantly reduce the carbon footprint associated with shipping.

It also wants to create luminaires from post-consumer waste such as PET water bottles.

‘Each Lumibuilder.ai product will be a step towards a greener earth, a testament to the power of sustainable innovation.

'We're changing the industry paradigm, moving from a supply-based model with physical inventories to an ondemand digital realm of lighting products.’

‘We founded Lumibuilder.ai to revolutionise the lighting industry, not only by introducing cutting-edge AI and 3D printing technologies but by anchoring our mission in the principles of the circular economy.

‘Each of us, with our unique strengths, contributes to a singular vision: to create lighting solutions that are as kind to the planet as they are empowering to every creator.

‘Lumibuilder.ai isn't just a business; it's our collective response to the urgent call for environmentally responsible design in a world that demands it.’

Ultimately, the company wants lighting designers to create their own bespoke products on the company’s AI design platform. ‘Our long term vision is to create a user interface on our website where people can go on our journey, from imagining to creating,’ says Vali. ■

Two of LumiBuilder's initial 3D printed pendants, the Wave and the Honeycomb

Lumibuilder says that it wants to create luminaires from post-consumer waste such as PET water bottles.

Pic: Erik McLean/Unsplash

INNOVATIONS

New architectural lighting products available for specification

LUMIBUILDER

3D pendants

FX SILENCE GLAMOX

The FX Silence suspended luminaires are aimed at transforming noisy open-plan offices and workspaces. The secret to their noise-dampening properties is a unique acoustic sandwich construction and an external fibre coating made largely from recycled PET plastic bottles. FX Silence luminaires are constructed using a fire-resistant acoustic sandwich comprising two 9mm outer layers of compacted recycled fibres which are odourless, non-toxic, and do not create dust. The interior of the luminaire is filled with rock wool. Together they work to absorb sound. The luminaires can be connected and wirelessly controlled.

LumiBuilder is a start-up company combining the use of AI technology, 3D printing and post-consumer waste to create what it terms ‘luminous works of art’. The brand is promising that its Waste to Wonder philosophy will allow unprecedented customisation for its customers and lead to hundreds of variations to suit different spaces, ‘all with the guarantee of sustainable, socially responsible design’. It has unveiled its first offer, a 3D printed pendant based on the honeycomb, which it terms ‘nature's own engineering masterpiece’. It describes the light as a ‘glowing testament’ to its Waste to Wonder philosophy.

ZUMTOBEL

Tecton DC

Austrian lighting giant Zumtobel has introduced a direct current version of its best-selling Tecton continuous row lighting system. It’s believed to be the first time a major lighting brand has produced a DC variant. The DC unit is aimed at commercial, industrial and retail installations where renewable power is generated on site. Using direct current avoids all the losses associated with converting power to AC and then back again to DC.The company reckons the new Tecton DC can add an extra 4 per cent energy saving. Existing Tecton installations can be converted to DC by replacing the ballast.

TRT LIGHTING OAKEN

The Oaken streetlight from TRT Lighting has an Oak housing which gives it an industry-leading TM66 score for circularity of 3.1. TRT says the achievement is underpinned by a 97 per cent reduction in ‘cradle to gate’ embodied carbon compared to a baseline of aluminium cast alloy bodies. Using TM65 methodology, the Oaken represents a 50 per cent reduction in embodied carbon in the complete luminaire compared to the company’s Aspect Mini (Aspect Mini 66kg CO2e / Oaken 34kg CO2e). Its European oak housing is sourced from PEFC certified forests that promote sustainable harvesting practices.

TRILUX E LINE PRO

Designed by international practice Billings Jackson Studio, the form of Trilux’s E Line Pro considers many of the factors that slow the build process, make maintenance difficult and deny future upgrades.

At its core is an innovative 11-pole rolled steel trunking structure, which allows lighting modules to be inserted at any point along a continuous power track. This simplifies planning and offers unmatched flexibility, creating an adaptable lighting solution. E-Line PRO is a highly flexible lighting system that offers a wide range of optics, lumen packages, and mounting possibilities.

