Lighting Journal October 2020

Professional best practice from the Institution of Lighting Professionals

October 2020

UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE Award-winning lighting and the transformation of a brutalist space at Sheffield University KEEPING OUR SKIES DARK Why it is imperative lighting professionals keep pushing and leading on obtrusive light WORK, BUT NOT AS WE KNOW IT Covid-19 may mean we need totally to rethink workplace lighting

The publication for all lighting professionals

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OCTOBER 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Contents

KEEPING OUR 06 SKIES DARK

Mitigating light pollution in public spaces is an environmental issue that has for too long been insufficiently prioritised by governments and citizens.

That is now slowly changing but, argues Emily Bolt, it is still beholden on lighting professionals to be taking the lead through good design, planning, specification and installation

UNIVERSITY 12 CHALLENGE

‘The Concourse’, the space underneath a brutalist concrete bridge at the University of Sheffield had become tired, uninviting, even somewhat threatening at night. That has changed, thanks to an innovative award-winning lighting scheme by Arup, as Dan Lister explains

18 SELECTION PROCESS

Despite UK cities and towns broadly having the same layout and lighting installations, there is widespread inconsistency in how street lighting is specified. More clarity and transparency would allow design engineers to devise more effective proposals, writes Simone Rossi

LET THERE BE… 22 CONNECTION

LinkedIn’s #LetThereBeLightChallenge has struck something of a chord with lighting professionals, with more than 3,000 posts now having been shared.

But how did it all come about? The inspiration behind it, lighting designer Melissa Mak, spills the beans

BUT NOT AS 26 WORK, WE KNOW IT

From socially distanced workstations and communal spaces through to ‘sneeze screens’, coronavirus has been rapidly changing our workplaces. In time, this could also mean having to totally rethink workplace lighting, argues Philip Hammond

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BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCE

From gambling to hospitality, retail to healthcare and beyond, there is growing understanding of how light and lighting can be used to ‘nudge’ and change behaviour in a space, writes Shelley James

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34 STAGE MANAGED

Cutting-edge technology, including 3D scanning and printing, has been instrumental in helping to upgrade and restore the lighting of the historic Theatre Royal in London’s Drury Lane, as Nigel Rutherford and Mark Jones outline

UNDER 38 PASTS PRESSURE

We all know budgets for lighting are under severe pressure post pandemic.

When it comes to heritage lighting, Liz Hudson warns this will make the fine balancing act councils face between preserving the essence of our historic market towns while investing in new technology that much harder

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UTTING OUR 40 PHOUSEHOLDS IN ORDER

Two recent reports have highlighted the need to improve recycling rates of waste electricals, including household luminaires. To increase the recycling of non-household luminaires, too, Nigel Harvey argues it imperative businesses choose lighting suppliers willing to take responsibility for waste fittings

HE TIDE 44 T(AND THINKING) BEGINS TO TURN

The Covid-19 crisis has forced a period of reflection on all of us, and led to much discussion about whether things can, or even should, go back to the status quo as ‘normality’ gradually returns. As the Second World War progressed, thoughts, equally, began to turn to the post-war world, as Simon Cornwell shows

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48 DIRECTORY TRAINING 50‘ONLINE IS THE FUTURE’

Beginning an occasional series where lighting professionals talk about ‘a lightbulb moment’, either personally or professionally, Nick Smith outlines how his eyes were opened to the benefits of online learning

p COVER PICTURE

The new lighting scheme at The Concourse at Sheffield University. Turn to page 12 for the full story on how the space was transformed. Photograph by Midi Photography

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Editor’s letter Volume 85 No 9 October 2020 President Anthony Smith IEng FILP Chief Executive Tracey White Editor Nic Paton BA (Hons) MA Email: nic@cormorantmedia.co.uk

Lighting Journal’s content is chosen and evaluated by volunteers on our reader panel, peer review group and a small representative group which holds focus meetings responsible for the strategic direction of the publication. If you would like to volunteer to be involved, please contact the editor. We also welcome reader letters to the editor.

Graphic Design Tolu Akinyemi B.Tech MSc Email: tolu@matrixprint.com Alex Morris BA (Hons) Email: alex@matrixprint.com Advertising Manager Andy Etherton Email: andy@matrixprint.com Published by Matrix Print Consultants Ltd on behalf of Institution of Lighting Professionals Regent House, Regent Place, Rugby CV21 2PN Telephone: 01788 576492 E-mail: info@theilp.org.uk Website: www.theilp.org.uk

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A

s Emily Bolt makes clear in this edition (from page six) there are no easy or quick solutions for mitigating light pollution in public spaces. Emily’s arguments – that the impact of sky glow, light spill and glare are (finally) moving up the public agenda and the skill and expertise of lighting professionals remain key to mitigating obtrusive light – are important and valuable to spell out.

Her arguments are also extremely topical, given the discussions highlighted in Lighting Journal last month and July around how the experience of lockdown has potentially given us an opportunity to rethink how we light our urban spaces at night and illuminate our night-time economy in a post-pandemic world.

It goes without saying that the ILP’s recently revised GN01/20 is a good starting point in any wider discussion here, as highlighted in these pages back in January (‘Now you see me…’, Lighting Journal vol 85 no 1) [1]. But at a time when budgets for lighting are under severe pressure, especially within the public realm, it is imperative lighting professionals – and the industry as a whole – are robustly making the case for good lighting that makes a difference socially and environmentally as well as purely functionally.

This doesn’t necessarily mean demanding shedloads of money is always thrown at lighting (though that would be nice of course). But it is about ensuring – or at the very least trying to ensure – that lighting is present at the planning table and being listened to; that it is not just an afterthought or even a lowest common denominator tick box.

Another area where change is almost certainly coming (for good or ill) is workplace lighting, as Philip Hammond discusses on page 26. It is unclear yet whether we’re at the start of a long-term (and potentially seismic) shift away from the need for large physical commercial offices and workspaces. Certainly, the government’s exhortations in September that people get back on to public transport, into workplaces, and into city centres crying out for their trade (notably London) did smack of a certain level of desperation.

It may be the pandemic has simply accelerated a technological revolution that was already coming, at least for some forms of working. But if remote working and meeting does become a more permanent reality, then this will pose some very fundamental questions that, in turn, will have a knock-on on lighting. What will be the future role and extent of our transport networks, for example? How might existing commercial spaces be repurposed? Or commuter-less city centres? What might it mean for our regions, commuter belts and market towns – could more local working even mean they become more vibrant or, indeed, ‘levelled up’? And, in turn, what might this all mean for lighting, and demand for lighting?

Finally, to end on an upbeat note, if you get a moment do check out Melissa Mak’s article on page 22 about how she created the #LetThereBeLightChallenge on the social media platform LinkedIn. It was a very simple – yet inspired – idea that has developed a life of its own and continues to grow as more and more lighting professionals take part and nominate friends and colleagues.

It has also, I’d argue, played an important role in bringing the lighting community together; bringing fun, beauty, colour, inspiration and, literally, light into what are, for many, still dark and worrying times. Long may it continue.

Nic Paton Editor [1] Guidance Note 01/20: Guidance notes for the reduction of obtrusive light can be downloaded from https://theilp.org.uk/publication/guidance-note-1-for-the-reduction-of-obtrusive-light-2020/

© ILP 2020

The views or statements expressed in these pages do not necessarily accord with those of The Institution of Lighting Professionals or the Lighting Journal’s editor. Photocopying of Lighting Journal items for private use is permitted, but not for commercial purposes or economic gain. Reprints of material published in these pages is available for a fee, on application to the editor.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

ILP members receive Lighting Journal every month as part of their membership. You can join the ILP online, through www.theilp.org.uk. Alternatively, to subscribe or order copies please email Diane Sterne at diane@theilp.org.uk. The ILP also provides a Lighting Journal subscription service to many libraries, universities, research establishments, non-governmental organisations, and local and national governments.

www.theilp.org.uk

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KEEPING OUR SKIES

DARK Mitigating light pollution in public spaces is an environmental issue that has for too long been insufficiently prioritised by governments and citizens. That is now, slowly, changing, but it is still beholden on lighting professionals to be taking the lead through good design, planning, specification and installation

By Emily Bolt

www.theilp.org.uk

OCTOBER 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Light pollution and obtrusive light

H

ow can we take steps to mitigate the three areas of light pollution: sky glow, spill light and glare?

The world is moving fast. Urban populations are growing rapidly and, with that, the demand on infrastructure – particularly the lighting of public spaces. People need round-theclock access to these spaces, but there is a growing concern about the health and environmental impact of this artificial concentration of light. More than 80% of the world’s population – and over 99% in the US and Europe – live under light-polluted skies [1].

As most lighting professionals will know, light pollution is a broad term covering various aspects associated with the wrong direction of light and its negative impact, including:

Ț Ț Ț

Sky glow. The brightening of the night sky over inhabited areas Light spill. Or light appearing where it is not intended or needed Glare. Excessive brightness that causes visual discomfort

Having poor quality or inefficiently programmed LED lighting can contribute to the negative side effects of light pollution, such as causing eye discomfort, inhibiting the view of the night sky and harming biodiversity by disturbing local species such as bats and birds.

Here I will examine the impact of the three key aspects of light pollution, and how lighting can be part of the solution.

SKY GLOW

The most significant of the three elements of light pollution is sky glow, which is increasing throughout the world as the amount of lighting increases.

Sky glow is an issue because it makes it more difficult for professional astronomers to perform observations; it prevents people from enjoying the night sky and it wastes energy and money. We can reduce sky glow by: Ț Ț Ț

Reducing light levels Turning off unnecessary lights Limiting lit hours of outdoor areas

 F igure 1. showing (top) Imax values of the luminaire, including (above) illustrating how the impact of tilting can be seen, for example, in floodlight luminaires

Ț

Using bespoke LED solutions such as cut-off luminaires or coloured optics to minimise unintended side-effects

The introduction of LED luminaires has seen a move to flat glass luminaires, which because of their design, reduce sky glow.

This is because these become semi or full cut-off luminaires, so limiting the amount of light emitted above the horizontal – the crucial level at which this form of light pollution begins to take effect.

With this in mind, manufacturers need to design luminaires with optics, so no light is emitted at luminous intensity Imax 95 and very little, if any, at Imax 90.

It is important to note that the Imax values change with the tilt of the luminaire, as shown in figure 1 above.

Figure 1 also illustrates how the impact of tilting and Imax can be seen, for example, in floodlight luminaires.

Traditionally, these powerful luminaires

 F igure 2. This illustrates the difference between a standard amber LED with a colour temperature of 1700K with a CRI of 37 and the new proposals, which provide either 2000K or 1800K, with a CRI of 36 or 48 respectively

COLOUR TEMPERATURE (CCT)

COLOUR RENDERING (CRI)

1700K (amber)

37

2000K

36

1800K

48

had been positioned high up, almost vertically, to ensure a wide area was sufficiently lit. However, with LEDs and flat glass luminaires, floodlights can now be mounted in a horizontal position with the peak beam being angled at a max of 60 degrees, focusing the light exactly where it needs to be, so reducing light spill and sky glow.

It is not just the amount of light that contributes to light pollution but also the light spectrum composition. A significant amount of blue light can have negative impact on the work of astronomers.

The impact is so great that some countries are beginning to introduce regulations limiting blue light spectrum in light sources. One solution to this is to adopt efficient white LED boards with dedicated coloured optical plates for night preservation. This ensures the best solution for the safety and comfort of inhabitants, astronomers' research, and compliancy to regulations.

In some cases, manufacturers have been looking at using amber LEDs to reduce sky glow (by removing the blue light content). However, two new light recipes are now also being proposed for night preservation.

Based on coloured optics, these ensure a higher efficiency than a standard optical plate with amber LED. The coloured optics can be combined with neutral-white or warm-white LED boards, providing two different colour temperatures (CCT) and colour rendering (CRI).

A standard amber LED has a colour temperature of 1700K with a CRI of 37.

The new proposals provide either 2000K or 1800K, with a CRI of 36 or 48 respectively. In this case, they allow the lighting distributions to remain unchanged thanks to a standard transparent optical plate. This is shown in figure 2 below.

CASE STUDY: PUERTO DE LA CRUZ

Let’s look at an application where this has approach been implemented. The Canary Islands are famous for their natural beauty and clear night skies, attracting tourists and astronomers alike.

The Teide Observatory, located in the north of Tenerife and operated by the Canary Islands Institute of Astrophysics (IAC), has become one of the major international observatories due to the exceptional clarity of its night skies.

Monitoring the amount and quality of artificial light used in outdoor spaces on the island has always been high on the agenda to minimise light pollution.

Recently, several new measures were put in place by the local government to ensure all outdoor lighting complies with the specifications defined by the IAC. www.theilp.org.uk

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Light pollution and obtrusive light

 F igure 4. This shows how the optical distribution in a car park can make this change, reduce light spillage and improve the quality of life for nearby residents  T he new light recipe from upgraded LED lighting on Tenerife minimised sky glow yet the new coloured optics also filtered the blue part of the light spectrum, which could interfere with the activities of the observatories

These include guidelines for radiance, wavelength, light spectrum and f lat luminaire architecture, meaning a light source can shine directly down.

