Lighting Journal – April 2020

Professional best practice from the Institution of Lighting Professionals

April 2020

CLOCKING ON AND OFF Unpicking the latest science, and debate, around blue light and LED HEADY HEIGHTS Don’t look down! How abseilers held the key to Portsmouth’s Spinnaker Tower LED makeover MEDIA SPOTLIGHT Worcestershire’s headlinegrabbing red LED ‘bat highway’’ The publication for all lighting professionals

Micro HigHway DiaMonD™ ElitE

Small, but mighty.

• • • • • • • • •

From 350lm to 4500lm.

Innovative in house UK manufacturing.

Weighs < 3.5kg.

DALI drivers as standard.

IP66 / IK10.

Marine grade die cast aluminium.

2,000 Hour salt spray test.

Average lead time of less than 10 days.

Smart applications available.

asd.lighting/microhwd

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Contents CLO CKIN G ON 06 AND OFF

10

How our bodies react to different wavelengths of light, and how this in turn affects our circadian rhythms, is at the heart of the blue light/LED debate. But the science around the ‘best’ way to adjust lighting to benefit health may not be as straightforward as previously believed, explains Dr Timothy Brown

10MEDIA SPOTLIGHT

An innovative scheme in Worcestershire has used red rather than white LEDs to create the first ‘bat highway’ crossing in the UK. Stuart Morton outlines how the project worked, and how it caught the media’s attention

14 HEADY HEIGHTS

06

Portsmouth’s landmark Spinnaker Tower was given a dynamic LED and controls makeover last autumn, and the resulting scene and show effects have been spectacular. But, at 170m high, the installation process was far from straightforward

18 FREE DELIVERY?

20

Should lighting design be offered as a ‘free’ design service or is this a thin end of a wedge that leads to the commodification and cheapening of design expertise? Richard Jackson argues that greater transparency and better management of client expectations may be one answer

YOUR 20 CULTIVATE BEST LOOK

Green or plant walls are becoming increasingly popular, especially in shopping centres, hotels, airports and indoor public spaces. But how best to light them? David Gilbey is on a mission to find the answer

24 PLANTING IDEAS

Biophilic design was in the spotlight at the ILP-curated Light Talks at Light School in February. We look back at two-and-a-half days of enriching CPD

28

THE ROAD AHEAD

The arrival of LED has transformed car and automotive lighting, providing safer, less stressful illumination while avoiding dazzle, glare and discomfort. But, as Robert Yeo outlines, robust testing remains of paramount importance

46

36 LOAD BEARING

From floral displays through to festive lighting, directional signs, promotional banners, even smart city sensors, our lighting columns are having to bear an increasing load. This is why structural design analysis, inspection and testing are more important than ever, argues Matt McDonald

THE 38 RUNNING NUMBERS

Tony Parasram drills down into how the ILP’s GN22 ATOMS toolkit can work at a practical level for local authorities

44

COOL AS ICE

By switching from metal halides to LED, an Aberdeen curling rink now has the flexibility properly to televise sporting events. And, because LEDs emit less heat, they are even helping to keep the rink cooler

CAMERA, ACTION, 46 xLIGHTS

ILP member Lauren Lever found herself on national TV in February when her expertise was featured in a programme about London’s iconic Ritz Hotel. We asked her what it was like to be in front of the camera, and how she managed to sneak in an ILP lapel badge

BRIDGING THE 50 GAP

Since the ILP’s research-sharing platform ‘Lighting for Good’ launched in November, what have people been discussing? Jess Gallacher takes a look at some key talking points

p COVER PICTURE

Portsmouth’s Emirates Spinnaker Tower showing off its new dynamic LED lighting scheme. At 170m high, the installation process proved challenging, as we explain on page 14

www.theilp.org.uk

3

fresh thinking trusted technology

With this much at stake, what goes on your network matters Managing high risk applications, like the motorway network, relies on products and practices that work together to minimise client exposure. Uncompromising safety demands, tough installation environments and challenging design scenarios mean product choice has to be right first time – customers need products they believe in, with reliable data, that the whole team trust to do the job.

And not just on paper or in test labs; practically on site too. The ‘brand promise’ has to deliver on your expectations.

This is where AIR3 with INDO’s awardwinning Direct Drive® technology comes into its own. All weak links have been removed to give you proven reliability, lower costs and whole life risk mitigation.

Installers really like how lightweight and easy to fit the unit is. At just 11.2 kg, it’s the lightest product of its type on the market. Internal SE mounting eliminates the need for external spigots, thus maintaining the unit’s structural integrity. Naturally, AIR3 passed ANSI C136.31 Level 2 vibration testing at an acceleration intensity of 3.0G. And we successfully pushed the unit way past this maximum level too, achieving 4.0G acceleration intensity.

Versatile performance optics; up to 56klm output with market-leading energy and carbon savings, demonstrate AIR3 more than measures up to customer demands.

And all backed up by exceptional customer service.

Get a quotation: indolighting.com/AIR3

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Editor’s letter

Volume 85 No 4 April 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

Produced by Matrix Print Consultants Ltd Unit C,Northfield Point, Cunliffe Drive, Kettering, Northants NN16 9QJ Tel: 01536 527297 Email: gary@matrixprint.com Website: www.matrixprint.com © 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.

J

ust how worried should lighting professionals, and the lighting industry as a whole, be about the spread of coronavirus Covid-19?

First, a caveat. As I write this in early March events are moving so fast and the situation evolving so rapidly that things may be out of date before I even get to the end of my 500ish words here, let alone by the time Lighting Journal goes to press or lands with you.

Nevertheless, while we still don’t know how coronavirus will pan out from a medical and health perspective, some of the economic ramifications are becoming clearer. Little of it, unfortunately, makes pretty reading – even assuming we don’t end up in a state of economic and social paralysis or lockdown (and that’s by no means certain).

The postponement of last month’s Light + Building in Frankfurt until September was perhaps the most visible early indicator of the sorts of tremors the industry may yet experience.

As many commented on social media at the time, postponing just a fortnight out was a ‘tough call’ on the part of the organisers and a decision that can’t have been taken lightly.

In the short term it will have been disruptive and, mostly likely, left some people out of pocket, even if costs may have been covered by insurance or recoupable in the autumn.

More widely, it’s a decision that could – and I do stress only ‘could’ – have longer term implications for how the industry views the value of, or even need for, such mammoth showcase trade events, with all their associated time, expense, travel and carbon footprint costs.

It is early days, but the spread of the virus could have significant knock-on effects on supply chains, with some reports suggesting the price of LED lamps could rise by 10%, that we could see longer lead times for light fixtures and bulbs, and that production and profits could be affected, especially the Chinese market [1].

With the coronavirus now having turned into a pandemic, we could see ramifications for the industry in terms of projects being held up, put on hold or even cancelled, and the movement of people (even the ability of people to come to work) being severely affected[2]. Lighting is a global industry and, as such, the ‘hit’ could be global.

But we also should not catastrophise and panic. Coronavirus is not (thankfully) like the Spanish Flu of 1918/19 in terms of mortality rates. Most predictions (and see my caveat above) appear to be suggesting that, even if infection does spread widely, it is likely to peak and then die down in a matter of months rather than longer (though whether the virus then becomes ‘seasonal’ is another question).

Demand is demand, and short-term disruption can often be bounced back from further down the line. The UK lighting industry, with the ILP and ILP members at its heart, is robust, respected and creative at managing the vagaries of the market. I am sure it will weather and come through this.

But we do have to accept that, if 2020 hadn’t been looking volatile enough as it was, the economic outlook for the coming few months at the very least, and possibly longer, has now become distinctly more uncertain. It used to be said that ‘if America sneezes, Europe catches a cold’. Coronavirus could mean China, America, Europe, Asia – the whole world in fact – doing a lot more than just sneezing.

Nic Paton Editor

[1] How Coronavirus is Affecting the Lighting Industry, ProLampSales, 18 February, 2020, https://www.prolampsales.com/blogs/specialty-architectural-lighting/ how-coronavirus-is-affecting-the-lighting-industry; Coronavirus impact: LED bulb prices may rise up to 10 pc from March The Economic Times, India, 18 February, 2020, https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/miscellaneous/coronavirus-impact-led-bulb-prices-may-rise-up-to-10-pc-from-march/articleshow/74192229.cms [2] ‘Big European companies ban business travel as coronavirus outbreak escalates’, CNN, 28 February 2020, https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/27/business/ coronavirus-business-travel-ban/index.html; ‘Coronavirus: Up to fifth of UK workers “could be off sick at same time”’, BBC, 3 March, 2020, https://www.bbc.co.uk/

news/uk-51718917

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

5

6

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Blue light

CLOCKING

ON AND OFF How our bodies react to different wavelengths of light, and how this in turn affects our circadian rhythms, is at the heart of the ongoing debate around blue light and LED. But, as latest research from Manchester University has shown, the science around the ‘best’ way to adjust lighting and visual displays to benefit health may not be as straightforward as previously believed

By Dr Timothy Brown

T

he view that blue light is disruptive to our sleeping patterns and overall wellbeing is now firmly established in the public understanding and provides the basis for a multitude of lighting applications that seek to promote good health.