RESUS

The Resus fluorescent-to-LED retrofit fixture is designed to fit the majority of existing T5 and T8 fluorescent fittings. Its design allows it to pick up on existing fluorescent lamp holders, using them only as a mechanical fix. All electronics are remote by the way of a remote driver allowing the product to be controls agnostic. Resus is designed to operate within any space where a fluorescent lamp once occupied. It’s controls agnostic, meaning Resus can work within any building management system and will operate with any fixed output, DALI or wireless drivers.

The O21-W is vandal-resistant Dark Sky-certified wall light from Glamox made with 45 per cent recycled aluminium. The company says that the O21-W luminaire, aimed at commercial and public buildings, limits light pollution while supporting a circular economy. The fitting is made to be disassembled so that parts may be replaced to prolong the luminaire’s life or reused or recycled at the end of life. It comes in a variety of lumen outputs, colour temperatures, sizes, and has a variety of sensor and control options.

STICKBULB

Wooden pendants

Stickbulb, based in New York, makes a range of linear fittings, freestanding units and pendants using salvaged pinoak, a popular tree in North America due to is fast growth and tolerance to pollution. The company says over 12,500 trees are removed from private property in the city every year as a result of planned construction and storms. In the past, these trees were chipped. But now Stickbulb works with the NYC Parks Department and other urban forestry partners to divert the wood from the waste stream and use it instead to make lights. The salvaged wood is processed and milled on the Brooklyn waterfront.

Two years ago, Erco unveiled its new generation of Beamer projectors which brought the diffused Darklight lens technology of high-quality museum spotlights to the outdoor space. Now the new size L has been added to the existing sizes S and M – for even more power. Their focussed light achieves up to 866 lx from a distance of 10 metres. Also new in the large size is a Beamer contour projector for sharp-edged illumination of target areas without light pollution. The centrepiece of the new Beamer contour projectors is a projection lens with four adjustable contour sliders.

TRILUX Yonos

Trilux has unveiled the Yonos luminaire system which is says has been designed to cut the material waste typically associated with speculative office installations. The company says that Cat A installations are often designed without a specific tenant in mind, leading to significant waste when luminaires are removed for a Cat B fit-out. Yonos introduces a modular, connective, and adaptive lighting trunking matrix installed during the Cat A stage. This allows plug-and-play luminaires and lighting devices to be easily repositioned or added during subsequent Cat B fit-out.

ERCO BEAMER

GLAMOX O21-W

How many buildings were built without lighting controls? How many LED upgrades were point for point without lighting controls? And how many first-generation lighting control systems are either discontinued or extremely expensive to maintain?

The answer, for all the above questions, are difficult to quantify but I can say with confidence the number for all questions is extremely high.

The building regulations in many countries has increased the specification of lighting control systems, but there are a significant number of developments that do not comply with the legislation.

Lighting control systems can be wireless or hard wired. System types can vary from basic to sophisticated. These can include hard-wired occupancy and daylight sensors, power control packs installed into existing power cables, wireless nodes installed into luminaires and DALI lighting control systems.

A simple but important thing to remember if the existing luminaires are not dimmable the lighting control system will only be able to provide on/off functionality.

GreyStar, a leading global provider of

student accommodation, identified an area with a range of functions, reception area, meeting and relaxation space, illuminated by a number of spotlights, decorative luminaires, wall lights and pendants, with 24/7 access for students.

The entrance and front of reception is glass, floor to ceiling, providing a significant level of natural light.

The space requires illumination for student access, exit and performing visual tasks, from 7am to midnight and security from midnight to 7am.

While the spotlights, wall lights, main pendant and reception desk luminaires are on individual circuits the only control is switch ON/OFF.

The level of natural light, during the day, would provide adequate illumination for the requirements of the reception area without the luminaires being ON, however the space would then appear to be dull and flat. If switched OFF the meeting areas would not be suitably illuminated for reading and general study.

The introduction of wireless control units to selected lighting circuits enabled control of lux levels, within each area, providing appropriate illumination for

STUDENTS OF CONTROL

Lighting controls consultant

Dave Tilley explores a real-world lighting challenge, this time in a student accommodation building in London.

the specific space application. The visual impact of the luminaires would also look as would be expected.

The benefits of introducing lighting controls to this space.