Some of the conventional lighting solutions were compliant with these specifications but, after the introduction and refinement of LED technology, municipalities have been facing a major dilemma. LED lighting provides significant opportunities to save money by reducing energy consumption, lower operational and maintenance costs due to longevity, while offering a greater level of control and the potential to be integrated into municipality systems and applications. However, many of the available options were not compliant with IAC’s specifications.

As you can see in the image above, the light recipe minimised sky glow, yet the

new coloured optics filtered the blue part of the light spectrum, which could interfere with the activities of the observatories.

LIGHT SPILL

Light spill, to recap, is where light appears where it is not intended or needed. So, how do we prevent this? Primarily by connecting the correct optic distribution to the application.

When assessing the lighting scene, it is important to consider the user, the lighting criteria, and the level of comfort, as well as the geometry of the area to be lit (the beam width of the optical solution).

Lighting design software will offer a multitude of options; so light spill considerations must be high in the priorities to ensure the optimal solution is chosen. For example, the system may select the DS optic, but this is a symmetrical optic and provides a circular distribution to replace an old SOX post top.

It will give the same amount of light to the front of the luminaire as to the back.

Therefore, if you use this on a straight

 F igure 3. Examples of optical distributions. Lighting design software can nowadays offer a multitude of options, so light spill considerations must be high in the priorities to ensure the optimal solution is chosen

EXAMPLES OF OPTICAL DISTRIBUTIONS Wide and extra wide optics DW10

Sport and Area DX10

DX60

Medium optics

OFA52

S

DM10 DM11 DM12 DM13

Narrow optics

Square, Park DN10

Extra narrow optics

DS50

DN11

Railway DN09

www.theilp.org.uk

DRN1

DRN2

DRM1

DRM2

road application there will be a significant amount of light spill outside of the target area, as shown in figure 3 below.

In the example above (figure 4), we see how the optical distribution in a car park can, with an optical change, reduce light spillage and improve the quality of life for nearby residents. On the left we have a wide optic, which lights the parking areas to the correct standard. However, a similar optic on the right could be used, which has a sharp cut-off behind and in front of the luminaire. This prevents the spill towards the residents’ apartments.

So, we can control as much light as possible using the correct optical distribution. But what if we still have an issue?

Spill back light can be controlled and cut with optional louvers added into the optical system. These focus on greatly reducing spill light via an internal louver, which preserves the aesthetic of the luminaire. They can be installed at point of manufacture or as a retrofit solution. You can see an illustration of this in figure 5 overleaf.

The two images below are an example of two different louver distributions. The image on the left has limited cut-off, keeping the light on the ground in front of the housing where the distance from the property is approximately half the mounting height.

The image on the right, however, has a much sharper cut-off, where the luminaire is up to 1m from the property. Photometric data can easily be provided for internal louvers, which means the reduction in light spill can be modelled at the point of design.

As shown in the two images, internal louvers can provide between 60-90% light reduction on the façades. External louvers can also be provided. Normally a

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Light pollution and obtrusive light CLASS

MAXIMUM LUMINOUSa INTENSITY IN DIRECTIONS BELOW THE HORIZONTAL IN CD/KLM OF THE OUTPUT FLUX OF THE LUMINAIRE

G*1 G*2 G*3 G*4 G*5 G*6

at 70˚ and aboveb

at 80˚ and aboveb

at 90˚ and aboveb

– – – 500 350 350

200 150 100 100 100 100

50 30 20 10 10 0c

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

None None None Luminous intensities above 95˚ b to be zeroc Luminous intensities above 95˚ b to be zeroc Luminous intensities above 90˚ b to be zeroc

a. Luminous intensities are given for any direction forming the specified angle from the downward vertical with the luminaire installed for use b. Any direction forming the specified angle from the downward vertical, with the luminaire installed for use c. Luminous intensities up to 1 cd/klm can be regarded as being zero

 F igure 6. Table A1 from BS5489-1:2020

set of external louvers would consist of a front, rear and side louver (as highlighted in the cut-out image to the right). These in general are not normally photometered but can provide a reduction in spill light.

GLARE

Excessive brightness from lights that cause visual discomfort, otherwise classified as glare, may be most familiar to us from over-exposure to poor quality luminaires at home.

However, with so much lighting in our public spaces, from streetlamps to building façades and bridges, glare is increasingly a side-effect we need to look to reduce.

The issue of glare from luminaires has so far been addressed by limiting the luminous intensities being projected from the luminaire – as defined through a glare classification or ‘G class’.

 F igure 5. This shows how spill back light can be controlled and cut with optional louvers

LIGHT TRESPASS PREVENTION Internal Louvers

Backlight

60%-90% of light reduction on faÇade

An additional step to address the issue of glare in residential areas is with the release of the new BS5489-1:2020, Design of road lighting. Lighting of roads and public amenity areas. Code of practice, as highlighted recently in Lighting Journal [2]. This sees the move towards measuring Threshold Increment (TI) for disability glare, which is measured from an observer point on the roadway within the application area. It does not, however, consider observers outside the application area, in other words for the residents; we still need to consider the direct glare from the luminaires.

BS5489-1:2020 states: ‘Direct glare from luminaires in subsidiary roads and associated areas, footpaths and cycle tracks should be controlled. Where luminaires have clear bowls or refractors, these should conform to class G*1 as specified in BS EN 13201 2:2015, Table A.1, or a higher class, to provide adequate control of glare.’

Table A1 is detailed here (figure 6), where a G*1-G*3 is a semi cut-off luminaire, with G*4 and above being a full cutoff luminaire. Again, the G* rating of a luminaire will change with the tilt angle of the luminaire in the lighting design.

For example, at 0 degrees it may be G*4 but at 5 degrees tilt, it may be G*3.

The industry standard has been for many years to specify a G*1 classification for residential roads and associated areas and G*3 for traffic routes. With the introduction of LED luminaires, we have seen a number of optical solutions that no longer meet the requirements of table A1 above and have no G-rating (at 0deg tilt).

It is important to note that, in many cases, the higher the G class the lower the spacing and higher the energy consumption due to the limitations on the luminous intensity values.

[1] The new world atlas of artificial night sky brightness, Science Advances, 10 June 2016, http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/2/6/e1600377.full [2] BS5489-1:2020, Design of road lighting. Lighting of roads and public amenity areas. Code of practice, https://www.bsigroup.com/en-GB/standards/how-to-accessand-buy-ISO-standards/; ‘Update your journey’, Lighting Journal, June 2020, vol 85, no 6; ‘Incremental change’, Lighting Journal, September 2020, vol 85, no 8

www.theilp.org.uk

For example, when comparing an unrated solution to a G*3 solution to achieve the same spacing in your lighting design, although the level of comfort will be better with the G*3 optic the energy consumption may increase.

There are a lot of factors that impact glare; therefore, it is important when assessing a lighting application to remember the driver and specify if a glare classification is required and what the requirement needs to be.

CONCLUSIONS

To conclude, there is no easy or quick solution to mitigating light pollution in public spaces. It is an environmental issue that for a long time has not been prioritised.

However, it is promising to see governments and citizens now paying more attention to the impact of sky glow, light spill and glare, and looking for solutions.

A lot of the work – the key, to my mind – is in the planning: research the right LEDs for the space and function, as well as speaking with skilled installers who can ensure the right positioning (for example, tilt) to help reduce light pollution from your installation.

Emily Bolt BEng (Hons) is technical services manager for Signify UK & Ireland

FIND OUT MORE

Emily’s article has been built upon her recent presentation at the ILP’s CPD webinar ‘How to eliminate light pollution’.

It is free to watch online at https://theilp.org.uk/project/ i lp - c p d-webi n a r -how-t o eliminate-light-pollution/

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OCTOBER 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE ‘The Concourse’, the space underneath a brutalist concrete bridge at the University of Sheffield had become tired, forgotten, uninviting, even somewhat threatening at night. Now all that has changed, thanks to an innovative, award-winning lighting scheme by Arup

By Dan Lister

www.theilp.org.uk

OCTOBER 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Public realm lighting

T

he heart of The University of Sheffield is somewhat unusual, being as it is bisected by the busy A57 ‘Manchester Road’. During the 1960s, Sheffield City Council recognised the challenges the road posed to pedestrian safety for the fast-growing university, taking the decision to elevate the four lanes of traffic above the surrounding ground level.

Two double bridges, designed in a brutalist fashion from concrete, were therefore constructed; in the process creating what became known as ‘The Concourse’.

The structure – designed in fact by Arup – won a civic trust award in the 1970s, when it was completed. Despite its brutalist design, the underpass comprises a range of unique forms and shapes; a combination of hard lines and sweeping curves all cast in concrete. The structure conveys a strong, solid and robust aesthetic.

By the time I was a student at Sheffield in the 1990s, however, it had become tired and forgotten as a space. It was somewhere for bicycle parking and general circulation; it was a clutter of advertising hoardings and generally had a feel of not being valued or looked after.

Yet, now the university has 40,000 students (from 4,000 in the 1960s), the site is at the centre of the campus, surrounded by the biology, natural sciences and chemistry departments, the Arts Tower (a famous building in its own right), the main old 1950s/1960s library and the new learning centres.

 W hat was to become 'The Concourse' area underneath the Western Bank Bridge as it looked in the 1970s, soon after the bridge was completed. Photograph by Hank Snook Photography Associates

CREATING A POOR IMPRESSION

It is also where the Students’ Union is located, which is a busy hub for activities and entertainments. The university was therefore cognisant it had this space on its front doorstep that was under-utilised and did not present an appropriate first impression for new or prospective students. The Concourse had become something of a non-place; and the university – rightly – wanted it to positively contribute to the campus.

We were approached by the Estates

 T he space in the 1990s, showing how it had primarily become an (uninviting) parking lot for student bicycles and advertising hoardings

Department and asked to develop a new lighting approach. The existing scheme consisted of floodlights aimed to provide an indiscriminate wash of light over the whole space resulting in areas of hard dark shadow, places to hide, glare/visual discomfort; really not a very nice environment. The brief was simple. The university wanted it to be well lit, suitable for CCTV, a safer space for all students, fun (yet serious), and as an important part of the university’s ‘shop front’; it should positively contribute to the campus and public realm.

So, we went and had a closer look at what was going on. What we found was that, in fact, it was a much more complex – and beautiful – structure than you might imagine at first glance. Underneath the accumulation of street clutter, bike racks and poster boards, there were linear, elegant, parapet concrete walls and a delicate subtlety in the arch camber of the structure itself, with the central spine slightly dipped. When you examined the cross-section the bridge is in fact formed of two carriageways separated by a raised light well, each very slightly curved. The bridges were not two straight structures. The subtle lines of the bridge deck is in contrast to the sweeping curves and hard-edged central piers; almost softening the appearance of the monolithic concrete structure.

It was also all incredibly high quality; the piers have sharp and chip-free edges, even after 50 years of abuse in the student public realm. You could even see, embedded, the original form and timber work used in the casting, the joint lines and the batten lines, the old nail impressions; These were providing texture and character to the surface material . www.theilp.org.uk

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LIGHTING JOURNAL

Public realm lighting That was when we started to get excited and realised that, actually, the way to light this space was through grazing these structures, revealing the surfaces in a new light.

BOLD APPROACH

When it came to develop our concept, the focus was on occupant experience and how the space was going to be used. We wanted it to be considered a ‘room’ within the public realm. This got us thinking about the soffit structure and different surfaces that sweep across and the edges/ boundaries between these surfaces and an opportunity to provide form and reveal the structure through its parts.

The initial appraisal identified six key elements of the space we wanted to highlight. The first four were the structure itself: inner/outer soffits and inner/outer surfaces of the piers. Each was an element to be treated as one effect, deliberately avoiding over-complicating the visual experience.

Separated from the bridge the fifth element was to connect the bridge structure to the public realm. This was achieved through the provision of low-level lighting integrated within seating and hard landscaping that extended beyond the confines of the structure.

The final element was people – to provide just enough spectrally neutral ambient light to the occupied volume. It was about instilling a sense of safety while avoiding strong shows on the floor and on the faces of the public.

 O ne of the 3D plans for the Arup lighting scheme

www.theilp.org.uk

‘IT WAS ALL ABOUT ENCOURAGING AND EXPANDING THE USEFULNESS OF THE SPACE’ We wanted to provide a more subtle approach to lighting than the existing floodlighting; we wanted to provide a grounding and ‘foundation’ to the lighting scheme so that it was all around you and you were within it rather than it being applied upon you from above or from the surface. It was all about encouraging and expanding the usefulness of the space.

One challenge was how to fix the new scheme to the structure. We wanted to wash the surfaces but, when we looked at the elegance of the original concrete, there was nowhere really to hide equipment; and no way to recess it within the 50-year-old structure. On the outer edges, the detail where the deck met the parapet provided a small downstand to hide behind, but on the inner edges we recognised we were going to

have to surface mount and drop down below the soffit to achieve the required effect.