While there is a large and solid foundation of scientific evidence that underlies this understanding of how light affects our bodies, the simple view that blue light is most important is potentially misleading.

Hence, most typically, use of the term ‘blue light’ in this context refers to something that is actually nothing to do with our perception of colour.

ORIGIN OF CURRENT VIEWS AROUND BLUE LIGHT

Our understanding of the mechanism by which light affects our bodies, for example by setting our internal circadian clock and regulating production of the hormone melatonin, began to advance significantly from the early 2000s.

Around that time, a number of research groups using monochromatic light to understand the mechanisms involved reported that wavelengths in the range 460-500nm (in other words those perceived as blue) were most effective.

In tandem, research in rodents identified that the equivalent effects involved a

new type of light-sensitive cell in the retina, distinct from the rods and cones that are essential for vision, which possessed their own unique light-sensing protein known as melanopsin.

The identification that melanopsin most efficiently detects short wavelength light (~480nm, as shown in figure 1 overleaf ) therefore provided a ready explanation for observations as to how different wavelengths affect human physiology and earlier reports that similar effects of light occurred in blind individuals.

As a result of the above, melanopsin is now firmly established as a key regulator of the effects of light on human physiology

www.theilp.org.uk

7

8

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Blue light

t

Figure 1. This illustrates the sensitivity of melanopsin and cones to light of varying wavelength

Figure 2. This shows modelled examples of common and experimental light sources of the same photopic illuminance, illustrating how CCT/colour does not directly correlate with melanopic illuminance q

and is the primary motivator behind existing guidance related to ‘blue light’.

It is important to realise, however, that melanopsin itself does not sense colour but rather acts like a light meter that weights some wavelengths more than others. Fundamentally then, what the melanopsin system measures is ‘brightness’, with any wavelength capable of strongly activating this system, provided it is bright enough.

Our perception of colour instead relies on comparisons of the light detected by the different types of cone cells in our retina, which are tuned to best sense short, medium or long wavelength light.

As a result, there are certain specific circumstances when our perception of colour correlates with brightness as detected by melanopsin (such as when comparing monochromatic lights of matched energy). Importantly, however, there are also many conditions where colour will be uninformative as to the extent to which www.theilp.org.uk

the melanopsin system is engaged, even when the perceived brightness of those light sources is identical (and see figure 2 above for an illustration of this).

NEW MOUSE RESEARCH INTO THE SIGNIFICANCE OF COLOUR

Since the cone system that supports our perception of colour is distinct from the melanopsin system that adjusts our physiology according to changes in ambient illumination, one might ask – does colour actually play any role at all in how light affects our body rhythms?

Along with my research team at Manchester University, I am specifically interested in this possibility, since it is well-known that the retinal cells that contain melanopsin can also act as a conduit by which signals from the cones can reach the brain.

Indeed, our earlier work specifically identified cells within the part of the mouse brain responsible for circadian

rhythms that received colour signals originating from cones [1]. What we could not determine at the time was exactly how important are those colour signals were for setting the clock and what colours might have the strongest effects.

To tackle those questions in our most recent research, we designed multi-spectral lighting systems that allowed us to keep melanopsin brightness signals at a fixed level while adjusting the activity of cone cells so as to appear ‘blue’ or ‘yellow’ for mice[2].

We then used these new lighting systems in various ways to probe how colour impacts their daily activity rhythms. Perhaps surprisingly, this work revealed that the effects of light on the clock were significantly reduced when mice were exposed to ‘blue’ as opposed to ‘yellow’ colours that were equally effective in stimulating melanopsin.

Actually, while this effect of colour might be superficially surprising, the

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

association between ‘blue’ colour and reduced effect of light on the circadian system makes sense. Indeed, this matches the blue-shift in the colour of ambient illumination that occurs during twilight, a phenomenon that is visible to mice just as it is to us as humans.

Accordingly, we were able to show that this blue shift in the colour of twilight is an important signal that mice use, alongside brightness, to enhance the reliability with which their internal clock reflects time in the outside world.

RELEVANCE OF THIS NEW RESEARCH TO HUMANS

Naturally, there are two key questions that arise from our work on mice: is this true also in humans? If so, what are the implications for how we should optimise lighting and visual displays to benefit health?

Certainly, there are differences between mice and humans! However, the basic biological mechanisms by which the body clock functions and responds to light seem to be remarkably similar between the two species.

What does differ more is the visual system. In particular, like most mammals, mice only have two types of cones (rather than our three). These provide a form of colour vision that is analogous to our own ability to distinguish blue and yellow but the specific wavelengths that those cones detect are different from our own (extending to the UV).

Nonetheless, as noted above, the changes in colour that cones detect during twilight are largely equivalent for mice and humans. Moreover, there is actually already evidence that our own melanopsin cells may use the blue-yellow colour signals from cones.

The importance of colour signals in regulating the effects of light on circadian rhythms in humans is still more of an open question, however. Indeed, owing to the nature of this kind of research (which requires individuals to spend weeks at a time under controlled laboratory conditions), addressing this question is highly challenging.

Notably, however, among those studies that have been conducted and are most directly informative, there is certainly reason to believe that colour may play a similar role to that we find in mice. In other words, blue colours are associated with weaker responses than yellow colours that have the same brightness for the

melanopsin system [3].

It is important to be aware that this effect of colour is unlikely to be generalisable to all effects of light on human physiology.

Indeed, given the challenges associated with studying how light affects human circadian rhythms, it has been more common to study a distinct (albeit related) aspect of how light impacts health and wellbeing, namely the ability of light to acutely suppress production of the hormone melatonin.

This aspect of physiology does not appear to be subject to the same suppressive effect of blue colours discussed above.

Rather, the bulk of the existing evidence suggests colour is simply unimportant here [4]. That is to say these immediate effects of light on melatonin production appear to be almost exclusively determined by melanopsin.

POTENTIAL IMPLICATIONS FOR LIGHTING DESIGN AND USE

On balance, then, we are not yet in a position to determine the ‘best’ way to adjust lighting and visual displays to benefit health.

Fortunately, this certainly doesn’t mean there aren’t useful things that can be done.

Indeed, it remains uncontroversial that melanopsin plays an important role in regulating many of the important effects of light on our physiology. As such, reducing, so far as possible, the impacts of light on the melanopsin system during the evening/night and maximising them in the morning/daytime is expected to be of widespread benefit.

Moreover, such a goal is now made relatively straightforward by the development of the international lighting standard CIE S 026/E: 2018, which provides a means for quantifying the effective brightness for this melanopsin system.

An important point to consider when applying this approach, however, is that there are multiple ways one can go about adjusting ‘melanopic illuminance’, ranging from simply making light dimmer (or brighter) to adjusting the spectral content in simple or complex ways.

The approach that has often been taken to date has been to preferentially reduce or filter short wavelength light, so as to lower melanopic illuminance at the expense of a warmer colour.

However, our research in mice suggests that, if the goal is to reduce the effects of

light on circadian rhythms, this may not be the best approach (since those warmer colours may oppose the benefit obtained by reducing effective brightness).

This is particularly relevant for situations where, as is often the case, the decrease in melanopic illuminance associated with that spectral change is small.

Further, while blue light filtering approaches that result in very large changes in melanopic illuminance would still certainly be expected to produce beneficial effects, the very pronounced changes in perceived colour they produce may not always be desirable or appropriate.

Alternatives then are simply to adjust brightness without changing spectral content or to design new light sources or displays that allow melanopic output to be adjusted independently of any perceptual qualities (colour/photopic luminance; for example see again figure 2).

In fact, the latter approach has already been used to show beneficial effects associated with selectively manipulating the melanopic luminance of visual displays during evening viewing [5].

An exciting possibility for the future, then, is that combining reductions in melanopic illuminance with more appropriate colour changes might be especially beneficial in controlling the impact of evening light on our internal clock.

As to which of the currently available approaches constitutes the most effective way to adjust to impacts of light on our health and wellbeing, this awaits definitive confirmation.