• Energy saving, occupancy and daylight sensors combined with dimming.

• Scheduling of events, within the space, with the ability of change requirements using an iPad or iPhone.

• Extended life of the luminaires, 10 per cent trimming.

• Luminaires will always appear to be operating even at low levels.

• Balance of lux levels based on the requirements of each area.

The GreyStar reception and associated areas is a relatively small lighting controls project. However, it does demonstrate the client benefits of introducing a lighting control system from energy saving and extended luminaire life to maintaining the visual appearance of the space.

GreyStar is committed to the introduction of innovation and technologies that not only provides business benefits, financial and sustainability, but more importantly enhances the comfort, security and safety of the students. ■

Controls 1: The case study demonstrate the client benefits of introducing a lighting control system from energy saving and extended luminaire life to maintaining the visual appearance of the space.

Controls 2: Daylight sensors allow the control system to regulate the dimming.

ORG NEWS

DPA, UCL and iGuzzini take honours at Ready Steady Light 2024

In October, The Society of Light and Lighting (SLL) welcomed teams of lighting professionals for the annual SLL Ready Steady Light competition, in association with Rose Bruford College and the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD).

In its 29th year, SLL Ready Steady Light is one of the Society’s flagship events. The competition provides a space for creativity and play, a return to the basics of design and engineering.

Each year, the SLL welcomes teams of lighting designers, manufacturers, and students to create external lighting installations, using a limited selection of equipment and in only 180 minutes. The teams have to overcome challenges without a budget and within time constraints.

As always, there were three awards up for grabs. A panel of expert judges decide the winners of the SLL Technical and Artistic Award, supported by the IALD, with the coveted Peer Award decided by the contestants taking part.

Team UCL 2, led by Craig Turner won the 2024 SLL Technical Award, judged by Dan Lister, SLL president and Arup UK lighting practice leader, and Dr Jemima Unwin Teji, lecturer and programme leader for the MSc Light and Lighting, University College London. UCL 2’s design was called March on Time.

Team iGuzzini, led by Giorgio Pierini, won the 2024

Artistic Award, judged by Kevin Rosenstand, 18 Degrees and Beatrice Bertolini, Equation Lighting, both IALD Regional Coordinators, and Sofia Alexiadou Programme Director BA Creative Lighting Control, Programme Director MA Light in Performance and Freelance Lighting Designer. Its design was called Red Shades of Autumn.

Finally, the 2024 Peer Prize, a much-coveted award was judged by the contestants taking part. Team DPA Lighting Consultants 1 won the award. The team’s project was called Heart of the Forest.

Exemplary lighting design projects honoured at IALD Awards

Hundreds of professionals from all facets of the lighting design industry gathered tonight in San Diego, California, to recognise the 2024 IALD International Lighting Design Awards winners.

Twenty-eight projects from ten countries were recognised and applauded for demonstrating exceptional lighting design and contributing to the professional community.

IALD Awards co-chairs Yah Li Toh and Uno Lai enthusiastically hosted the evening’s celebration. ‘Year over year, the calibre of winning projects speaks to the passion – and talent – of lighting designers everywhere,’ Toh said. ‘We

can only imagine where the profession may evolve in years to come.’

The project with the highest score received an IALD Award of Excellence and the highest honour of the ceremony, the IALD Radiance Award for Excellence in Lighting Design. This accolade was given to the New York, United States project Lightfall, a collaborative lighting design by the firms Loisos + Ubbelodhe and Lumen Architecture.

Elated representatives of the winning teams, including firm principals George Loisos and Susan Ubbelohde, joined the Awards co-chairs and IALD president Andrea Hartranft, FIALD, on stage to accept the Radiance trophy.

The SLL Ready Steady Light 2024 Peer Award went to Team DPA Lighting Consultants for its entry which was entitled Heart of the Forest. (Pic: Graham Baker).

The IALD Radiance Award for Excellence in Lighting Design is the association’s highest accolade.

In your next issue of designing lighting global…

VOLUME III ISSUE 1: SUSTAINABILITY SPECIAL

We take a deep dive into challenging sustainability projects and innovative products driving the environmental agenda in the lighting industry. We talk to leading lighting designers, influencers and manufacturers about how they are incorporating environmental goals into their strategies and processes. We’ll also look at the reuse of luminaires. Will clients be receptive to luminaires which have had a previous life?