So, we decided very early on: ‘Be bold.

We have got a brutalist structure, we have got brutalist concrete; so just be bold with it and be confident.’ Part of that bold strategy was also about being bold in colours.

I’m not generally one for being bold with colours; it is not my forte. But this was the one situation where we thought ‘we’re not going to be subtle; we’re going to go quite striking’. We decided we shouldn’t rely on saturated light alone and looked to integrate the diffuse white light elements that could desaturate the occupied volume without diluting the impact.

TECHNICAL CHALLANGES

The more we got into the detail, the more we noticed. We captured a 3D scan to help us understand the space better. That helped us to notice details we hadn’t appreciated before. Little things, such as the fact the central piers are tilted; they’re not symmetrical, they’re leaning in. As a result of this, they present different angles in relation to the floor on each corner.

So how were we going to treat these structures and how were we going to light them? How do you mount a long continuous fitting, about 40m long, to follow a double curved edge? And how do we create a strategy for building something that is easy to install and easy to maintain, but also easy to get right and commission?

We came up with the idea of having this two-part install. We had a back plate with mounts on that you can adjust up, down, left and right. And the back plate housed the cabling and provided all the function within it to take up the tolerance within that linear length. The second part contained the light chamber, with two compartments and shroud, which could hook on into the underside of the backplate lift up and be clipped in. Though of course there was different detailing for the outer and inner edges lines of fittings.

The benefit of lifting and clipping in in this way was that it gave us the opportunity to refine and aim/commission the wash of light over the surface. This allowed adjustment of the luminaire alignment and tilt to adjust to tolerance in surface and installation accuracies, while maintaining the perception of a single and continuous sweeping line. It was that level of detail that helped us begin to understand how the final design could be delivered to the quality we wanted.

Working with the manufacturer we developed the basic luminaire form and mocked it up with a Kappa board model to establish if the concept was feasible. From there, a physical prototype was produced

OCTOBER 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

also looked to refine the edge details, modifying the height of the baffles by a few millimetres with electrical black tape, to modify the cut-off angles and prevent direct view of the LED chips from within the space.

When it came to the piers, we knew we wanted to contrast the outer surface of the structure against a glowing ‘crucible’ space within. The lighting approach for the whole bridge had been to reveal the formwork textures embedded within the concrete finish, so by close mounting luminaires at the base for the other surface and at the top for the inner volume, almost inverting and working against themselves.

This gave a great opportunity of contrast and shadow. We started to get excited. We saw the contrast of surface edges being revealed, forming intriguing shadows and patterns between it, adding a bold emphasis to the brutalist structure.

There were challenges, of course. For exa mple, how do you sou rce a n in-ground uplight that is RGBW, also tiltable, the right beam distribution, complements the spectral quality of other light sources being used and sit it within a very tight space beneath a 50-year-old structure – one where we’re not really sure where the foundations are? There was a lot of digging around trying to find the right product.  A bove and below: the Arup team hard at work during the installation process

to understand how it might work, how it might be constructed and, importantly, review with the client how it might be maintained. This allowed us to evaluate the performance of the luminaire concept, light distribution, construction and installation, with an opportunity to amend the design to meet the intent and address concerns.

For example, initially we had conceived the effect as a continuous line of light, so the diffusers were positioned in front of the end caps to blur the boundary between the physical light chambers.

However, we found that the combination of curved structure and tolerance required between the luminaires leaked light upwards between them, which was something we absolutely didn’t want. So, we sacrificed the utopian idea of a continuous line of light and separated the diffusers, resulting in better and tighter control of the light and lit elements.

Then it was a question of installation and checking that everything was working as we wanted it. The prototype was installed on the structure to review

installation/maintenance sequences, but also to look at durability. We had people hang off the fittings to make sure they were student-friendly/student-safe. We

TYING INTO THE GROUND

The final challenge was to tie it back together. We wanted to connect the structure down to the ground and introduce lighting at low level. Essentially this was done through lighting the planting through spike lights and in the trees to emphasise the layers of light and verticality within the

www.theilp.org.uk

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Public realm lighting

public realm. But it was also about celebrating the concrete. The landscape architects HLM had developed an idea of a concrete benches that were going to continue through and under the space to provide new seating opportunities.

We designed a pelmet detail within this, cast into the structure, a void, which then allowed the installation of continuous linear products within it. Each light unit was 2m in length with cast-in conduits back to central driver locations.

The longest seating was 20m long but, through careful detailing and identifying how the cables are going to overwrap and overlapping the lamps end to end, it was possible to achieved a seamless line of light.

The Concourse scheme won the Lu x Awa rds 2019 Outdoor Lighting Project of the Year and then, in February of this year, the ‘Light & Surface Exterior’ award at the Surface Design Awards.

In June, it was also honoured by winning the IALD Radiance Award for Excellence in Lighting Design, the highest honour in architectural lighting design, with it being described by one of the US judges as “a beautiful example of color [sic] and light as place-making”.

www.theilp.org.uk

CONTROL AND SCENE SETTING

Finally, once we had got all the elements together, the challenge was how to control them. Once again, we said, ‘be bold’. We were adamant that the structure wouldn’t have a generic rainbowing mode; we wanted to provide a scheme which acknowledges the university, the student population and the wider city. We also had to discuss and agree with the security team how we intended to balance the necessary elements of white light whilst not diluting the bold, striking colour concept.

In terms of the wider control strategy of the space, we created a weekly sequence, one programmed to respond to the regular events that are scheduled within the union. Each of the lighting scenes has been developed in response to the music playing in the students’ union that day, in both colour and tempo.

Tuesdays, for example, are drum and bass, so it is quite fast rapid bright striking colours. Wednesday is sports night, so we have the university varsity team colours.

The Friday night mixes and changes, and so it is active, but more neutral. Saturday night is the big student night, called ‘Pop Tarts’, and is all magentas and yellows.

The rest of the week, Monday, Thursday and Sunday, have a more muted and quieter tone. And then there is lighting for special events, such as varsity or inter-mural matches, graduation days, public holidays and so on. We timetabled this all out, worked through the detailing, then commissioned each one on site, adapting the selection and combination of

colours and tones to complement the concrete forms and textures.

CONCLUSION

The bridge is five minutes’ walk away from where I live, so it was a very personal project for me, and not only because I had attended the university myself.

The university wanted a space that was no longer overlooked but became a ‘place’, a destination in its own right. The experience of the space is now completely transformed, as you can imagine. There is seating; the bike clutter has been moved; the public realm has been rejuvenated.

But also, the Students’ Union has embraced it, not just the university. There are many more events run outside because there is now space available – facilitated by the provision of a mixing desk input directly into the DMX control channels.

Not long after it opened (and of course pre-Covid-19), the union put on a special event in the concourse. It had outside food stalls and it was just full of people embracing the space, sitting, eating and drinking. It has become almost an extension of the union, a proper real outdoor space. Pandemic constraints of course permitting, there are also now plans for bands, gig launches and music launches to be performed under the concourse. It is now a really active space and loved by all the students and staff.

Dan Lister BEng (Hons) MSc is associate | lighting, at Arup

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SELECTION PROCESS Despite UK cities and towns broadly having the same layout and lighting installations needing to perform to the same standards, there is widespread inconsistency in how street lighting is specified, argues one lighting designer.

More clarity and transparency would allow design engineers to devise more effective proposals

By Simone Rossi

www.theilp.org.uk

OCTOBER 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Street lighting

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In order to understand how setting limitations on driving currents may affect the selection of luminaires and on the final lighting performance a selection of 295 street lighting fittings from four of the major players in the market was taken into account.

Using available information on luminous flux, nominal power and driving current for each fixture it was possible to create a 3D scatter plot to visualise the impact of constraints from specifications.

A gradient of colours was applied to the plot to improve its readability and the appreciation of the scale of the situation.

For the same reason, the sample of luminaires was divided into three groups according to their output and size and classified as per the type of application that would be generally used. This is shown in figure 1 above.

Where the range of acceptable driving

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As a designer, when preparing proposals for tenders I have found myself in the position of dropping fittings that would be the most compatible solution with the requirements from standards in order to meet specifications from the relevant contracting authorities. This made me wonder if the proposed schemes would offer members of the public the best option available.

This paper therefore examines the impact of requirements set in street lighting renewal specifications by some local authorities across England and Wales; it is an update and extension of a talk I presented at a few ILP regional events during the autumn of 2018 and spring of 2019.

The focus is set on the driving current, which is one of the parameters that is subject to constraints set in specifications issued by some local lighting departments.

The same approach may be adopted for other variables, and it should provide a starting point to address our approach to street lighting specifications and to whether we should adopt a different one.

The first step of the analysis entailed collecting a sample of approximately 30 street lighting specifications by local authorities from England and Wales; the scope was appreciating to what extent driving current is considered a relevant parameter in the selection of the best luminaires.

Half of the consulted documents did not contain any constraint on driving current at all, while the remaining specifications set minimum and/or maximum thresholds of acceptability; a driving current ranging between 300mA and 500mA would comply with the majority of specifications from the sample.

Driving Current [mA] 1000

Fittings for residential areas 1000

Lu

SPECIFICATION CONSTRAINTS

A certain level of homogeneity among these specifications would have been expected, considering that installations under renewal should have comparable performance. It shouldn’t be forgotten that all installations should comply with requirements for a relatively small range of classes of lighting, that the typology of roads do not vary massively among British towns, and that all public asset owners require to upgrade street lighting the same type of technology (LEDs).

Specifications also varied with reference to where driving current is to be determined, as some documents referred to drivers, others to the entirety of luminaires and a couple of them generically to the power supply.

Likewise, the declared scopes of the limitations on driving current were not similar across the sample, since some authorities used it as a way to curtail glare, others required current to be well controlled and the remaining ones aimed at ensuring ‘proper’ operations of lighting fixtures, whatever they might mean by it.

Looking at the luminaire components and how constraints on driving current affect their performance should clarify if this approach to specifications is the most effective way to achieve the goals listed above.

Most manufacturers offer ranges of street lighting products in three or four sizes to cover all type of roads and to meet requirements for the classes of lighting from standards; this is achieved by adopting assorted types of LEDs, fitted to luminaires in varying quantities and run at different driving currents.

Driving Current [mA]

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uring the past decade over four million street lighting units have been upgraded to LEDs across the United Kingdom and a further three million are due to be replaced in the next few years [1]. It has been a great opportunity to improve the sustainability and the efficiency of this essential asset.

Most of these huge renewal tasks have been rolled out through tender processes entailing prescriptive specifications for luminaire characteristics rather than setting goals on the desired performance of the final installations.

Considering the scale and impact of these lighting renewal initiatives, it is worth considering the effectiveness of such a prescriptive approach to specifications by looking at how they influence the selection of luminaires and, indirectly, the overall performance of street lighting schemes.

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 Figure 1. A 3D scatter plot showing the impact of constraints from specifications. A gradient of colours has been applied to improve readability, with the luminaires divided into three groups according to their output, size and the type of application they would be generally used for

current is relatively small a large portion of street lighting products may not be selectable; consequently, specifiers are expected to meet requirements from standards with fewer options in terms of luminous flux and input power. This may lead to lighting schemes being overdesigned, where more luminaires from a specific range with low flux are required to achieve the same results as an installation with more luminous products. Conversely, it may lead to schemes being under-designed, for example in like-forlike lighting replacement where limitations on quantity of luminaires cannot be compensated by the selection of fittings with higher luminous flux.

This has inevitable implications on capital and operations costs and on the overall quality of the installations. Consequently, local authorities may end up by www.theilp.org.uk

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LIGHTING JOURNAL

Street lighting

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 F igure 2. Graphs taken from the specification sheet for the Xitanium FULL Prog LED Xtreme driversXi FP 100W datasheet

undermining the main scope of upgrading lighting to LED and the goals of reducing glare or improving efficacy set in the very same specifications.

Before moving on with assessing how driving current specifications may have an impact on the performance at component levels, attention should be paid to the relationship between current and power. This is especially in light of the fact that voltage is among the variables from the equation below specifiers have no influence on voltage.

P=VI – DRIVING CURRENT SPECIFICATION VERSUS PERFORMANCE

Looking at drivers, it has to be considered that there is an indirect relation between limitations on driving current and other three factors that describe the performance of LED drivers: power factor (PF), efficiency and total harmonic distortion (THD).

Constraints on these factors are set in tender specifications in the form of lower thresholds for PF and upper limits for THD. As may be appreciated from the graphs in figure 2 above, compliance with requirements on driving current would entail operating at as close to the origin of the x axis as possible, while meeting constrains on PF and THD would require to go along the opposite direction.

In order therefore to comply with these local authorities’ requirements, it is necessary to make a compromise at the expense of the optimal solution. Where constraints on driving currents are more stringent, this may have implications from the point of view of the overall efficiency of the scheme.

In fact the selection of the product with

the lowest driving current available from a range of luminaires also entails picking the fitting with power factor from the same range, though it may still meet PF requirements from specifications. Similarly, the product that best complies with the local authority’s requirements is likely to be the one with the highest THD from the same range.