Indeed, there is unlikely to be a onesize-fits-all solution, with the optimal approach likely depending both on the specific visual requirements of the task in hand and, perhaps also, on which particular physiological effects one hopes to achieve.

Nonetheless, and for the time being, the relative impact of light on the melanopsin system is certainly the most reliable guiding principle upon which to base any decisions of this nature.

Dr Timothy Brown BSc MRes PhD is a senior lecturer at Manchester University specialising in circadian biology

[1] Walmsley L, Hanna L, Mouland J et al. Colour as a signal for entraining the mammalian circadian clock. PLoS biology. 2015; 13: e1002127 [2] Brown T M. Melanopic illuminance defines the magnitude of human circadian light responses under a wide range conditions. J Pineal Res. 2019; under revision [3] Gooley J J, Rajaratnam S M, Brainard G C et al. Spectral responses of the human circadian system depend on the irradiance and duration of exposure to light. Sci Transl Med. 2010; 2: 31ra33 [4] Prayag A S, Najjar R P, Gronfier C. Melatonin suppression is exquisitely sensitive to light and primarily driven by melanopsin in humans. J Pineal Res. 2019; 66: e12562 [5] Allen A E, Hazelhoff E M, Martial F P, Cajochen C, Lucas R J. Exploiting metamerism to regulate the impact of a visual display on alertness and melatonin suppression independent of visual appearance. Sleep. 2018; 41

www.theilp.org.uk

9

10

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

An innovative scheme in Worcestershire has used red rather than white LEDs to create the first â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;bat highwayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; crossing in the UK. In the process it not only caught the media spotlight when it was first publicised, but could in time have the potential to rewrite the standards in this area

By Stuart Morton

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Highway lighting

P

icture this – a crossing for pedestrians, cyclists and those using mobility scooters that enhances local connectivity in Worcestershire.

The difference? While the road is illuminated with ‘typical’ white LED lights, the crossing is also lit with coloured LED lights to facilitate ‘typical’ behaviour of bats, who respond to the red light as they would the dark.

This article intends to look at the ins and outs of this project but also the fact that, when publicised, it got picked up by an array of national and local media outlets, and what it was like responding to that experience.

To start with the thinking behind the scheme, Jacobs, in collaboration with Worcestershire County Council, knew that there was a need to light a road for a new crossing within the Worcester Six development site (which we shall come to shortly).

However, the conventional solution, where you provide a dark area where the nocturnal mammals can fly from one side of the road to the other, was not going to be appropriate on this occasion.

This was because there was a population of bats within the vicinity of the road and some species of bats don’t of course interact well with white light. It can prevent them from accessing food and water if they are unwill-ing to cross lit areas such as roads.

Bright streetlights in this context can also attract insects the bats usually feed on, so reducing food in the locations they would otherwise tend to feed. Red light, in contrast, is wildlife-friendly and enables bats to fly and feed normally.

THE PROJECT

Worcester Six is a strategic development site in the heart of Worcestershire, close to the Warndon Business District on the west side of the M5.

Although close to the city, either side of the A4440 is rural and includes several ancient woodlands and designated local wildlife sites of significant conservation value, which are home to a variety of nationally scarce bat species.

The development at Worcester Six

forms an integral part of Worcestershire’s Economic Strategy 2010-2020, which is expected to create approximately 5,000 jobs.

Phase 1 planning consent was given for 26.44 acres of development, which is now complete. To discharge planning conditions for Phase 2 (a further 58.07 acres of development), a toucan crossing was required to open sustainable walking access between adjacent residential areas and the site.

The existing highway was unlit except for the immediate conflict areas at the roundabouts.

Adding the Toucan crossing at the central point of the two roundabouts (260m from each roundabout) meant the complete road needed to be lit to allow the safe use of the crossing without unlit gap departures from The Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB).

Many readers of this journal will undoubtedly be aware that some mammals, including bats, do not interact well with artificial light sources that emit high levels of blue light output. For more information, please see the CIE’s Position Statement on Non-Visual Effects of Light: recommending proper light at the proper time, 2nd edition (October 3, 2019) [1].

This includes the following point: ‘There is no evidence in humans of any adverse health effects from occasional exposure to optical radiation at the exposure limits.’

Bats have legal protection under international and national legislation, notably The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 and The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Since the unlit area on the southern side of the northern roundabout was heavily used by bats crossing from one habitat to the other, it was felt ‘standard specification’ LED lighting would have a negative impact on the bats’ commuting route (the crossing would be theoretically severed by a wall of light) and the project would therefore be in breach of legislation.

To that end, a number of mitigation options were explored. One typical solution to this problem is to propose a dark corridor/buffer zone as outlined per the ILP’s latest GN on this area, Guidance Note 8: Bats and Artificial Lighting [2].

A departure from standards is required to create a dark corridor/buffer zone.

However, in the case of this

project the location of the required area coincided with the approach to the northern roundabout, where there had been historic accident records.

Therefore, after liaison with Worcestershire County Council’s (WCC) network controller, it was deemed to not be supported, as it needed to be lit for road safety reasons.

Further investigation was then undertaken and, with support from Signify, we supplied to the council innovative new research from the Netherlands showing how the impact on bats and insects was mitigated by removing blue light wavelengths from the LED spectral distribution. This produces a ‘red’ light source.

The research showed that humans could see the scene and yet it allowed the bats to continue to move freely.

We then worked with WCC’s ecology and lighting departments and the network controller to trial an area, a corridor – or ‘bat highway’ – of red light.

Constant communications with the local councillor along with letter drops and communication helped to keep local residents informed of the scheme and any traffic management impact.

WCC has now installed a section of Signify Clearfield lighting on the A4440, which is red in appearance. This facilitates bats in crossing and, at the same time, is compliant to current lighting standards.

Day and night images of these are shown overleaf.

PROGRESS TO DATE

The expected reduced impact to surrounding ecology is the key consideration in the whole picture of sustainability in the built environment. The lanterns also deliver whole-life energy and maintenance cost savings to WCC over traditional lighting.

As the project is still a trial, formal bat monitoring is ongoing throughout this year, which will provide a direct comparison to 2018 statistics to evaluate trial success. To that end, the impact of red light on the bat populations is still to be determined.

Nevertheless, we were very pleased when in December the project won the Environmental Sustainability Project of the Year award from the Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE). The lights have also been described as ‘ground-breaking’ by WCC’s cabinet member with responsibility for economy and infrastructure, Ken Pollock.

Having worked in the lighting industry for several years now, in both manufacturing and consulting, I’ve built a greater understanding of our profession, www.theilp.org.uk

11

12

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Highway lighting

 The new ‘red’ bat lighting at dusk (top) and at night (bottom)

supported of course by my ILP training and continuing development.

Whilst the work with WCC is one of an array of schemes I’m involved in across major infrastructure and smaller projects, one thing that stands out in terms of this project was the hugely positive interest it garnered across media, social media and other communities.

Over the course of the first weekend that the project trial was announced by WCC, it was covered on more than 300 national and international media outlets.

This included BBC Midlands, local newspapers (such as The Birmingham Mail), national outlets, including The Guardian newspaper and even international sites, such as the US Treehugger website, among others[3]. We also received a significant postbag of letters of support from across the globe.

All this was of course tremendous, and it was a proud experience for all of us to see such positive profiling for the project and its objectives from around the world.

CONCLUSION

This project has potential to rewrite the standards we use when it comes to lighting for bats and to change guidance where ecology, lighting and development all work together moving forward.

Importantly, of course, lighting designers and engineers are central to educating key stakeholders and developers in the need for appropriate lighting design.

We need to ensure every part of our eco-system thrives if we are to reverse climate change within the time frames scientists indicate. Bats are significant environmental indicators and we need them more than we all realise.