Project deep dive: W Budapest

Set within Budapest’s iconic Drechsler Palace, now a Unesco-listed landmark, W Budapest seamlessly melds historic grandeur with contemporary luxury. Solinfo Group, tasked with capturing this unique character, used integrated linear lighting to enhance the architectural beauty without overpowering it. We look at in depth at this significant project.

Review: LIGHT 24 London

We look at the standout products from the LIGHT 24 exhibition at the Building Design Centre in London. What were the hot stands? What are the top 20 standout innovations as decided by a top team of designing lighting global editors and writers? All will be revealed in the next issue.

salutes and thanks its advertisers for their support.

We applaud the achievements of lighting practitioners and recognize the importance of their work in architecture and design.

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FOR THOSE ENTERING THE PROFESSION I WOULD SAY FIND YOURSELF SOME GOOD MENTORS, ONES WHO ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO INVEST IN HELPING YOU DEVELOP AND PUT THE TIME INTO DOING THAT.

CHRISTOPHER UP CLOSE WITH Knowlton

At school I was really interested in the performing arts and drama and I joined the National Youth Music Theatre and went and did some tours with them when I was 12. I did the backstage stuff like stage managing and making props. We got to work with some really cool lighting designers who came and did different productions with us.

They really gave of their knowledge and time to young people. It inspired me to do lighting design when later I went to the Central School of Speech and Drama in London.

It led to me going to work for Equation [Lighting Design] where I worked with Mark Hensman, then I worked for Lighting Design International and did my Masters at the Bartlett [School of Architecture at University College London].

The last stage of my designing career was with Paul Beale at 18 Degrees where things came full circle and I worked on three theatres, the Mayflower in Southampton and the Boulevard and the Trafalgar in London.

This was amazing because it was like reconnecting with all the people that you love from that industry, but you're able to bring something else to it, which was an interesting mix. There's no one like theatre people.

At 18 Degrees I really enjoyed the business side of things so I decided to do an MBA.

At the time I was on the board of the IALD and then the interim CEO left and the president and past president asked me if I would be the CEO.

So I was both excited and terrified and it was a baptism of fire.

The great thing is that I get to work with all of the people that I love, the ones that I never would have got the chance to if I was working in my own business.

And that's kind of a privilege that I don't take lightly.

For those entering the profession I would say find yourself some good mentors, ones who are actually going to invest in helping you develop and put the time into doing that.

But the relationship has to be two way. You can't ask someone to mentor you and they get nothing out of it. It could be that could be that they need help with something or they have a project that they're looking for some assistance with. It’s trying to find a way to balance things.

I would also say to work in places where you respect the work that's being done. That will keep you motivated.

Negotiation is another thing. Remember that you have to negotiate with everyone every single day about everything.

Construction, particularly, is a negotiation. First of all, you have to negotiate your ideas through the creative process. Then you have to get them approved, and then you've got to get them executed. That's a whole lot of hassle if you are not a good negotiator. You do need to understand what is driving people.

Just five to 10 per cent of the work is actual design, making it it happen is the rest. And the majority of that is be organised and be able to work with people. Like, that's pretty much the two things. That's all you need to know.

Back up what you're doing. Do you know what it costs? Because when the contractor sits there and says ‘it costs twice as much’ you need to be able to say with confidence ‘no, that's wrong’.

I think the worst design decisions happen in those meetings where it's like, ‘we want an outcome’ and at the end of this meeting, there’s pressure to have an outcome, but the ramifications are huge. And you're sat in a room with 20 people and then the conversation stops and everyone turns to you and asks ‘so why does this cost 200 grand?’ It’s just being able to understand how to negotiate those things and get around them. ■

EdisonReport.tv serves as a hub for all digital content in the lighting industry. A premier source for critical information surrounding lighting, EdisonReport.tv is dedicated to delivering industry news by way of video and serving its audience by spotlighting product launches and up-to-date educational videos, as well as information about upcoming webinars.

Max Robson: Recolight to unveil an LCA and EPD service