Another aspect that can be overlooked when addressing the driving current specifications is the variety of solutions offered by LED technology. While the majority of most commonly installed street lighting products are fitted with single chip LEDs, a minority of players in the market have adopted multichip LEDs, inclusive in their street lighting fittings.

This latter solution entails supplying LEDs with two, or potentially more, circuits, therefore the current through diodes is a portion of the nominal driving current of the driver. In terms of performance, where contracting authorities are willing to limit glare, for example, they may paradoxically end up discouraging the use of luminaires that appear to be less bright to road users.

Along with the benefit of running diodes at a lower current, there may be disadvantages in the use of multichip LEDs in terms of overall efficiency of the product and thermal management. But these issues should be addressed separately in specifications by local authorities, adding specific requirements and limitations rather than making assumptions on how driving current may address those disadvantages.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the analysis and considerations made in this paper, the main conclusion that may be drawn is there is widespread

[1] National Street Lighting Survey 2019, The Institution of Lighting Professionals, Rugby

www.theilp.org.uk

inconsistency in street lighting specifications published across the country.

In light of the fact all cities and towns across the country have similar layouts, where lighting installations are meant to meet the same standards and expected to perform similarly, there is little justification for such a variation in performance requirements.

When this paper was presented at some ILP technical events, some members of the audience pointed out that constraints on driving currents may have been conceived with different objectives in mind than those declared in the specifications. For example, some authorities intend to reduce the variety of drivers fitted in their street lighting for maintenance purposes while others may want to align the performance of new street lighting to the operation of other installations already in place.

These seem legitimate needs, but it would be more effective and transparent if contracting authorities declared what their desired outcome is in terms of installation performance, costs and maintenance requirements.

More clarity and transparency in what results contracting authorities envisage would allow design engineers to devise more effective proposals by being able to refer to a wider range of technical solutions and by engaging with manufacturers in improving existing technology.

I would argue that it is therefore worth questioning the prescriptive approach that we have adopted so far and to find a consensus on whether there are more effective methods of selecting the best street lighting for our streets.

Simone Rossi is a senior lighting designer at Dialight Europe and is an affiliate member of the ILP

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OCTOBER 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

LET THERE BE…

CONNECTION LinkedIn’s #LetThereBeLightChallenge has struck something of a chord with lighting professionals, with more than 3,000 posts and images about light now having been shared on the social media platform. But how did it all come about?

The inspiration behind it, lighting designer Melissa Mak, spills the beans

By Melissa Mak

www.theilp.org.uk

OCTOBER 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

The #LetThereBeLightChallenge

T

The #LetThereBeLightChallenge began, very simply, because it was my turn to do a presentation at Arup’s weekly ‘Design Share’ session. I thought that, instead of just showing the design project I had recently worked on, why not share something about myself with my colleagues, something that illustrated my personal experience of light?

Like many of us, during the lockdown period while working from home, I had noticed some amazing phenomena of light, all of which had excited and surprised me. Plus, during some recent house renovation work, I had spent some time capturing pictures of light at the construction site using my phone camera.

The lockdown in March changed how all of us communicate and express ourselves. For me, there was what I suppose I could call a ‘counterforce’ reaction; when you lose something, you need to have something else to compensate the loss.

Stuck at home, communicating with each other by Teams or Zoom, I felt we were all missing those connections we previously took for granted, that sharing of ideas and inspiration.

So, I thought it was a golden opportunity, a perfect time, for me to share with my colleagues about my personal collection of light-related images.

The positive feedback I got from that then made me think, why stop there? Why not extend this sharing to everyone and encourage others to do the same? After all, everyone, whether we are within the lighting industry or not, has experienced light and must have experienced many hidden, amazing moments.

Light is not just a privilege for people in the lighting industry, it is for everyone; it surrounds everyone every day in every way.

When you observe, it appears. My hope therefore was to activate everyone’s engagement and to encourage positivity during what was a difficult period for all of us.

The way to do it – the heart of what has become the #LetThereBeLightChallenge – was very simple (and, to be fair, already common on social media): encourage people to post and share an image (in this case of light) every day for seven days, and then to nominate others to do the same. I wanted to inspire people to share and connect; to enjoy beautiful images of light and, in turn, to be inspired by light.

 This page and overleaf. Melissa  Mak's seven days of LetTheirBeLight  LinkedIn posts. Clockwise from top: days one, two and three

LINKEDIN NOVICE

One slightly embarrassing fact to admit however is that, believe it or not, my Day 1 #LetThereBeLightChallenge post on LinkedIn was also my first ever LinkedIn post! www.theilp.org.uk

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The #LetThereBeLightChallenge

 C lockwise from above: days four, five, six and seven from Melissa Mak's challenge  Check out the hashtag #LetThereBeLightChallenge on LinkedIn for the latest posts from around the world

Just a couple of days before I had been talking to Arfon Davies (UK lighting design leader at Arup) about how my LinkedIn account only had 14 connections – I really was not a user at all. So it was for me personally quite a challenge and a learning curve to launch an initiative like the #LetThereBeLightChallenge. For example, I had quickly to add as many people I knew as I possibly could before the first post!

Given that I was such a novice at social media I had no idea what to expect, if anything, once I did that first post. But it took off really quickly; in little more than a week more than 100 posts had been shared. I was truly amazed when after just four weeks it had reached more than 2,000 posts. And today (well, as of the beginning of September when this is being written) there had been more than 3,000.

On my Day 1 post, I nominated three of my Arup colleagues, Arfon Davies, Aliki Vaina and Dima Zogheib and I want to thank them here for helping to spread the challenge so effectively. Arup is a global organisation and many of us have our own networks and connections, personal and professional, all over the world.

I am thrilled and amazed by the continuing popularity of the #LetThereBeLightChallenge and by everyone’s contributions. Though I have often dreamed about making something ‘go viral’ in a positive way, I am very excited it has actually happened. www.theilp.org.uk

CONNECTING THROUGH DIFFICULT TIMES

Just as importantly, I feel very satisfied to have curated something that has got so many people connected, and connecting.

The ‘challenge’ has united people. The sense of spirit and community it has created is amazing.

So, where will this all go next? Every day there are more than 100 new posts to process; so the challenge is continuing to develop and grow. They are all so valuable with the stories and memories that people share. It has helped to connect me not just with colleagues, ex-colleagues and professional friends scattered across different part of the world, but also to people I have never met. I have made many new friends!

Finally, for me one of the attractions of the #LetThereBeLightChallenge is that it is so varied. There has been, and continues to be, such a huge range of images being posted, from light art installations to natural scenery, from architecture to the smallest moments of light.

I love the multifaceted nature of light and the fact light really does come in so many different forms. Light gives us so many possibilities. Just to think, 3,000 plus posts… and no single one is the same.

When imagination is without limit, the lighting possibilities are endless.

Melissa Mak is senior lighting designer at Arup

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OCTOBER 2020

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WORK , BUT NOT AS WE KNOW IT From socially distanced workstations and communal spaces through to ‘sneeze screens’, coronavirus has been rapidly changing the way workplaces are set out and used. In time, this could mean having to totally rethink how we approach workplace lighting, argues South African lighting professional Philip Hammond

By Philip Hammond

www.theilp.org.uk

OCTOBER 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Office and workplace lighting

A

t midnight on 31 December 2019, as we all celebrated the arrival of 2020, who knew that the world would be turned upside down within a matter of weeks by a world pandemic!

The year started out so promisingly, however, as soon as the first cases were reported, there was a noticeable hold-off on some projects. I am sure the lockdown that started on 26 March in South Africa impacted everyone to various degrees, no matter what type of business or job. There are possibly few places on the planet that have not been severely affected.

The UK of course followed with a lockdown that lasted for much the same length of time as ours in South Africa. The UK has had a high infection rate coupled with a much higher death rate than South Africa, however. At the time of writing (late July), South Africa is now fifth in the world in terms of infections, but our deaths are still (thankfully) low by comparison to the UK.

EASING OUT OF LOCKDOWN

This article is going to look at our experience in South Africa of moving out of lockdown and back towards some form of physical workplace ‘normality’. More widely, the conversations I have had with companies that are reopening has allowed me to reflect on and contemplate what the interior lighting of offices, call centres and boardrooms might begin to look like in the post-pandemic world.

In South Africa, like in the UK, the government has put in place guidance, advice and regulations to make workplaces safe to return to, mostly focused around social distancing and infection control [1].

Without exception, all businesses in South Africa have been required to make adjustments to ensure they are compliant with government-required measures for social distancing, thermal temperature checking and completion of health questionnaires before allowing entry to the premises (and more on reception areas in a moment).

They are required to display Covid-19 information posters throughout their facilities. Other measures that have become commonplace include hand sanitising facilities at entrances and at any point of service. In some organisations, after the end of the day or between every shift where shifts were functioning, a sanitising team will sanitise the premises completely.

Several companies I spoke to have adopted a shift or platoon system to make it possible for as many employees to work as possible to assist companies to

eliminate any backlogs for deliveries resulting from the lockdown period.

Another big change is that in South Africa, unlike in the UK, business owners, directors and employees alike have had to become accustomed to wearing a face masks whilst working continuously throughout the day.

Covid-19 is, of course, a new virus and everyone is on a steep learning curve about it. We know there are different strains of the virus and at least six (so far) different sets of symptoms have been identified, with symptoms four to six generally being deemed the worst [2].

We also don’t know if, or when, it – and its threat – will disappear. When a vaccine becomes available? When it simply dies out? No one knows. Some experts are now talking about it being with us at least until 2022 [3].

What that means for us professionals in the built environment is that we will probably have to adapt how we approach interior design and, in particular, interior lighting for some time to come. Let’s look at some different areas of the workplace in turn.

social distancing. Social distancing ‘safe zone’ stickers, again, are fixed to the floor.

What does this potentially mean for lighting? First, LED control/sensor technology may now have added value in this context by, for example, using sensors to show ‘green’ for a vacant safe zone, turning ‘red’ when a safe zone is being occupied and so on. Creative use of downlights can also be used to illuminate the social distancing safe zone markings

LIFTS AND ELEVATORS

Where lifts/elevators are in use, occupancy now has to be indicated through the use of adhesive disks on the floor. Typically, a standard passenger lift for up to 14 passengers will, in the new climate, now be limited to about four to six people.

This means the lift lobby needs to be marked appropriately to indicate the required waiting positions to maintain social distancing. This will apply to every lift lobby on every floor. Similarly, safe zone stickers should be fixed to the floor to indicate where to stand and wait to maintain social distancing.

ENTRANCES AND RECEPTION AREAS

When it comes to entrances and reception areas, provision must now be made for social distancing marks at every entrance to an office building or suite of offices.

Someone must be designated to take visitor temperatures, complete the contact questionnaire and require the visitor to hand sanitise before entering.

Reception furniture in many organisations is now moving away from comfortable couches to individual easy chairs, as these are easier to arrange and maintain www.theilp.org.uk

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Office and workplace lighting Wherever there are floor social distancing indication stickers, including within lift cars, sensor-controlled lighting can again be effectively used to show users and occupants where to stand.

Just as with reception areas, unoccupied spaces could display green and as soon as the space is occupied, turn red.

The 'new normal' encourages innovative ideas to use lighting and the existing lighting controls to address the needs brought about by the pandemic.

MEETING ROOMS AND WORKSTATIONS

In South Africa the seating in meeting rooms and/or boardrooms now needs to be at least 1.5m apart. If the meeting room table or boardroom table is narrow, ‘sneeze screens’ need to be fitted, even though ever yone w ill be wearing facemasks.

Cluster seating should be spaced to maintain 1.5m between desk seating. If desks are back to back or clustered, sneeze screens should again be fitted.

The sneeze screen height should be at least 600mm high. Where desks already have low partitions, the sneeze screens should be added to ensure that the overall height is 600mm.

The guidance in South Africa is that personal space should be taped off on the floor to ensure social distancing is maintained at all times, even within the office when moving around. Where new offices are being constructed, and where offices are to be carpeted, the marking could be incorporated into the carpet design.

Wherever possible, the flow within offices has to be a circular one-way route.

Where this is not possible, the communication route within the office should be divided into lanes indicating the direction of flow.

These changes could, over time, of course transform how office spaces work and are used and, crucially, how they need to be lit to best effect. Changes to lighting could include making use of individual desk lights, as ma king changes to overhead installed lighting is difficult to rearrange.

It may be made more difficult because of other installed services within the ceiling space. Where Power over Ethernet lighting is installed, making changes to the layout is much easier as it is simple plug-and-play and does not require

making changes to typical electrical low current reticulation.

It is also important to take careful note that the introduction of sneeze screens can impact the illuminance levels on the task areas. For example, we have modelled existing lighting designs after adding sneeze screens. The results were quite startling!

Despite being transparent, the illuminance levels were from 25% to almost 50% lower. In addition, glare and reflectivity of the material, whether glass or Perspex and especially over time, could cause user discomfort.