[1] ‘Position Statement on Non-Visual Effects of Light - Recommending Proper Light at the Proper Time’, 2nd edition (October 3, 2019), CIE, available online from http://cie.co.at/publications/position-statement-non-visual-effects-light-recommending-proper-light-proper-time-2nd [2] Guidance Note 8: Bats and Artificial Lighting, the ILP, September 2018, available to download from https://www.theilp.org.uk/documents/guidance-note-8-bats-and-artificial-lighting/ [3] ‘Bat-friendly street lights for Worcestershire crossing’, August 2019, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-49534621; ‘How did the bat cross the road? By going to a safe red-light area’, The Guardian, September 2019, https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/sep/01/worcester-led-lighting-help-bats-cross-road; ‘Worcester becomes first city in UK to get bat-friendly street lights’, Birmingham Mail, August 2019

www.theilp.org.uk

GN08: BATS AND ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING

The ILP’s Guidance Note 08: Bats and Artificial Lighting was published in September 2018 and developed in association with the Bat Conservation Trust. It supersedes the previous 2009 guidance, and can be downloaded from the ILP’s website, by going to: www.theilp.org.uk/documents/ guidance-note-8-bats-and-artificial-lighting/

Stuart Morton EngTech AMILP is principal engineer at Jacobs

14

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

HEADY HEIGHTS

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Tower lighting

Portsmouth’s landmark Emirates Spinnaker Tower was given an LED and controls makeover last autumn, and the resulting scene and show effects have been spectacular. But, at 170m high, the installation process was far from straightforward

By Nic Paton

P

ortsmouth’s Emirates Spinnaker Tower has been an iconic landmark of the coastal city ever since it opened in 2005.

The 170m tower is twice the height of Nelson’s Column and has the distinctive curved shape of a spinnaker sail (hence the name). It was also a key element of owner Portsmouth City Council’s regeneration of the city’s harbour area, notably the development of the Gunwharf Quays retail and leisure park.

When it comes to lighting, the tower has three different types: red aircraft warning lights, feature lighting around the back and bottom of the bows – where the ‘sail’ curves – and either side and bottom of the legs, and coloured show lighting that normally comes on 15 minutes before sunset

and switches off at 11pm, or which can be used for special events.

Last summer it was decided the tower’s original (pre-LED) lighting was in need of a refresh, both in terms of a desire for a more up-to-date system that would be easier to maintain and more energy efficient, but also lighting that could be more flexible and easy to control when it came to show and display lighting.

HEIGHT CHALLENGE

The council, along with operator Continuum Attractions, therefore called in Hoare Lea to come up with a lighting design, Urbis Schréder to supply and install the scheme, and Cosmic Electronics to deliver on a new control system.

But switching out and renewing a

www.theilp.org.uk

15

16

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Tower lighting lighting scheme in this sort of vertiginous structure posed significant challenges, especially in terms of access, as Urbis Schréder project manager Des Breen explains to Lighting Journal.

‘When you look at the tower, it is a challenging prospect. It is possible to get right up to the top from the inside, out on to The Crow’s Nest. You can actually walk out there, with a harness on obviously. But, personally, I don’t have a head for heights so I couldn’t go – I found it bad enough in the café!’

For a job like this it was therefore definitely all about calling in the professionals, in this case a company called The Abseilers, which was already running the contract for Portsmouth City Council to maintain the lighting but also to carry out ongoing maintenance such as window cleaning.

‘The Abseilers were, in effect, the installers. Because they maintain the lights, they were already familiar with getting up there and disconnecting them, taking them down and getting new ones up and so on. It was a bit of a task, working from the top down.

They disconnected them and then lowered them all the way to the ground level, so it was quite an undertaking,’ says Des. ‘Climbing in at the top, you look down a series of metal cages that create platforms at different heights. We were following the abseilers in; they don’t even hesitate thanks to their familiarity with the tower, and minutes later they were hanging out of an access hatch (safely secured in of course!).

Moving the equipment through the two arcs, with only access at the top was no easy feat. Fortunately, the original system had been well installed and the knowledge of the Continuum staff was second to none.

‘When we got through to the commissioning, they had separate guys on either side to go down and manually, with radios, adjust each fitting or reposition and focus them. The Abseilers were critical to the whole operation; without them it would never have happened,’ says Des.

WIND CONSTRAINTS

The wind was another important factor, highlights Des. ‘If the winds were in excess of 20mph no abseiling was able to happen.

We were quite lucky in that most of the work happened from September last year onwards, so it was – relatively speaking – still summertime. But, for example, we asked them in February if they could reposition a couple of lights and, unsurprisingly with all the storms that month, they weren’t able to get up there,’ he says.

In terms of the lighting itself, the original lighting had been supplied by manufacturer Martin Professional, and so Urbis Schréder kept with Martin luminaires, www.theilp.org.uk

using 46 of the company’s Exterior Wash 310 and 22 of its Exterior Wash 210 series.

Alongside this, there were 28 1m linear grazers, used at the bottom of the tower to light the façade.

‘Most of the fittings that Martin had installed 15 years ago we were able to reuse, and for the new ones the fixings were quite similar, so we did not really have to worry too much about the superstructure and the infrastructure. In most cases on the bows we were replacing onefor-one,’ explains Des. ‘There was a fitting at each end of the bows. We had to change all the connectors to make them waterproof, check all the DMX cables were working and so on. Each point along the two bows also features a custom DMX splitter, so considerably more lighting points can be easily added to the system in the future without rewiring or reprogramming. But effectively that was the simple bit, getting to the bows.

‘What was more complicated was the tower has a section called The Cruciform,

THE NEW SCHEME SHOULD SAVE THE COUNCIL £28,000 A YEAR IN MAINTENANCE COSTS AND INCREASE THE EFFICIENCY AND LIFETIME OF THE LIGHTS

about a third of the way up, where it splays out and two of the sections at the front cross over. The designer wanted to put new positions on there, and so we had to make brackets to interface with the existing structure and the new products, because the originals had different fixings.

That was where it got a bit tricky.

‘From the lighting design point of view, some of the angles they wanted to achieve weren’t necessarily possible within the constraints of how far we could rotate or incline them within the structure itself. So there were quite a few constraints between what you could draw and what could actually end up installing, so there was quite a lot of co-ordination required,’ Des adds.

But the result has been spectacular, with the colour-changing show lighting becoming something of a talking point, and an attraction, locally. The new scheme should also save the council £28,000 a year in maintenance costs and increase the efficiency and lifetime of the lights.

‘It is unbelievable now how it looks. The council was surprised how much they could achieve with it. The old system was good for its time, but this new system is a lot more dynamic and instantaneous,’ says Des. ‘A lot of the lighting scenes they can now program themselves, and it is possible even to hire the tower for corporate or individual events where you can decide on the lighting. For instance, if you are having a function there and you want everything to be green for the evening, they’ll do that for you.

‘If they want more complex scenes they do need to get the guys from Cosmic back, because it is very specialist skill-set. For example, the new scheme launched just in time for BBC Children in Need. The BBC took over the tower for an evening and wanted to put its own light show on. One of the guys from Cosmic therefore went out in a boat with the BBC crew, and they started doing a wonderful light show with Pudsey Bear. Overall it has gone down very well and people have been amazed by it,’ says Des. Finally, what have been the key lessons, the learning points, from successfully completing a challenging project such as this?

‘I think you’ve got to be aware of how dynamic your system really is and what it is you want to achieve. The lighting design team, for example, had a few ideas of what they wanted the tower to look like. But the tower team also had their own ideas. So they had to sit down together and agree,’ says Des ‘Within the contract we allowed them so many days of programming. They had to agree between themselves, and set boundaries and limitations on what the system could do and what they expected it to do, and what they could allow it to do.

‘With LED controls these days you can carry on designing shows and scenes ad infinitum. But you have to remember that somebody actually has to sit down and make each individual light work, because each light is addressable, and somebody has to be able to tell what each light is doing at any particular time.

‘That, for me, was a lesson learnt – setting the boundaries – making everybody aware of what a scheme will do, as opposed to what it might do. I think there is a valuable lesson in there,’ says Des.

We at SchrĂŠder understand the need for modular design that can change and evolve. We have created a range that meets your energy goals while allowing you to embrace your local identity.

Looking for a solution designed for your local area? Get in touch to find out more.

www.schreder.com

18

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Should lighting design be offered as a ‘free’ design service or is this a thin end of a wedge that leads to the commodification and cheapening of design expertise? One designer argues that greater transparency around the design process and better management of client expectations may be one answer

By Richard Jackson

D

id anyone see my post on LinkedIn on ‘free’ lighting designs the other month? It seems to have caused quite a stir.

As I appreciate not everyone engages with social media, I was asked to write a short opinion piece on it. I emphasise this is very much a personal opinion piece, yet something I nevertheless feel may be of wider interest in terms of perhaps sparking some debate or discussion.

For those who missed the post, it was essentially as follows:

The problem. A client comes to us with a ‘lighting design’ from a company offering ‘free design services’ The design is for a site that has 100 lighting points. The client now needs a ‘proper’ design as the authority won’t approve the ‘free design’ provided because the equipment is not even authority specification (the company has a ‘get out of jail free’ card, as a note in the corner of its drawing states: ‘We take no liability for the accuracy of our design’).

We have now been asked to get involved with the design, under significant time pressures due to the client not being properly advised.

We designed it and, guess how many lighting points we manged to remove while still meeting the same lighting levels and meeting the authority specification? Let’s just say it was a 47% reduction! So, say all in it is £1,000 per asset to install. That’s £47,000 saved!

So, I think we should offer free design and ask for 50% of the construction cost savings!

I would welcome any comments on this, particularly from manufacturers or contractors that offer/use free design services.

Clearly, my comment on offering free design and asking for a cut of the construction cost savings was a joke. First and foremost, I understand that we all have responsibility as an industry and as independent consultants; we should wherever we can be promoting the value of good design to clients to help them make informed choices.

Also, as a lighting consultancy, you may think that we are simply preaching to keep our place in the market. And, in all honesty, we do see the value in the service of offering free ‘indicative’ layouts for customers, as it helps steer them into costing schemes in the preliminary stages.

But when we get clients asking us, ‘how many assets does a 50-unit scheme need?’, it’s impossible to help them without starting to design and then therefore needing to charge a fee.

In such instances, I feel this is where there is a strong case for manufacturers to be offering free, informed indicative layouts.

RECOGNISING, AND VALUING, EXCELLENCE

Enough said about the problem. What about the solution? That’s what we are here for, right? Engineers find solutions to things As an industry I/we feel the solution is

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Opinion

FOR PRICING

CLIENT REQUESTS DESIGN SUPPORT

FOR PLANNING

Indicative lighting design for costing purposes to allow clients to scope and price schemes MANUFACTURER

MANUFACTURER/ CONSULTANT

FOR CONSTRUCTION CONSULTANT

simple. Let’s promote (and value) excellence: excellent designers, excellent manufactures, excellent contractors – and let’s spell out to clients where the lines between indicative/free and costed start and stop.

One further point raised by the post that really resonated with us as a business, and which we feel could do with addressing, was the need for guidance on selecting the right avenue in the first place.

I think as a profession and an industry that we need to promote a good ‘process map’ from the start; we should be working on a design process flow, and this should be clearly communicated to the client so they understand what they’re getting into.

As part of this, I think it’s important we remember the definition of who a designer is under CDM 2015. It states: ‘A designer is an organisation or individual whose work involves preparing or modifying designs for construction projects, or arranging for, or instructing, others to do this. Designers can be architects, consulting engineers and quantity surveyors, or anyone who specifies and alters designs as part of their work.’

It then goes on to talk about the importance of a designer: ‘A designer has a strong influence, particularly during the very early planning and design stages of a project. Their decisions can affect the health and safety of not only those contractors and workers carrying out the construction work, but those who use, maintain, repair, clean, refurbish and eventually demolish a building.

‘Decisions such as selecting materials or components of a building can avoid, reduce or control risks involved in constructing a building and maintaining and

A design for planning purposes needs to be carried out with sufficent skill and understanding for the planning laws and local authority needs whilst also having due consideration for CDM 'as the local authority has the power to condition the drawings to be constructed as designed' Construction designs need to have full consideration for CDM including stats information, plus any other overground and underground obstructions. The design should be carried out by a competent lighting designer

using it after it is built.’

Finally, CDM 2015 clearly defines when the designer’s duties start and finish: ‘Designer duties apply as soon as they are appointed and when designs which may be used for construction work are started.

While most design work is carried out during the pre-construction phase of a project, it is not unusual for it to extend into the construction phase.

‘A designer should agree with whoever has appointed them how long their appointment will last for.’

You will see from the above that, as an independent design consultant, there are several responsibilities we take on to ensure our design is fully CDM-compliant.

DESIGN ‘MAP’

In order to support clients and the industry, we wanted to find a way to offer some more guidance. We have looked at how we could make this a simple map for people to use (and see the graphic above).

At first, we thought it would be complicated but, actually, it has ended up really rather simple.

We thought we would be having to develop a design process flow-chart with a number of different variables. But, honestly, we believe it is a simple process and the next step is agreement and promotion.

As such, we would welcome comments on the above, allowing the process-flow to be considered and tweaked to make sure all parties are aligned and in agreement on the best way to promote quality standard within the industry.

I would welcome this to be the start of

something where the industry really champions good practice for all parties, where these sorts of flow-charts can be, in effect, the entry point to ‘good’ process and practice.

Across the whole industry, whether it be design, product testing and specification, we know industry best practice for construction works. This is a wide and vast subject, but surely, with collaboration, we can partner with other industry bodies and companies to promote our industry as leaders in collaboration?

Rather than just offering a free lunch to tidy up the mistakes of others?

Richard Jackson EngTech AMILP TMIET is business development director at Designs for Lighting

HAVE YOU GOT A VIEW ON THIS?

If you have a view on Richard’s proposition for the industry, why not send a letter to the editor? To submit a letter for publication to Lighting Journal simply email Nic Paton at: nic@cormorantmedia.co.uk or go direct to the ILP through your LDC or by emailing: info@theilp.org.uk Letters may be edited for length and style purposes and publication is not guaranteed.

www.theilp.org.uk

19

20

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Green or plant walls are becoming increasingly popular, especially in shopping centres, hotels, airports and indoor public spaces. But how best to light them?

To keep the greenery thriving you need to whack up the kelvin, yet if you do that the plants can end up looking artificial or plastic. Lighting designer David Gilbey is on a mission to find the answer

By David Gilbey

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Green walls

Y

ou talk to any lighting designer and lighting green or plant walls is the elephant in the room; and, believe me, I have lit many.

Every time I’ve done a green wall as a lighting designer, I’ve always kept the plants alive. But, confession time, I have got a lot of healthy illuminated green walls around the world that don’t in fact look that pretty. As I say, I’ve worked on a hell of a lot of plant walls; and I have always lit them at the daylight end of the spectrum. At one level that’s great, it keeps them healthy. But, if I’m honest, I don’t think they look that great.

My personal opinion is that when we light green or plant walls with 5000K, 6000K, the plants look quite plastic, even though biologically it is great for them.

That is why I’m working with UCL Bartlett University, my colleague Dr Amardeep M Dugar of Lighting Research & Design, and Professor Peter Raynham of UCL on research to find the optimum way to light green walls; to find the right fluence and spectrum for lighting plant walls. We’re trying to come at it without any pre-set ideas of where things are going to go; we only know the core of the research is going to be on how plant walls look. Because, obviously, they have got to be healthy at the same time.

POPULARITY OF GREEN WALLS

First off, what even are plant walls? That’s simple: they’re a collection of wallmounted plants. I’ve got seven commercial projects on my table at the moment, and four of them have got green walls.

I’ve got a shopping centre project in Korea, not only does it have a green wall it has something akin to London’s Sky Garden (pictured opposite); it is set back 10m from a deep glass façade, so we are going to have to keep it alive with artificial light.

We’re really seeing green walls everywhere now. We’re seeing them in commercial projects, airports, shopping centres, restaurants, you name it. They are everywhere.

What are the benefits of installing a green wall? They look great and people just seem to like them is the simple answer. However, there are all kinds of health and wellness benefits of having a green wall and biophilic design in general. What really interests me is how the psychological effects of green walls and biophilic design elements can also have huge physiological health benefits, for example speeding up recovery times and reducing pain medicines dispensed in hospitals.

The other day, for example, I went around UCL with three green walls on a pallet truck and I must say they have a very attractive quality; it was like going around with a very attractive puppy. People were

coming up and saying, ‘where are they going?’. People were just following me around stroking the wall. It’s tangible, you see it.

What is required for installing plant walls in interior spaces? Well, the temperatures generally need to be constant, around the 25-27 degrees mark. Optimum irrigation is important. I’m terrible at plumbing; I have been soaked many times keeping our green walls at UCL alive. But we have an irrigation system that drains down from the top to the bottom, so it is very easy for us, from a research point of view, to measure how muchwater our green walls are getting.

MAINTENANCE CHALLENGES

Then there’s the issue of maintenance. You don’t really want them to grow. We don’t want to install a 15m green wall and then have to have someone mow it. So, really the whole fluence argument is a great

argument; because we are using different light to germinate plants, different light to make plants breathe. And what we want to do within the commercial environment is we want to keep them as maintenance-free as possible. We want them to stay healthy, looking healthy, but not growing.

But lighting green walls to a) keep the plants alive but also b) make them look appealing, that is a challenge. Use 6500K and, yes, you’ll keep them alive; but it is not going to look great. And that is what my research is all about. What we’re looking for is an optimum light for photosynthetic absorption; what it is that we need to keep plants healthy, but which will also make the wall look good.