CANTEEN AND COMMUNAL FACILITIES

In pause areas, canteens and other communal facilities, all seating will need to be spaced to maintain social distancing.

This is especially important when meals or refreshments are consumed because, during those times, facemasks will of course be removed.

Casual coffee bar work areas now require sneeze screens between each workspace and seating must ensure social distancing.

Again, these changes may mean lighting professionals will need significantly to rethink how these spaces are lit in the future, and clients may in turn have different demands of the lighting in these communal areas.

[1] ‘South African government sets out strict measures for workplaces’, CGTN Africa, May 2020, https://africa.cgtn.com/2020/05/03/south-african-governmentsets-out-strict-measures-for-workplaces/; ‘Working safely during coronavirus (Covid-19)’, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, May 2020, https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavir [2] ‘Six distinct “types” of COVID-19 identified’, King’s College London, July 2020, https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/six-distinct-types-of-covid-19-identified [3] ‘Coronavirus distancing may need to continue until 2022, say experts’ The Guardian, April 2020, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/14/coronavirus-distancing-continue-until-2022-lockdown-pandemic

www.theilp.org.uk

IMPACT ON LIGHTING

As I’ve argued, the ‘new normal’ of working may lead to us as lighting professionals needing to carry out a wholesale re-evaluation of how, where and why we light an office or workspace.

Whether this becomes a temporary or permanent revolution in office design and lighting is of course too early to say. But it is pretty clear, even if a viable vaccine is found, that Covid-19 is here to stay with us for at least a few years.

Moreover, this discussion isn’t taking into account the possible impact on lighting and lighting design of more systemic change, such as increased home working leading to reduced demand for, perhaps, big open-plan working spaces.

Or perhaps it may be that where there is demand it will be for different forms and types of workplaces that may, again, need new, innovative and creative solutions in many areas, including lighting.

Whatever the future looks like, all lighting will, naturally, always have to be fully compliant with the applicable standards and regulations. For my part, my suspicion is one big change will be that task areas will be reduced. This will mean that task and ambient lighting may have to be relocated due to the changes in layout.

Whatever, the future holds for us, the one thing that is clear is that change is coming, whether we like it or not.

Philip Hammond B Illum Eng is director of BHA Lighting as well as director and principal of BHA School of Lighting in Cape Town, South Africa

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BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCE From gambling to hospitality, retail to healthcare and beyond, there is growing understanding of how light and lighting can be used to ‘nudge’ and change behaviour in a space

By Shelley James

www.theilp.org.uk

OCTOBER 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Architectural lighting

B

ack in the 1970s the psychologist Richard Gregory made the case that perception – how we experience and interact with the world around us – is a combination of two different types of mental processing, ‘top down’ and ‘bottom up’ [1]. ‘Bottom up’ refers to the stream of information we receive through our senses – taste, smell, touch, sound and vision. These cues are interpreted through a cascade of ‘top down’ processes based on context, prior knowledge and expectation to create our experience of the world.

Gregory considered that only around 30% of the information we use to make decisions is based on new data – the rest is an interpretation or projection. For example, a shiny area on a pavement is likely to be a patch of standing water.

We don’t need to spend any more time or energy testing that hypothesis – unless that patch behaves oddly when we walk past and so we are forced to look again.

This is an experience many pavement artists play with to great effect – from the simple to the dramatic (such as shown below).

One of the reasons why light and lighting is so endlessly fascinating is the way in which it can shift our perceptions, shift our expectations and understandings of the world, and even ‘nudge’ us to act or behave in certain ways.

In this article, based on a recent webinar I presented with James Cadisch of Phos, I intend to outline just a few of the ways in which, through light, it is possible to shape and direct behaviour in this way.

POSITIONING OF LIGHTING

You can, for example, use the position of lighting in very subtle ways to shift someone’s expectations and understanding of your relationship – and theatre and stage lighting professionals have long been expert in this.

These emotional responses all make sense if you remember that, in evolutionary terms, your position relative to other members of your social group and threats in the environment, are defined in relation to the sun.

So, someone who is taller than you will take all the light and, literally, cast a shadow over you – you will experience them as dominant. Equally, a face with strong light from below will seem strange, uncanny, otherworldly. It is hard to read a facial expression if part of it is in deep shadow – that person will appear mysterious, even sinister.

EVOKING EMOTIONS

Lighting designers know full well that we can use light to evoke different emotions and behaviours through a combination of different factors – the brightness and colour temperature of the light and the optics (focus or diffuse for example).

Physical considerations, such as central or peripheral position, visible or concealed fittings, above or below the eye line and reflective or matt surfaces also play a vital role. Simple changes to these core dimensions make a huge difference.

For example, people tend to avoid intimate conversations in spaces with bright overhead lighting. Equally, they,

literally, ‘lean in’ to environments that are punctuated with low-level warm light sources.

When light sources illuminate the outer edges of an area, we consider it to be more spacious, while a complex scheme that combines high-level and low-level light sources is judged as being pleasant.

In contrast, the experience of glare generated by focused light sources combined with reflective surfaces will generate a powerful immediate physiological stress response, including increased heart rate and raised blood pressure [2, 3, 4] Lighting can also be used to alter the flow of people through a space. Research has shown that most of us will follow our dominant side – to the right, or clockwise.

This tendency is reinforced by social cues, as we tend to follow the herd. However, some research suggests that it is possible to adjust that strong default by adding strong lighting cues.

GAMBLING AND RETAIL

The potential of light and colour to shape risk-taking behaviour is a fascinating area of research.

For example, compared to gambling under blue light, gambling under red light leads to more risks taken, higher stakes made, and more frequent bets. Studies suggest that, because blue is less arousing, it leads to slower performance, as the participants’ attention is not specially focused on the task. As red was highly arousing it caused participants to focus on the salient aspects resulting in faster bets. The arousing effects of red were speculated to increase overt behaviour [5, 6, 7].

Within retail, too, if you’re lighting a shoe shop, for example, and back-light the shoes people are 20% more likely to pick them up. And once they pick them up, they are more likely to try them on and, hopefully, then make a purchase.

There has been interesting work among retailers in Germany and Sweden where they have introduced controls to adjust www.theilp.org.uk

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Architectural lighting ‘NEUROSCIENCE OF LIGHT’ WEBINAR SERIES

This article was built from a webinar given by Shelley James with James Cadisch of Phos, and was the last of a series of four looking at ‘the neuroscience of light’.

In the other three webinars, Shelley discussed how light gets to our planet and how it guides and governs us; optical illusions and colour, in particular how we are influenced by colours and how we understand and make sense of the world as a result; and the influence that light has on us as individuals.

All four webinars can be viewed online by going to https://www. phos.co.uk/power-of-light

the colour temperature and light levels through the day to mirror exterior lighting conditions. Shoppers stayed longer with a higher average spend. The positive effect extended to staff with higher retention and fewer absences from ill health.

Retailers are also being innovative in terms of how they illuminate different departments – fruit and vegetables, bakery and meat for example. By choosing different wavelengths and combining focused spotlights and diffused luminaires, they are able to improve the appearance of the merchandise and highlight healthier choices [8].

Equally, at home, if you want to cut down on the midnight snacks, add a blue filter to the fridge light – that ‘clinical’ tinge will make that slice of cake decidedly less appetising!

appeal’ – or the attractiveness to the buyer – goes up by 20% (in other words you can sell your house for 20% more) if you light the outside of it beautifully, if you light it to show off the features and the garden.

In a hospitality environment, a ‘golden’ light near the cash register tends to increase tips. It can even alter our physical experience of temperature – we literally feel warmer in warm light and turn the thermostat up in response to cool lights.

It will be no surprise to learn that we tend to lose our inhibitions in darker environments and consume up to 35% more calories. We make more logical decisions in brightly-lit spaces but super-bright lighting triggers impulsive behaviour – just notice the light levels near the checkout in a supermarket.

SELLING HOUSES AND HOSPITALITY

There has also been interesting research into the relationship between light levels and colour rendering on the rates of errors

Research from the US has found that, if you’re looking to sell your house, ‘kerb

PRESCRIPTIONS AND HEALTHCARE

[1] ‘Knowledge in perception and illusion’, Richard L Gregory, 1997. Available online at http://www.richardgregory.org/papers/knowl_illusion/knowledgein-perception.htm [2] Mork R, Falkenberg H K, Fostervold K I, Thorud H M S. ‘Visual and psychological stress during computer work in healthy, young females – physiological responses’. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, May 2018. Available online at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ pmc/articles/PMC6132651/#:~:text=Exposure%20to%20direct%20glare%20resulted,a%20more%20forward%2Dbent%20posture [3] Belkic K. ‘Light stress and the cardiovascular system: the glare pressor test’. Journal of Ergonomics, vol 9, 1986, issue 4. Available online at https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/ abs/10.1080/00140138608968291 [4] Belkic K at al. ‘Blood pressure and electrocardiographic changes elicited by the glare pressor test’. Archives of Environmental Health: an International Journal, vol 42, 1987, issue 1. Available online at https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00039896.1987.9935793?src=recsys [5] Griffiths M. ‘Colour atmospherics and its impact on player behaviour’. Gaming Psychology, 2010, issue 3, pp.91-96. Available online at http://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/ eprint/9452/1/205691_7847%20Griffiths%20Publisher.pdf [6] Stark G M, Saunders D M, and Wookey P E. ‘Differential effects of red and blue coloured lighting on gambling behaviour’. Current Psychological Research, (1982), 2, pp.95-99 [7] Gnambs T, Appel M, and Oeberst A. ‘Red color and risk-taking behavior in online environments’. Plos One, July 2015. Available online at https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0134033 [8] Yilmaz F S. ‘Human factors in retail lighting design: an experimental subjective evaluation for sales areas’. Architectural Science Review, vol 61, 2018, issue 3, pp.156-170. Available online at https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00038628.2018.1450725 [9] Buchanan T L et all. ‘Illumination and Errors in Dispensing’, American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, 1991. Available online at https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1781468/

www.theilp.org.uk

by pharmacists preparing prescriptions [9]. Upgrading the luminaires for brightness and colour rendering reduced errors by up to 20%.

Phototherapy and photopharmacology are two other fascinating and emerging areas of research in the medical sector with far-reaching implications.

For example, lighting conditions can affect the way drugs are absorbed. Hospital stays for patients with bipolar disorder placed on wards with greater exposure to natural daylight were reduced by an average of 3.65 days – and used 22% less pain medication. Premature babies exposed to circadian lighting gained weight more swiftly and had greater motor control.

The lockdown forced many of us to work from home – and this looks set to continue for some time yet to come.

As a result, many of us are spending 23 hours out of 24 indoors. We have lost our daily dose of daylight from our commute – and are often working in spaces that were not designed with computers in mind. We sit for hours on end under dim, flickering blue-heavy artificial light sources and our eyes often have to contend with extreme contrast, reflections and glare.

The impact of this biological darkness on our health and wellbeing is not yet fully understood. But as I hope I have shown, light is as vital to our bodies and brains as air, food and water. I invite you to take care of – and enjoy – your diet of light.

Dr Shelley James is a freelance lighting designer

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STAGE MANAGED

Cutting-edge technology, including 3D scanning and printing, has been instrumental in helping to upgrade and restore the lighting of the historic Theatre Royal in London’s Drury Lane

By Nigel Rutherford and Mark Jones

www.theilp.org.uk

OCTOBER 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Heritage lighting

T

he Theatre Royal Drury Lane is one of the most famous, if not perhaps the most famous, theatre in the UK. Dating back to the reign of Charles II, its doors first opened in 1663 but it is best known for its heyday in the Georgian era, in the eighteenth century, when it was under the directorship of first the famed actor David Garrick and then the playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan.

Either way, the Grade I listed building in Covent Garden, now owned by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, is one of the cultural and architectural landmarks of London’s West End. To that end, any restoration or modernisation work must be carried out very carefully and sensitively, with the close involvement of architectural heritage specialists and Historic England.

At William Sugg, we are specialists in heritage lighting and at the beginning of last year we were brought in to work alongside architect and lighting designer BDP on a major refurbishment of the lighting for this historic building.

The scheme is updating the interior fittings for the theatre’s internal rotunda area. New Victorian-style torchieres are being installed on the rotunda and up the balustrades leading up to the auditorium, and then on the ground floor there will be new free-standing torchieres.

The scheme will also see the exterior lighting being refurbished and upgraded from metal halide to LED mantles,

including the installation of six new 3.2m high gas flambeaus on the external champagne terrace and adjacent balconies.

Our role within this was to provide and produce bespoke, cast-iron fittings and luminaires for both the interior and exterior, with a focus on replicating period torshares replicas based on the originals from Heaton Hall, an eighteenth-century country house Manchester. So it was clear from early on that we were being tasked with delivering quite a feat of engineering!

The first challenge was how to replicate the fittings at Heaton Hall in such a way as to be able to create new castings?

After some toing and froing, including liaising with historians, it was decided that the best way to replicate these fittings was to go up to Heaton Hall, create 3D scans and engineering drawings, and from there produce patterns to cast from.