The aim is to arrive at optimum illumination using white LEDs that is biologically as well as visually effective. What I mean by ‘optimum’ is fluence and spectrum that is biologically effective to keep plant walls www.theilp.org.uk

21

22

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Green walls

David Gilbey’s research is involving gauging opinion and insight from lighting designers, students and others, as well as careful evaluation and measurement

healthy, maintenance-free and visually effective to provide them with the most natural appearance.

Funnily enough, the whole idea for the research came about from a conversation with Roger Sexton at Xicato, who casually asked me, ‘so, what’s your reason for lighting at that level?’. And my answer was because that level had always kept the plants alive. But now I don’t think that is enough; I think as lighting professionals we can, and should, be able to do better. Take the same holistic approach that we take to lighting design in general and apply it to green wall illumination.

Another thing we’re looking at as part of the research at UCL is how green walls take toxins out of the air. There was a while ago a big experiment and social exercise in schools and near main roads in the UK to plant green walls in the expectation that they would help to reduce the toxins in the air. In truth, it failed. It never removed the very large toxins, and it was those that were doing the damage to the kids. But this is something we’re also going to be looking at.

This is ongoing research at the UCL.

DIFFERENT SPECTRAL DISRIBUTIONS

We have three identical plant walls set up, each of which is illuminated for a measured amount of time with different spectral distributions – 5600K, 4000K, and 3000K – and which are being monitored over a three-month period for growth and health.

Each wall gets the same amount of light at www.theilp.org.uk

the same light level, experiences the same humidity, has the same amount of water.

We’ve done a lot of cross-checking, even though we have got them in the same room, to make sure we’ve taken care of the reflectance and we haven’t got cross-contamination of light.

We’re looking at two questions, really: how natural they appear and their visual appeal, how they appeal to you, the viewer.

We’ll have at least 100 people evaluating this, many of them lighting designers. But we will also have a night when we just bring in architects and test them.

We will have another night when we bring in landscape architects and test them, too. We’ll carry out user appreciation tests via semi-structured interviews. So, we should eventually have a good cross-section of opinion. I would like to find a way where we could bring people in off the street; a lot of people do have some form of interest in this area. We’re also, where we can, gauging opinion at events. For example, we surveyed approximately 30 people at the London Design Fair’s darc room event last autumn.

The expected outcome – the hope – is that we come up with this magic formula for lighting green walls. Already, so far, when it comes to naturalness what we have found is that 4000K is the most appropriate. For attractiveness, people’s preference appears to be also 4000K. 5600K tends to be the least preferred, and 3000K somewhere in between. But as those findings

were from a sample of just six participants, so it doesn’t really have any statistical significance; it is as yet early days.

Visual appeal is of course only part of it.

Our research is going to have failed if what we find is appealing doesn’t then keep the plants healthy. So, it may end up being about blending light and looking for the optimum white.

The intention is also to get something tangible from this, a proper academic paper with published results, maybe a new methodology or even a new range of LEDs. What we’re just looking to find the way through.

We may, for example, look to develop a horticultural range of LEDs for Xicato; we may aim to develop new LED engines.

We don’t know where this is going to take us. But what we’re looking to do is proper statistical research where we canvas opinion on appearance and at the same time test how the plants are doing. Wherever it goes, it goes. Watch this space. The results will be published and made available to all, for the good of lighting and design in general.

The initial research is completed and there is a huge amount of data to analyse, there will also be an additional period of research on plant health alone to test data received.

David Gilbey is London studio manager and head of creative lighting at NDYLIGHT

CELxcel

APRIL 2020

A C H A R L E S E N D I R E C T P R O D U C TLIGHTING JOURNAL

C O N T RO L

C O N N E CT I V I T Y DISTRIBUTION SAFET Y

Introducing our NEW photocell range: CELxcel CELxcel Low Power

Ingenuity at work Wessex Way Wincanton Business Park Wincanton Somerset BA9 9RR

CharlesEndirect.com +44 (0)1963 828 400 â&#x20AC;¢ info@CharlesEndirect.com

www.theilp.org.uk

23

24

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

PLANTING

IDEAS

By Nic Paton

Environmentalism, the circular economy, integrated working and biophilic design were among the diverse topics in the spotlight at the ILP-curated Light Talks at Light School in February. We look back at two-and-a-half days of enriching CPD

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Biophilic design

:) Biophilic surfaces, such as this one exhibited by Innerspace, were a talking point at both Light School and the Surface Design Show

A

s David Gilbey has explained on the previous pages, green walls and biophilic design are becoming increasingly popular with clients – yet can pose challenges for the lighting professional.

Environmentalism and, within that, biophilic design were also key talking points at the ILP-curated Light Talks at Light School at the Surface Design Show in February.

Much of the discussion over the two days focused on the role that ‘good’ lighting and lighting design can play in terms of reducing energy consumption, promoting the circular economy, and facilitating more sustainable, integrated approaches and partnerships between lighting designers, architects, interior designers and others.

The Light Talks tent, too, was visually biophilic, with the theatre space designed

by Rebecca Weir of Light.iQ showcasing an illuminated moss-panelled green wall, which she described as an ‘urban oasis’, alongside as a range of other surfaces.

And for those (and there were many, the tent was packed) who wanted to find out more about biophilic design and biophilic lighting in particular – what it is, how it works, and what to be thinking about – a ‘masterclass’ discussion between Rebecca and leading biophilic designer Oliver Heath was the place to go.

INNATE ATTRACTION TO NATURE

As Oliver explained: ‘Biophilic design is a subject that more and more architects and designers are learning about. Essentially, biophilia means a love of nature. And it explains our innate human attraction to nature and natural processes. So it might be about our desire to be in and around nature.

‘It is developing that idea of wanting to be in and around nature. Biophilic design is, essentially, a set of principles that have been developed that allow us to bring a stronger connection to nature into the built environment, into our cities, into our streets, our urban environments, on to the façades of buildings, or right into the interior spaces,’ he added.

‘As a lighting designer, I am always telling people to think about the natural environment, to only talk about artificial light once we’ve considered natural light,’ agreed Rebecca. ‘But actually, with biophilic design, we have to go all the way back to exactly the same starting point and think about those elements as well, not just lighting, but the fire, survival and so on.’

Biophilic design was not just about bringing nature indoors, emphasised Oliver, it was also about recognising that, when you do this, there can often be considerable health, wellbeing and environmental benefits.

He highlighted what he called ‘the Savannah Theory’, or that humans

innately recognise a lush, green Savannah-style landscape as a space where survival (food, water, prey) is possible, and therefore feel calmer. ‘It is only really since the Industrial Revolution in this country that we have moved from rural dwellings and into city centres. We have a genetic inheritance to be able to recognise landscapes that can potentially help us not just to survive and thrive, but also to flourish,’ he said.

Lush, Savannah-like environments therefore have the ability to reduce our heart rates and blood pressure levels; to help us to recuperate from stress or physical activity. ‘The interesting thing with biophilia is how we then translate that into the settings that we find ourselves in today. How do we translate that evolutionary heritage into the dense urban geometric spaces that we find ourselves in?’ said Oliver.

‘If we improve natural light, bring plants or greenery or water features in or even use timber walls, we can reduce heart rates and blood pressure levels; we can help people recuperate from moments of intense activity and help them in getting back to their best more quickly. We can create more desirable environments that attract staff and help to prevent them leaving. These are really important, valuable assets in the business world,’ he added. www.theilp.org.uk

25

26

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Biophilic design ROLE OF LIGHT AND LIGHTING

Rebecca Weir then focused these thoughts on the role of lighting within this context.

‘In the lighting industry we have talked about light and health now for several years.

With colour tuneability, with different colours of white, and with people even being a little bit brave – and I have seen an absolute shift this year – in the way that people start to talk about colour, and bringing colour in and the colour psychology.

‘I think we’ve really seen progress, but I think the next few years will also be very, very exciting. I feel that instead of pushing these ideas, people are now already on board with them. The conversations should be a little bit easier now,’ she said.

‘We are realising these connections between lighting and colour and one’s experience,’ Oliver agreed.

THREE CORE CONCEPTS OF BIOPHILIA

Ultimately, as a designer you needed to keep in mind three core concepts when thinking about, or trying to design for, a biophilic approach, Oliver argued.

‘The first concept is how you bring direct or real forms of nature into a space using plants, trees, water, natural light, fresh air.

Or connecting to the wider changes throughout the seasons,’ he said.

‘The second concept is what we call “the indirect reference” to nature. This aspect is particularly important to existing spaces and interior designers. Indirect references are how we bring natural colours, materials, textures and even technologies into spaces.

It is all those material things, references to nature, or how we mimic nature.

‘And the third element is the human spatial response. It is how do we create spaces that deliver on all those physical needs; spaces that are exciting and stimulating and aspirational; spaces that help us mix, mingle and connect with one another; but also spaces that help us to relax and recuperate?’ he added.

As highlighted by David Gilbey previously, it was also important for the client to accept (and budget for) the need for ongoing maintenance to be part of the biophilic design process, however it is illuminated.

This was something echoed by Oliver

Below, Rebecca Weir and Oliver Heath, bottom, Lauren Lever and, opposite, Dan Lister

www.theilp.org.uk

Heath. ‘These things do require maintenance.

A green wall is going to be costly and time-consuming to design. It’s going to require maintenance, water, drainage. There are complications. But there are also lots of benefits,’ he pointed out.

‘Equally, we might be looking at moss walls.

They’re not quite as lively, not quite as dynamic; they don’t change very much at all over the year. But it still brings that sense of richness and greenery. There are dynamic forms of nature we can bring in, which bring in multi-sensory benefits.

‘Then there are these indirect references [you can bring in], that are maybe lower maintenance, easier to sort out, more cost-effective to buy and install, and which are easier to bring in. It is just about finding appropriate solutions to the timescale and cost and the ongoing running and the maintenance of the project, and ultimately what it is you want to get out of it,’ Oliver added.

‘There is no doubt,’ Rebecca Weir concluded, wrapping up the discussion, ‘that, for all of us, biophilic design is a win/win situation.’

TOP MARKS FOR LIGHT SCHOOL

With an estimated 5,000 visitors and more than 170 exhibitors, the Surface Design Show at the Business Design Centre in Islington, north London, was once again a success this year, with the ILP-curated Light School very much at its heart, writes Nic Paton.

Running over two-and-a-half days from 11-13 February the Light School theatre space was the first thing that caught the eye of visitors, as it was specially designed by Rebecca Weir, creative director of product supplier Lightbout.iQ and lighting design consultancy Light.iQ. With installations supplied by, among others, Evans Turner, Innerspace, Applelec, Corian and B & S Glass Industries, the theatre highlighted a range of differently illuminated surfaces, including biophilic materials, all lit by Rebecca, who ran guided tours of the theatre over the two full days.

Across the Surface Design Show and Light School combined there were some 40 presentations from 65 speakers. But it was Marcus Steffen of MS Lighting Design who kicked off the CPD ‘Light Talks’ within Light School, which this year had partnership working and environmentalism as key themes.

Marcus highlighted how the design and specification of lighting on projects can have a major impact on energy consumption, and therefore the role and value for all of us of reducing waste, embracing the ‘circular economy’ and working to become carbon zero.

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

‘FACETS OF LIGHT’ MASTERCLASS

Michael Grubb of Michael Grubb Studio discussed the challenges and opportunities of collaborative working between architects and lighting designers, including making a passionate case for more integrated approaches to lighting schemes.

There was then followed by a ‘facets of light masterclass’, essentially three 20-minute talks and Q&As discussing issues such as tonality and contrast, colour and texture, and integration, bringing together Jill Entwistle from Lighting magazine, Clementine Fletcher-Smith from Speirs + Major, and Bojana Nikolic and Mark Ridler from BDP. A complementary second masterclass came next, chaired by Sunny Sribanditmongkol of Studio 29. Here, Paul Traynor of Light Bureau and Helen Berresford of Sheppard Robson discussed how lighting designers and architects can foster and build better partnerships.

The final day of Light School started with an interactive presentation – including pencils, paper and balls – by Seraphina Gogate and Sophia O’Rourke from Nulty +. They discussed the challenging issue of how to ‘draw’ light; how light has been drawn and painted through the ages, from charcoal and chalk through to Adobe Photoshop.

REVITALISING A UNIVERSITY SPACE

Fresh from winning the ‘Light & Surface Exterior’ award at the show’s Surface Design Awards, Arup’s Dan Lister then explained how taking a bold approach to illuminating a brutalist concrete bridge at the University of

Sheffield had transformed and revitalised what had been up to then a rather sad, underused space.

Rebecca Weir and Oliver Heath then held their masterclass on biophilic design and lighting, as already highlighted, while the day, and Light School itself, concluded with Foundry’s Lauren Lever discussing her recent role on TV’s ‘Inside the World’s Greatest Hotels’ in February as well as lighting for hotels and restaurants more generally.

You can turn to page 46 to find out more about how Lauren’s turn on TV – complete with ILP lapel badge – came about and what the experience involved. And watch out in Lighting Journal over the coming months for articles based on or building upon a number of this year’s Light School presentations.

Fo r t h e I L P Engagement and Communications manager Jess Gallacher, one of the real values of Light School is the opportunity it offers for the industry to engage, communicate with and even educate different disciplines, including architecture, interior

design and materials and surfaces specialist, about what great light, lighting and lighting design can bring to a project. And this year was no exception.

‘Once again, Light School was a big hit for the lighting community,’ she said.

‘We’d like to thank all the kind people who supported each other and helped spread the word about the importance of good lighting. Those who gave talks and those who gave impromptu help and advice, proving what a friendly bunch, the lighting community is.’

CORONAVIRUS PUTS BRISTOL SUMMIT ON HOLD

The spread of coronavirus in the UK and restrictions on travel and meetings has led to this year’s Professional Lighting Summit being postponed.

The summit had been due to take place between 3-4 June at the Watershed in Bristol (pictured).

But the curtailing of all but essential face-to-face activity has meant the ILP has had no option but to temporarily postpone the Summit, with a new date expected to be announced soon. So please keep an eye out for announcements on the ILP website, www.theilp.org.uk All ILP face-to-face events, courses and meeting between now and July have been cancelled or postponed because of coronavirus.

However, as we also highlight on page 42, the ILP has launched an online GN22 ATOMS course. Members can also carry on professional and CPD dialogue through the ILP’s Lighting for Good forum (and see page 50 for more on this), and Professional Lighting Guides are available online through the membership portal.

There are many free online guidance notes, SlideShare presentations and other doc uments available through the “resources” section on the website, and Lighting Journal itself is also available digitally through the website. www.theilp.org.uk

27

28

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

THE

ROAD AHEAD

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Automotive lighting

The arrival of LED has transformed car and automotive lighting, providing safer, less stressful illumination for drivers while avoiding dazzle, glare and discomfort for other road users. But robust testing remains of paramount importance within the industry

By Robert Yeo

V

ehicle headlamps were once rated in units of candle power, which as an apt description for my first car, a 1969 Morris Minor.

The designer of the Morris Minor (also of the ubiquitous Mini) was Sir Alec Issigonis, who once opined that, in the interests of safety and staying alert behind the wheel, he should make his cars as uncomfortable to drive as possible; to the extent of fitting a spike to the steering column to impale the drive in the event of a collision.

I’m not sure how serious he was about this particular ‘passive’ safety feature, but the dim illumination provided by my Morris’ headlamps led in no small part to the observance of speed limits, at least at night.

Today, vehicle lighting technology has advanced out of all recognition, with my current car luxuriating in the excess of ‘active pixel LED headlamps with laser assisted main beams’. Short of the light output from a thermonuclear explosion (or two ‘petawatts’, or 2 x 10^12 candelas per sq m if you’re interested), you won’t find a brighter source of artificial illumination, with night almost being turned into day.

In this article, I intend to review the development of vehicle headlamp technology (from candles to LEDs and lasers) and explain the metrics used to express the output of lamps and the methods used to measure them.

FROM CANDLES TO TUNGSTEN

The very earliest vehicle lighting was based on candles or burning oil (for example acetylene), but light output was less of a concern because at that time vehicle speeds were strictly enforced by a man walking in front of the car carrying a red flag. Throughout most of the 20th century vehicle headlamps were based on incandescent lamps.

The invention of the incandescent lamp is popularly credited to Thomas Edison in 1879. Incandescence (as I imagine most ILP members will well know) is the emission of (visible) light as a result of resistive heating of a metal (filament of tungsten). The more current that flows, the greater the heating effect, the greater the incandescence.

With an efficacy of about 10 lumens per Watt (electrical to optical efficiency), incandescent lighting will therefore never set the world alight. The lamp was positioned at the locus of a reflector (usually parabolic) so as to collimate the beam, while the desired beam distribution was achieved using prismatic optics moulded into the headlamp lens. Figure 1 overleaf shows a schematic of a lens-optic headlamp.