3D LEARNING CURVE

We are quite a traditional lighting manufacturer, with a focus on hand-crafting products, so using new technology in this way was both exciting and something of a steep learning curve, as will shortly become clear.

We had recently worked on a project at McEwan Hall in Edinburgh where we had used a company to carry out some 3D scans that had proved quite successful. So, it seemed straightforward enough that we should simply use them again, get them to visit Heaton Hall (whose team was very helpful and co-operative throughout), and

 T he Theatre Royal (left) with some of the new moulds and (right) their original fittings at Heaton Hall

do their thing with 3D scanning – which they duly did. When we got them back, the models looked amazing on screen; you could manipulate them, spin them round and so on; they looked fantastic.

But it soon became clear we had not quite thought this through in the way we should have – hence my comment about this project having been something of a learning curve.

When we interrogated the scans from an engineering point of view, it was obvious that, while they looked great, they did not have the level of detail you need to re-engineer a product. What we needed, it transpired, was engineering-quality 3D scans. The first scans looked really good, but when you drilled down the detail just wasn’t there – they rounded off the corners and things like that.

So, it was back to the drawing board.

Fortunately, our pattern maker was able to recommend someone he knew who could do this for us and was able to return to Heaton Hall (who were, again, very accommodating) and rescan the fittings.

Again, the quality was mind-blowing. So, the big lesson we learned? It was, if you’re going down this route, that it is vital to make sure you commission the right scanning company!

Once we had this data, we then manipulated it to get the scale right (the Heaton Hall fittings were smaller than what was required for the Theatre Royal) and produced a set of 3D drawings. Once approved by the architect, we then ventured into another new area for us – producing a fullsize plastic prototype via a 3D printer.

COMPUTER NUMERICALLY CONTROLLED TOOLING

This was, again, an amazing and eye-opening process, albeit relatively straightforward. Once this, too, had been approved we then used the 3D CAD data to computer numerically control (CNC) the tooling for the patterns. From there it was a case of using a high-quality iron foundry on the south coast to do the castings from the patterns; and the quality was again really good.

We began to ship the 30 plus fittings to site over the summer; obviously, things were held up a bit by coronavirus although we worked throughout lockdown. The whole project will, when completed, transform the lighting in this venerable theatre that has an amazing history.

IMPROVING ACCURACY AND COLLABORATION

For us, as a heritage lighting manufacturer, the big learning point has been the extent to which technology nowadays www.theilp.org.uk

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Heritage lighting – 3D scanning, 3D printing and the CNC machining – can be used to your advantage. For us, dipping our toes into the water in this way has certainly opened our eyes as to what is available and achievable, and it is something we will be very much looking to maximise going forward.

Before, if you were taking a resin casting on-site, you were reliant on the caster getting the accuracy right. But now, through technology, you can take that accuracy and detail to the next level.

Being able to use technology in this way also enables manufacturers to collaborate more closely with architects on lighting solutions that, in the past, might have been dismissed as being too time-consuming to be viable.

It also helps in terms of pleasing heritage officers because they know what you are creating is a true replica of something that already exists. Yes, it is a replica, but it would look exactly as it did when it was first manufactured.

Finally, to my mind the other benefit of 3D scanning is that you now have a record of that lighting. For example, if or when a

fitting need to be taken away for maintenance or upgrading you know you have got a faithful record from the 3D scan – all safely stored in your archive.

You have the reassurance of knowing that you have a pinpoint accurate digital record so that, should anything happen to the original fitting, you will be able to re-manufacture whatever parts for the product you need rather than, say, having to hold up and squint at fading black and white photographs.

As a company that is very focused on preserving and celebrating our history and heritage, that, for us (and as a proud ILP Premier corporate member), is a real win/win situation.

We are extremely proud of the quality and delivery of this project and we are now carrying out another project using the same technology. But maybe more about that in a later edition!

Nigel Rutherford is director and Mark Jones is managing director at William Sugg & Co Lighting

 T he finished lamps in the William Sugg workshop, and details (again from the original fittings in Heaton Hall)

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 The computer numerically controlled tooling process underway

World leaders in heritage lighting Bespoke • Flambeaux • Gas • LED • Refurbishments Engineered lighting solutions of the future that preserve techniques of the past. Hand crafted and traditional design and manufacturing techniques complimented by new engineering technologies. Exceptional quality bespoke light fittings. Heritage, modern and everything in between.

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William Sugg & Co Ltd Sales T: 01293 540111

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Heritage lighting: opinion

PASTS UNDER PRESSURE H We all know budgets for lighting are under severe pressure post pandemic. When it comes to heritage lighting, this will make the balancing act councils face between preserving the essence of our historic market towns while investing in new and ever-better technology that much harder

By Liz Hudson

eritage lanterns, self-evidently, are very effective at rekindling the atmosphere from times gone by.

In Kensington Palace Gardens, the avenue that runs alongside Kensington Palace in London, that historic atmosphere is so highly valued it is still lit by 1,500 gas lamps, which require individual maintenance every two weeks and are hand lit each night.

However, this is obviously not a realistic approach on a grander scale. Where conventional luminaires would look out of place, authorities caring for places of significant cultural value and history work hard to achieve modern efficiency alongside an appropriate heritage aesthetic.

The reality is that buying a heritage lantern instead of a more conventional streetlight model is more expensive.

Sometimes a lot more. However, the people in charge of historical gems such as Chester tread a fine balance between supporting the essence of what makes Britain’s ancient cities and historical market towns so very special, while investing the budget and keeping up to speed with technology that lives up to modern standards and expectations.

This article intends to outline some of our experience at Carbon Reduction Technology (CRT) in navigating this difficult balancing act in Chester, and the challenges but also opportunities that come with it.

‘TIME TRAVELLING’ IN CHESTER

The value of a streetlight, in any setting, extends far beyond its purchase price.

Reproduction heritage lanterns have the ability to add drama and romance to a scene in a way that conventional streetlight models can’t replicate, especially when combined with a lower colour temperature range.

 Top: the historic centre of Chester  Left and below: the Rows, which has also been sensitively upgraded to LED

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OCTOBER 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

However, the march of progress is inexorable, making our pockets of history and culture ever more important – a cobbled road, gothic architecture, listed archways and the iconic image of Victorian-style lanterns lining the road.

It is this thirst for historical beauty within a street scene that inspired CRT to push its colour temperature range as low as 2200K, despite this being slightly less efficient than the higher ranges.

Cheshire West and Chester Council was quick to appreciate the urgency and benefits in upgrading to a more energy and carbon-efficient lighting technology.

One of our first projects in Chester was to upgrade the lighting on the Groves in 2009, on the banks of the Dee, to LED. The residential houses on the Groves are a combination of Victorian and Georgian, Grade II listed buildings. A test light was installed at +5000K, aimed at maximum energy savings.

While the energy reduction was significant, the modernity of the white light just didn’t work. When the full installation went ahead, the Groves were fitted with a marginally less efficient 3000K, retaining the traditional appeal of the area.

Chester went on to successfully upgrade some of its most culturally sensitive areas to LED, including custom lighting on the Roman walls, the Rows – with its 13th century roofed shopping walkways – and the beautiful Abbey Square, the location of a collection of gorgeous listed buildings and overlooking the cathedral.

CONCLUSION

Street lighting requires a level of artistry that we sometimes forget to appreciate, setting the mood and tone for the area.

In this way, the value of a streetlight can greatly exceed the cost to purchase, install, run and maintain it. Finding that

 S ome of the upgraded heritage LED lighting in Chester showing, top, Abbey Square and, above, the Groves

right balance between effective technology, budget and an aesthetic that preserves historical atmosphere can be challenging – but is vital in preserving the legacy of Britain’s historical landscape.

Conventional streetlights outnumber heritage lanterns in the UK by approximately 43:1, according to data gathered in last year’s ILP National Street Lighting Survey [1].

However, it is important that the heritage luminaire offering in the UK – for

[1] ‘ILP National Street Lighting Survey’, with Carbon Reduction Technology, June 2019, available online from https://www.carbonreductiontechnology.com/post/ national-street-lighting-report-download

both intermittent replacement and larger replacement projects – retains a high level of quality and variety.

Streetlighting is – and must remain – about more than simply lumens on the ground. Luminaires and light quality has to reflect and support the surrounding environment; a concept with which the lighting custodians of towns and cities such as Chester are intimately familiar.

Liz Hudson is head of marketing at EW Business Development & Marketing, and works with Carbon Reduction Technology www.theilp.org.uk

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PUTTING OUR HOUSEHOLDS

IN ORDER

Two recent reports have shone a light on the importance of recycling, highlighting the need to improve recycling rates of waste electricals, including household luminaires. To increase recycling of non-household luminaires, too, it remains imperative for businesses to choose lighting suppliers that are willing to take responsibility for waste fittings

By Nigel Harvey

www.theilp.org.uk

OCTOBER 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Luminaire recycling

E

ven in lockdown, it seems that influential waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) reports, like London buses, always arrive in pairs.

In June, the United Nations published its Global E-Waste Monitor [1]. This report provides the most comprehensive update of global e-waste statistics. It showed that in 2019 the world generated a striking 53.6 million tonnes of e-waste, an average of 7.3 kg per capita.

In high-income countries such as the UK, the figure is much higher. And, in fact, the report showed that the UK produced 23.9Kg of WEEE per capita. That is second only to Norway.

Clearly, there is a reasonably well-developed WEEE recycling infrastructure in the UK, which means a proportion of this waste is properly collected and recycled. The 2019 data from the UK’s Environment Agency shows that around 33% of waste electricals were collected and properly recycled through the formal WEEE system. But that still leaves an alarming tonnage unaccounted for.

HOUSEHOLD WASTE ELECTRICALS

This is where the second report helps out.

Published by Material Focus, an organisation financed through the UK’s WEEE system, this report examined the recycling, hoarding and disposal habits of UK consumers.

The study, entitled Hidden Treasures, revealed that households across the UK are throwing away 155,000 tonnes of small electricals every year, by putting them in the residual waste bin destined for landfill [2]. This equates to a total of 527 million disused electrical products, or 20 per household.

The UK’s WEEE regulations have undoubtedly helped to increase levels of e-waste recycling. These regulations place the responsibility for financing WEEE recycling on producers of new electricals.

So, the manufacturers of new lamps and fittings are responsible for financing the

recycling of waste lamps and fittings, as they arise as waste. But the figures undoubtedly show that there is more that needs to be done, as figure 1 below illustrates.

2019 LAMP RECYCLING DATA

In the UK, as the data in figure 1 shows, the 2019 lamp recycling rate was at 44%.

It is pleasing to note this is materially better than the 33% average for all electrical categories in 2019.

But that cannot be grounds for complacency. Although there is no quantified data to show this, it is likely that landfilled residual waste arising from consumers also contains some waste compact fluorescent lamps.

Research by Eucolight, the European trade association for lighting WEEE compliance schemes has shown that consumers cannot reliably differentiate

 F igure 1. The amount of electrical equipment supplied and waste electrical equipment recycled in 2019.

Source: The Environment Agency 2019 DATA

LAMPS Household

Non-household

between LED, fluorescent and incandescent technologies [3]. But, while incandescent lamps can be placed in the residual bin, LED and f luorescent lamps should not.

That creates a risk that consumers will incorrectly dispose of these lamps.

Consumers account for around 20% of waste lamps collected in the UK, with the balance arising from businesses.

Most businesses that collect larger quantities of waste lamps should be able to access free-of-charge collections, financed through the WEEE system. At Recolight, for example, we have more than 2,300 commercial collection points across the UK, including 830 that are open collection points.

These open collection points are generally located at electrical wholesaler branches, which offer a free-of-charge drop-off service for their customers, before passing those lamps on to Recolight for collection and treatment.

2019 LUMINAIRE RECYCLING DATA

FITTINGS Total

Household

Non-household

Supplied

8,445

1,885

10,330

55,354

42,415

Recycled

4,553

1.6

4554.6

5,559

2,697

Recycling rate

–

–

44%

10%

6%

i Household luminaire data has been adjusted for the application of a new protocol for small WEEE collected from household waste recycling centres ii For technical reasons relating to the interpretation of ‘dual use’ requirements, it is best to consider total lamp data, rather than separate household and non-household data

The 2019 data regarding the recycling rate for light fittings, however, shows a rate that is much lower than the average for all electricals. These low levels give particular cause for concern. Just 10% of household luminaires, and 6% of business luminaires were recycled in 2019.

To understand these low rates, and their causes, we need to unpack the data, and to consider household and non-household luminaires separately. www.theilp.org.uk

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Luminaire recycling 1) HOUSEHOLD LUMINAIRES

Last year was the first year in which household luminaires were in the scope of the WEEE regulations, and so we do not yet have several years’ data, which could mean that 2019 is anomalous.

But, on the assumption that it is not, the variety of household luminaires needs to be considered. Unlike most other electrical appliances, they are exceptionally heterogenous in construction, composed of a wide variety of materials – glass, ceramic, wood, plastic, and many others.

Compare that with the relative uniformity of TVs, tablets, or electric drills.

This is important when a consumer decides to discard a luminaire. There is a distinct possibility that consumers may perceive luminaires as less worthy of recycling, or less recyclable, than other consumer electricals. Although more research needs to be done on this area, it seems possible such perceptions have contributed to the lower return rate.

It is reassuring to note that three planned changes should help to increase the household luminaire recycling rate. Ț

Ț

Ț

A national three-year consumer awareness campaign, coordinated by Material Focus, and financed by WEEE schemes (such as Recolight) is now being rolled out (although this has, naturally, been affected by the Covid-19 crisis).

Finance is being made available to local authorities, again from Material Focus funds, to support the implementation of kerbside collection of small WEEE. From January 2021, most retailers selling electrical goods will be required to offer free-of-charge take-back of old electricals to customers buying new electricals performing the same function.

2) NON-HOUSEHOLD LUMINAIRES

The drivers for recycling for non-household luminaires are quite different to those of household luminaires.

Non-household luminaires have been in the scope of the WEEE regulations since 2007. However, some luminaire producers (including some large, well-known international brands) use a legal loophole to pass contractual liability for the collection and recycling of waste luminaires to their customers. It should be emphasised that producer members of the Recolight

scheme do not use this legal loophole.

This undoubtedly contributes to the low recycling figures reported – if end users must pay for recycling themselves, they will inevitably look for the lowest cost route.

At best, this means putting products into scrap metal containers. This produces bad environmental outcomes because scrap metal is not treated to the same standards as waste electricals. It also means potentially hazardous chemicals present in waste electricals are not properly treated.

Further, there is a material risk that fluorescent tubes will be left inside luminaires disposed of as scrap. That would result in uncontrolled mercury release to the environment when the tube goes through a metal shredder.

The best way to drive the change needed to increase non-household recycling rates is for specifiers to insist, when purchasing new lumina ires, that

[1] The Global E-waste Monitor 2020, United Nations, http://ewastemonitor.info/ [2] ‘Electrical waste, challenges and opportunities’, Material Focus, July 2020, https://www.recycleyourelectricals.org.uk/report-and-research/electrical-waste-challenges-and-opportunities/; ‘Minister Pow backs calls for UK households to recycle their old electricals’, Defra, June 2020, https://deframedia.blog.gov.uk/2020/06/24/minister-pow-backs-calls-for-uk-households-to-recycle-their-oldelectricals/ [3] ‘EucoLight survey shows consumers struggle to identify different types of waste lamps’, Eucolight, August 2017, https://www.eucolight.org/ single-post/2017/07/26/Eucolight-survey-shows-consumers-struggle-to-identify-different-types-of-waste-lamps

www.theilp.org.uk

producers always take responsibility for the collection and recycling of the waste luminaires that arise.

SUMMARY

Some parts of the lighting industry have sought to go above and beyond the strict legal requirements of the WEEE directive, with not-for-profit WEEE schemes established by the industry.

This has helped to ensure that, both in the UK and in most European countries, there is a readily available, free-of-charge, waste lamp collection service, ensuring recycling and keeping mercury out of landfill.

Work is underway to increase recycling rates of household luminaires, via consumer awareness campaigns, and new ways for consumers to properly dispose of their waste electricals.

If we are to see an increase in non-household luminaire recycling rates, business customers must choose suppliers that are willing to take responsibility for waste luminaires.

Nigel Harvey is chief executive of Recolight

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44

OCTOBER 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

THE TIDE BEGINS TO TURN

(and thinking)

www.theilp.org.uk

OCTOBER 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Light on the past

The Covid-19 crisis has forced a period of reflection on all of us, and led to much discussion about whether things can, or even should, go back to the status quo as ‘normality’ gradually returns.

As the Second World War progressed, and thoughts began to turn to the post-war world, there were similar debates around how the lessons of wartime could be used to make lighting ‘better’, including some, frankly, bizarre ideas that were swiftly debunked

By Simon Cornwell

I

n September 1943, the Association of P ubl ic Lig ht i ng Eng i neers (APLE) held a small conference in London, the first since a similar gathering in 1940. At that previous conference, the talk had been dominated by invasion fears, the problems with blackout and demonstrations of the new ‘Starlight’ fittings ( ‘Starry Night’, Lighting Journal , May 2019, vol 84, no 5).

The current gathering was, however, much more optimistic; the mood was changed dramatically from the early, desperate years of the war. Lighting engineers were beginning to talk about how to turn everything back on, how to modernise, and what innovations would appear after the war years. There was also a sense there would need to be a clear differentiation between ‘pre’ and ‘post’ war, that something ‘different’ and ‘better’ needed to emerge from the struggles, and rubble, of wartime.

It was left to Jack Waldram to pour cold water on everything. The pragmatic lighting designer, one of a number of notable men to emerge from the General Electric Company (GEC) in the interwar years, could always be trusted to return to the fundamentals, give a sober account of current thinking, and brush away the more extreme and impractical ‘new’ ideas with the voice of experience and reason.

FIVE QUESTIONS TO ASK OF INNOVATIONS

Waldram gave a paper called Street Lighting – Past, Present And Future where he bucked the current idealistic call for ‘new’ and ‘modern’, and argued that the baby shouldn’t be thrown out with the bathwater. Ideas developed just before the war could still be worth keeping and nurturing.

Waldram reappraised the work done in the past, particularly that during the previous decade, where the ‘mechanism’ underpinning street lighting was finally discovered; and the concept of ‘negative contrast’ or ‘silhouette vision’ was developed. The reflective properties of the road were exploited to produce bright patches; the optics of the lanterns were designed to encourage the production of such patches and the columns were positioned so that the patches coalesced to form a uniform bright surface.

This allowed roads to be cheaply lit in such a way that obstacles could be quickly and easily determined. It was a system that had been adopted by a multidisciplinary lighting committee and its findings formed the technical foundation of the Ministry of Transport’s (MOT) Report issued in 1937.

 B y 1943, advertisers were becoming more upbeat and positive, sensing a growing optimism in the air.

Advertisements, which had been previously limited to starlight lanterns, fluorescent fittings and plain lamps, were also beginning to change. For example, Poles Limited, which produced the popular Adastra Lighting Standards, started advertising its columns, holding blazing lanterns aloft in a neon-lit future world of skyscrapers

This document was also going to be the foundation of a new British Specification, but work stopped because of the war.

So, what of the present? Waldram boiled it down to three suggestions: we must have ‘something new’ after the war, it must be fundamentally different, and research for this ‘something new’ must have been ongoing during the war.

But, he also emphasised, we must avoid the idea of demanding something new simply because it was new. We must not think of ‘pre war’ as synonymous with ‘outdated’. Having said that, it was true enough that the lighting laboratories had been busy with the war effort: the only developments to emerge connected with street lighting were the new fluorescent tube and the definition and implementation of Starlight lighting – both directly related to the war. There were no revolutionary new ideas waiting in the wings.

As for the future, there had been suggestions for new systems of street lighting, several of which had been taken up by the national press and had gained public support. Waldram’s philosophy was to ask some simple questions against each proposal: www.theilp.org.uk

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OCTOBER 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Light on the past 1 What was the defect in the old system which the new system seeks to cure?

2 And does it?

3 Does it introduce any other defects?

4 And are there ways of overcoming those?

5 A nd, f ina lly, is it rea sonably satisfactor y for ma intena nce, reliability and economy?

In this manner, Waldram effectively and methodically demolished these new ideas, many of which had arisen from wartime experiences. (See the panel for each proposal and the arguments against them).

INFLUENTIAL IDEAS FOR THE POST-WAR PERIOD

Nevertheless, despite Waldram’s methodical approach, there were one or two developments that did become important and did influence post-war street lighting design.

The president of the APLE, Mr E J Stewart, in his address to conference, suggested that new materials, such as plastics and aluminium alloys, would find their way into street lighting.

Waldram was hesitant about both of these, suggesting too little was known about each material’s longevity, and whether it would cope with the long-term atmospheric exposure expected of a lantern.

He was also sceptical of the new fluor-

 W Parkinson and Company reminded readers of prewar lighting, and the new necessity of getting orders in quickly when victory in Europe was declared and the blackout was officially lifted. Many lighting engineers assumed the public would want an immediate return to full street lighting and were making plans on how to achieve it quickly

www.theilp.org.uk

escent tube, citing its efficiency, size and problems with optical control as potential barriers to use. (In fact, GEC was slow off the mark to exploit fluorescent street lighting and it was left to Siemens Brothers and British Thompson Houston to make the early running).

Yet, on the whole, Waldram’s predictions were sound. The foundations laid during the pre-war years, particularly with new ideas such as silhouette vision, and now immortalised in the MOT Report, became the building blocks for post-war rebuilding. Therefore, it was natural for them to be dusted down and built upon when hostilities ceased.

In an odd parallel, the same is true of the

forthcoming ‘new normal’ we all face as the Covid-19 lockdown slowly ends. I doubt there will be a plethora of new ideas, theories or a reappraisal of existing concepts, as the ideas that emerged in the previous decade still need to be fully implemented. The rollout of LED, the possibilities of the Internet of Things, and the implementation of smart cities will continue.

But, if and when new ideas do emerge, it will be worth applying Waldram's five questions against them.

Simon Cornwell BSc (Hons) is an R&D development senior manager at Dassault Systems

THE ‘NEW IDEAS’, AND THEIR PROS AND CONS Barrage balloon lighting Why not light the streets from ‘very high lanterns’ mounted on barrage balloons? This idea was described as ‘old’, so it presumably germinated during the First World War and periodically appeared from time to time in the popular press.

It always captured the public’s imagination, despite being wildly impractical and easily discarded after a moment’s thought.

Waldram effectively demolished the idea by usi ng models (wh ich presumably showed how ineffectual such lighting would be) and a devastating breakdown of costs that would have broken the budget of any lighting department.

Kerb lighting Why not light the road from low posts or from the kerb itself? This would provide a luminous surface to the whole of the carriageway and would eliminate glare (which was a problem with pre-war lighting using non-cutoff fittings).

Oddly, Waldram did not criticise this system on the grounds of increased maintenance, problems keeping kerb fittings clean and unobstructed, or the potential of vandalism – after all, some lighting engineers hinted that most of the damage done to their darkened lanterns was down to ‘small boys’ and not the Luftwaffe.

Instead, Waldram’s objection was of the ‘unnatural’ scene, as there would be no light above eye level, rendering the appearance of the street unnatural

and unfamiliar. Incidentally, he used a similar argument against ‘cut off’ lighting, arguing that it led to the dreaded ‘tunnel effect’.

Waldram also cited an experiment in Germany where an autobahn was lit by projectors, which focused the light in the direction of the traffic.

There was no advantage over car headlights, the kerbs were not shown up, the contrasts were reversed, and there was no ‘positive indication of a clear road’, he argued.

Low level lighting Starlight street lighting had been successf ul. W hy not therefore continue lighting the streets at these low levels of illumination? A simple refresher in eye adaption put paid to this idea.

It wou ld t a ke one br ig ht ly illuminated shop window, one badly adjusted approaching car headlight, or any number of similar bright sources, to changes the eye’s adaptation level and render starlight lighting useless.

Searchlight lighting On cloudy nights, the light from AA [anti-aircraft] searchlights was reflected on to the streets, and it gave a pleasing, diffused effect, not unlike moonlight.

Why shouldn’t we therefore light the streets this way after the war? This idea gained support in the popular press, yet caused a considerable amount of eyerolling among lighting engineers.

It was met with the simple rebuff: ‘It’s not cloudy every night.’

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Lighting

Consultants

This directory gives details of suitably qualified, individual members of the Institution of Lighting Professionals (ILP) who offer consultancy services

Herbie Barnieh

Stephen Halliday

Anthony Smith

Project Centre

WSP

Stainton Lighting Design Services Ltd

BEng IEng MILP

London WC1X 9HD

EngTech AMILP

Manchester M50 3SP

T: 0330 135 8950, 077954 75570 Herbie.Barnieh@projectcentre.co.uk

T: 0161 886 2532 E: stephen.halliday@wspgroup.com

Efficient, innovative, and bespoke lighting design services from an award winning consultancy. Experienced in delivering exterior lighting projects from feasibility studies to post construction. Whether it’s highway, street, or public realm lighting, let us assist you to realise your project goals.

Public and private sector professional services providing design, technical support, contract and policy development for all applications of exterior lighting and power from architectural to sports, area and highways applications. PFI technical advisor and certifier support, HERS registered personnel.

www.projectcentre.co.uk

www.wspgroup.com

Steven Biggs

Allan Howard

Skanska Infrastructure Services

WSP

IEng MILP

Peterborough PE1 5XG

T: +44 (0) 1733 453432 E: steven.biggs@skanska.co.uk

www.skanska.co.uk

Award winning professional multi-disciplinary lighting design consultants. Extensive experience in technical design and delivery across all areas of construction, including highways, public realm and architectural projects. Providing energy efficient design and solutions.

BEng(Hons) CEng FILP FSLL London WC2A 1AF

T: 07827 306483 E: allan.howard@wspgroup.com

www.wspgroup.com

Professional artificial and daylight lighting services covering design, technical support, contract and policy development including expert advice and analysis to develop and implement energy and carbon reduction strategies.

Expert witness regarding obtrusive lighting, light nuisance and environmental impact investigations.

Simon Bushell

Alan Jaques

SSE Enterprise Lighting

Atkins

MBA DMS IEng MILP

Portsmouth PO6 1UJ T: +44 (0)2392276403 M: 07584 313990 E: simon.bushell@ssecontracting.com

www.sseenterprise.co.uk Professional consultancy from the UK’s and Irelands largest external lighting contractor. From highways and tunnels, to architectural and public spaces our electrical and lighting designers also provide impact assessments, lighting and carbon reduction strategies along with whole installation packages.

Lorraine Calcott

IEng MILP IALD MSLL ILA BSS

it does Lighting Ltd

The Cube, 13 Stone Hill, Two Mile Ash, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK8 8DN

T: 01908 560110

E: Information@itdoes.co.uk

www.itdoes.co.uk

Award winning lighting design practice specialising in interior, exterior, flood and architectural lighting with an emphasis on section 278/38, town centre regeneration and mitigation for ecology issues within SSSI’s/SCNI’s.Experts for the European Commission and specialists in circadian lighting

Mark Chandler EngTech AMILP

T: +44 (0)115 9574900 M: 07834 507070 E: alan.jaques@atkinsglobal.com

www.atkinsglobal.com

Professional consultancy providing technical advice, design and management services for exterior and interior applications including highway, architectural, area, tunnel and commercial lighting. Advisors on energy saving strategies, asset management, visual impact assessments and planning.

IEng FILP MIES

Nick Smith Associates Limited Chesterfield, S40 3JR

T: 01246 229444 E: training@nicksmithassociates.com

www.nicksmithassociates.co.uk Specialist exterior lighting consultant. Private and adopted lighting and electrical design for highways, car parks, area and sports lighting.

Lighting Impact assessments, expert witness and CPD accredited Lighting design AutoCAD and Lighting Reality training courses

IEng FILP FSLL

Winchester, SO22 4DS

T: 01962 855720 M:0771 364 8786 E: alan@alantullalighting.com

www.alantullalighting.com Site surveys of sports pitches, road lighting and offices. Architectural lighting for both interior and exterior. Visual Impact Assessments for planning applications. Specialises in problem solving and out-of-the-ordinary projects.

Michael Walker

Vanguardia Consulting

McCann Ltd

BSc (Hons) CEng MILP MSLL

IEng MILP CMS.

Oxted RH8 9EE

T: +44(0) 1883 718690 E:tony.price@vanguardia.co.uk

Nottingham NG9 6DQ M: 07939 896887 E: m.walker@jmccann.co.uk

Chartered engineer with wide experience in exterior and public realm lighting.

All types and scales of project, including transport, tunnels, property development (both commercial and residential) and sports facilities. Particular expertise in planning advice, environmental impact assessment and expert witness.

Design for all types of exterior lighting including street lighting, car parks, floodlighting, decorative lighting, and private lighting. Independent advice regarding light trespass, carbon reduction and invest to save strategies.

Asset management, data capture, inspection and testing services available.

www.vanguardia.co.uk

Patrick Redmond

M: + 353 (0)86 2356356 | E: patrick@redmondams.ie

www.redmondams.ie Independent expert lighting design services for all exterior and interior lighting applications. We provide sustainable lighting solutions and associated electrical designs. Our services include PSDP for lighting projects, network contractor auditing, and GPS site surveys for existing installations.

Alistair Scott

4way Consulting Ltd

Designs for Lighting Ltd

BSc (Hons) CEng FILP MHEA Winchester SO23 7TA

T: 0161 480 9847 E: john.conquest@4wayconsulting.com

T: 01962 855080 M: 07790 022414 E: alistair@designsforlighting.co.uk

Providing exterior lighting and ITS consultancy and design services and specialising in the urban and inter-urban environment. Our services span the complete project life cycle for both the public and private sector.

Professional lighting design consultancy offering technical advice, design and management services for exterior/interior applications for highway, architectural, area, tunnel and commercial lighting. Advisors on lighting and energy saving strategies, asset management, visual impact assessments and planning.

www.4wayconsulting.com

Nick Smith

Tony Price

John Conquest Stockport, SK4 1AS

Specialist in: Motorway, Highway Schemes, Illumination of Buildings, Major Structures, Public Artworks, Amenity Area Lighting, Public Spaces, Car Parks, Sports Lighting, Asset Management, Reports, Plans, Assistance, Maintenance Management, Electrical Design and Communication Network Design.

Alan Tulla Lighting

Redmond Analytical Management Services Ltd.

MA BEng(Hons) CEng MIET MILP

www.staintonlds.co.uk

Nottingham, NG9 2HF

T: 0118 3215636 E: mark@mma-consultancy.co.uk

Exterior lighting consultant’s who specialise in all aspects of street lighting design, section 38’s, section 278’s, project management and maintenance assistance. We also undertake lighting appraisals and environmental lighting studies

T: 01642 565533 E: enquiries@staintonlds.co.uk

Alan Tulla

HDip Bus, EngTech AMILP, AMSLL, Tech IEI

www.mma-consultancy.co.uk

Stockton on Tees TS23 1PX

IEng FILP

MMA Lighting Consultancy Ltd Reading RG10 9QN

IEng FILP

www.designsforlighting.co.uk

www.mccann-ltd.co.uk

Peter Williams EngTech AMILP

Williams Lighting Consultants Ltd. Bedford, MK41 6AG T: 01234 630039 E: peter.williams@wlclighting.co.uk

www.wlclighting.co.uk

Specialists in the preparation of quality and effective street lighting design solutions for Section 38, Section 278 and other highway projects. We also prepare lighting designs for other exterior applications. Our focus is on delivering solutions that provide best value.

For more information and individual expertise Go to: www.theilp.org.uk

Neither Lighting Journal nor the ILP is responsible for any services supplied or agreements entered into as a result of this listing

Lighting

Directory

Meadowfield, Ponteland, Northumberland, NE20 9SD, England Tel: +44 (0)1661 860001 Fax: +44 (0)1661 860002 Email: info@tofco.co.uk www.tofco.co.uk Manufacturers and Suppliers of Street lighting and Traffic Equipment • Fuse Units • Switch Fuse Units • Feeder Pillars and Distribution Panels • The Load Conditioner Unit (Patent Pending) • Accessories

CPD Accredited Training • AutoCAD (basic or advanced) • Lighting Reality • Lighting Standards

• Lighting Design Techniques • Light Pollution • Tailored Courses please contact

Venues by arrangement Contact Nick Smith

Nick Smith Associates Ltd 36 Foxbrook Drive, Chesterfield, S40 3JR

t: 01246 229 444 f: 01246 588 604 e: mail@nicksmithassociates.com w: www.nicksmithassociates.co.uk

Contact: Kevin Doherty Commercial Director kevindoherty@tofco.co.uk

If you would like to switch to Tofco Technology contact us NOW!

01525 601201

info@PowerDataAssociates.com www.PowerDataAssociates.com Wrest Park, Silsoe, Beds MK45 5HR

Meter Administrator

Power Associates Ltd are the leading Power DataData Associates Ltd are themeter leadingadministrator meter administratorin Great Britain. We achieve in Great Britain. We achieve accurate energy calculations assuring you of a accurate energy calculations cost effective assuring you of a costquality effective service. Offering independent quality service. Offering consultancy advice to ensure correct inventory independent consultancy advice unmetered energy forecasting and impact to coding, ensure correct inventory coding, of market development unmetered energy forecasting and impact of market developments.

01525 601201

info@PowerDataAssociates.com www.PowerDataAssociates.com Wrest Park, Silsoe, Beds MK45 4HR

Midlands Lighting Solutions From Concept to Construction in One Simple Step

Delivering Decorative Lighting Festoons for over 25 years

European distributors of StormSpill®, only system specified by: • London 2012 Olympic Games • Glasgow 2014 Commonwealths

We create bespoke low energy, durable festoon lighting for architects, designers, retail chains, sign makers, ship builders, and more.

Contact us to discuss your lighting project. www.lumisphere.co.uk

• Providing Lighting and Electrical Consultancy • Full Design Services Including On-site Presence • Feasibility Studies and Obtrusive Light Assessments • Visual Surveys and Electrical Testing • Light Performance Tests including for Televised Events t: 07757 830436 e: enquiries@midlandslightingsolutions.co.uk w: www.midlandslightingsolutions.co.uk

saleslj@lumisphere.co.uk 01245 329 999

Patented Raised Lamppost Banner System that significantly reduces loading on columns and prevents banners twisting and tearing.

Column testing and guarantee service available.

The most approved system by Highways Engineers

0208 343 2525 baymedia.co.uk

50

OCTOBER 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

‘My lightbulb moment’

‘ONLINE TRAINING IS THE FUTURE AND EVOLVING ALL THE TIME’ Beginning an occasional series where lighting professionals talk about what was ‘a lightbulb moment’ for them, either personally or professionally, Nick Smith outlines the moment when his eyes were opened to the benefits of online learning

By Nick Smith

D

uring the weeks of lockdown, we all of us had to embrace different forms of working and, for many of us, different forms of learning, too.

But, for me, the ‘lightbulb moment’ that totally changed my approach to training and thinking around CPD happened well before the pandemic, back in 2017. I was casually speaking to someone who I had asked to research a topic for me.

Being of the internet generation, the first thing he had done was to reach for Google, then YouTube.

As someone who had up to then always taken and provided training on a face-toface basis, the conversation stuck with me; how comfortable he had been about using online tools to solve a problem or improve his practice, how it had been his default approach to problem-solving and, crucially, how easy it had been to do.

Some months later I came across a support problem with a user of Lighting Reality who could not understand masking and the different layers available.

I had explained it by phone and email.

But he was still not confident. How could I resolve this? I took a deep breath and recorded my first YouTube tutorial.

Later, and I suppose as a result of that first venturing into the world of online training, a few of my face-to-face students contacted me asking if the Lighting Reality training could be taken online?

So, back in the summer of last year I started recording tutorials to enable me to offer the course completely online on www.theilp.org.uk

their tablet, iPad, phone, laptop or any internet-enabled device, so the students could still undertake the training without the need to travel to a venue.

The bundled course now has more than 70 tutorial videos, covering seven hours of video material, ranging from anything from two minutes in length up to 35 minutes. Without wanting to make this too much of a ‘plug’, it is published through Thinkific or just search for me under ‘Nick Smith Associates training’.

DIFFERENT PLATFORMS AND TOOLS

For me, the revelation of that first tutorial – however bad it now seems technically when I look back – was that, just like the time before, it had worked; the user went away understanding the process.

Some three years later, I have a thriving YouTube channel with support videos in the use of Lighting Reality and other topics (through www.nicksmithassociates.co.uk). In fact, I have recently recorded a suite of all-new videos.

I’ve embraced a range of learning tools and platforms. I learn from tutorials on Evernote (www.evernote.com) and Todoist (www.todoist.com). I use the Autodesk website (www.autodesk. co.uk) for AutoCAD webinars on new software releases and tools I need more help with. I use (and rate) platforms such as Udemy (www.udemy.com), Vimeo (w w w.v imeo.com) a nd Think if ic (www.thinkific.com), as well as YouTube, obviously.

I should also mention an old school friend who is now an English teacher in South Korea, Carl Pullein. Carl introduced me to Evernote and Todoist and has some excellent tutorials on YouTube or at https://www.carlpullein.com/.

Equally, I have used YouTube videos and online courses by Steve Dotto (https:// dottotech.com/) to learn how to ‘capture’ the screen when preparing videos.

CHANGE DRIVEN BY THE PANDEMIC

Because of the pandemic, we’ve all suddenly had to embrace digital and video communication, conferencing, webinars and training. The ILP too has started down this route, in part again because of the lockdown restricting access to faceto-face training, although it was a transition that was already underway.

Online training is the future and it is evolving and improving all the time. What I have learnt since 2017 – and what, I imagine, has become clearer for all of us over the past few months – is that, as lighting professionals, we should never be scared of trying out new ways of working and new ways of learning.

I am sure there will probably always be a place for face-to-face CPD and training, but it should not be a case of either/or.

For me, it was that conversation three years ago that lit the spark. But, for all of us, I strongly believe the idea of ‘blended’ learning where, as a professional in your field, you take advantage of training and CPD across whatever multiple platforms or formats work for you has to be very much the way forward.

Nick Smith IEng FILP MIES is owner of Nick Smith Associates

DO YOU HAVE A ‘LIGHTBULB MOMENT’ TO SHARE?

Do you have a ‘lightbulb moment’ that has changed the way you practice or think as a lighting pr ofession a l? It c ou ld b e something that has changed the way you work or deliver projects, or perhaps changed your approach to work or just life in general.

If so, we’d love to hear from you.

Just drop a line to the editor at nic@cormorantmedia.co.uk

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