COMPLEX REFLECTOR HEADLAMPS (1983)

The 1980s saw the introduction of complex reflector optics in headlamp design, and the gradual shift away from simple,

www.theilp.org.uk

29

30

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Automotive lighting

p Figure 1. A schematic of lens-optic headlamp (all three original images by Duk)

parabolic reflectors. The optics required to shape the headlamp beam were designed into the reflector, rather than into the lens itself.

Complex reflector optic headlamps provided an improvement in light collection from the incandescent lamp and better control of the beam shape. The 1983 Austin Maestro is credited with having the first production complex reflector headlamps.

Figure 2 shows a schematic of a reflector headlamp.

PROJECTOR HEADLAMPS (1986)

The 1980s also saw the development of projector headlamps. This design places the lamp at the focus of an ellipsoidal reflector and uses a condenser lens to collimate the beam.

This type of headlamp offered the vehicle designer greater flexibility because of the reduced cross-sectional area of the headlamp, albeit with greatly increased depth.

The 1986 BMW 7-Series (E32) is cited as being the first volume production car with polyellipsoidal projector low beam headlamps. Figure 3 shows a schematic of a projector headlamp.

HALOGEN LAMPS

Separate from developments in headlamp optical design, the simple tungsten incandescent lamp was being replaced by the quartz tungsten halogen (QTH) lamp. First developed in 1955 by Elmer Fridrich and Emmet Wiley at the General Electric Company, the so-called ‘halogen’ lamp improved upon the original tungsten lamp by burning brighter and extending the life of the filament. A halogen gas (typically iodine or bromine) is placed within the quartz (fused silica) vacuum envelope of the lamp.

As the tungsten filament evaporates, rather than condensing on the glass envelope of the lamp and darkening it (as occurs with a standard incandescent lamp), it reacts with the halogen gas to form a halide, which doesn’t deposit on the glass. Instead, the tungsten halide dissolves back to www.theilp.org.uk

p Figure 2. A schematic of reflector headlamp

tungsten when in close proximity to the filament, returning the metal back from whence it came.

This process is known as the halogen cycle and it has the major benefits of keeping the glass of the lamp clear and extending the life of the filament. The luminous efficacy of quartz tungsten halogen lamps varies in the range from about 12 to 24 lumens per Watt.

COMPACT FLUORESCENT LAMPS (CFLS)

As an aside, spiral compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) are unsuitable for vehicle lighting. It is more difficult to efficiently collect and collimate light from an extended (larger) source area, and the sheer size of the emitting area of CFLs alone precludes them from automotive lighting applications.

The spiral format CFL was developed by Edward Hammer at General Electric in 1976 in response to the 1973 oil crisis.

HIGH INTENSITY DISCHARGE (HID) LAMPS, AKA ‘XENON’ (1992)

During the 1990s, high intensity discharge (HID) lamps started to become popular, referred to as ‘xenon’ in the vernacular.

The very first dipped-beam HID headlamps were developed by Hella and Bosch and launched on the E32 BMW 7-Series in 1992. HID lamps of course produce light as a result of an electric arc that is struck in a metal halide gas containing xenon; the addition of xenon reducing the warm-up time compared to an argon-only gas mixture that would otherwise take several minutes to reach full output.

The spectrum of light emitted from an HID lamp contains a distinct blue peak, which compares with relatively little blue content from an incandescent lamp. Thus, the correlated colour temperature (CCT) of an HID lamp is much higher (4000K to 5000K versus 2800K to 3200K for tungsten or tungsten halogen).

The presence of a blue peak from the HID

p Figure 3. A schematic of projector headlamp

lamp and the use of a condenser lens in a projector headlamp can result in a characteristic blue glint (colour fringe) at certain angles of view, caused by chromatic aberration from the lens.

A byproduct of the higher CCT and bluerich output of HID lamps is their higher perceived brightness as a result of the semidark-adapted state of the human vision system. The scotopic response of the eye favours blue light over longer wavelengths.

HID lamps typically exceed a luminous efficacy of 100 lumens per Watt, an order of magnitude higher than an incandescent lamp.

THE ARRIVAL OF LED (2006)

The new millennia saw the start of the next automotive lighting revolution: the light emitting diode (or LED).

The first series production car with LEDbased dipped-beam headlamps was the 2006 Lexus LS (courtesy of Koito), with the 2007 Audi R8 V10 featuring the first allLED headlamp (manufactured by Automotive Lighting, the joint venture between Magneti-Marelli and Bosch).

An LED of course produces light by electroluminescence, a phenomenon discovered in 1907. The recombination of electrons and electron holes in the semiconductor produces photons of light, with the bandgap of the semiconductor determining the wavelength (colour) of the light emitted.

Much as elsewhere within the lighting world, LEDs provide a unique set of advantages over all other lighting technologies in automotive applications.

They are directional, compact, efficient (>100 lumens per Watt) and long lasting (if driven and thermally managed correctly) and present the automotive lighting designer with new opportunities for innovative design concepts based on their compact form factor.

An LED itself does not produce white light on its own. White light LEDs are in fact

GIFAS in-ground unit

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

31

Project: The Exchange, Public Realm, Aylesbury As part of the ‘The Exchange Public

This demonstrates the flexibility in

Realm’ project in Aylesbury, GIFAS

our design to suit the customers

in-ground units and a Charles

requirements. The purpose of

Endirect Ltd feeder pillar were

the feeder pillar is to control and

specified by the consultant. The

supply electrical power to the street

purpose of the in-ground units is

lighting in this area, as well as the

to supply single phase and 3-phase

in-ground units.

electrical supplies for eventing purposes as and when required.

When not in use the in-ground units remain in the closed position keeping The Exchange free of street clutter.

The housings are made of stainless steel, and the safe opening and closing of the lid is achieved using gas pistons, meaning that the unit is a maintenance free product.

For this project a Charles Endirect electrical feeder pillar was also required. Initially the housing measured 2m high, but the customer required something much lower, and the file design shown on the photo below measures just 1m high and 5m wide.

Ingenuity at work

CharlesEndirect.com +44 (0)1963 828 400 • info@CharlesEndirect.com

www.theilp.org.uk

32

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Automotive lighting

of course blue LEDs with a phosphor coating through which the blue light is transmitted. The phosphor absorbs some of the blue light and fluorescence converts this to light of longer wavelengths.

The combination of blue LED light with green to red phosphor converted light creates the white light output that we desire.

The high brightness indium gallium nitride (InGaN) blue LED was invented by Shuji Nakamura at Nichia in 1995.

MATRIX AND PIXEL LEDS (2013)

Bringing us almost to the present day, ‘matrix’ LED or ‘pixel’ LED headlamps employ an array of LEDs. A forward-facing camera determines the presence of oncoming vehicles, or a vehicle travelling in the same direction in front, and dims individual LEDs in the array so as to avoid dazzling the other traffic. The headlamp beam is adjusted in real time so as to illuminate the road around or to the side of the other traffic, thereby maximising the illuminance for the driver of the vehicle.

Matrix or pixel LED headlamps operate on full main beam outside of urban environments and above urban speed limits, with the headlamps automatically dimming in bands or zones to avoid blinding other traffic.

Matrix LED headlamps were first introduced on the 2013 Audi A8, which featured 25 LEDs that could be individually switched on, switched off or dimmed. As an example of the current state-of-the-art, consider the 2018 model year Range Rover (L405) and Range Rover Sport (L494) model ranges. These were introduced with matrix LED and pixel LED headlamp technology.

The Land Rover matrix LED-type features 52 LEDs splitting the beam into vertical strips. The Land Rover pixel LED-type incorporates 142 LEDs, which allow the main beam pattern to be split vertically and horizontally. This provides for more precise control of the beam with improved www.theilp.org.uk

illumination while at the same time minimising dazzle to other vehicles.

LASER ASSISTED HIGH BEAM (2014)

Supplementing some high-end LED headlights is laser-assisted high beam. This operates on a similar basis to how white light is generated from an LED. In this case, an intense blue laser ‘pumps’ a remote phosphor, which converts some of the blue light to longer green and red wavelengths.

As with white LEDs, the residual blue laser light is combined with the fluorescent green and red to create white light. Again as with LEDs, the laser light is also directional, except even more so.

The near-collimated white laser beam has a much further reach than standard LED beams, so is activated outside of urban environments above a threshold speed (typically 50mph) so as to illuminate the road further ahead of the vehicle (claims of useful illumination out to 500m are made).

The first production vehicle equipped with laser-assisted high beams was the BMW i8 in 2014.

DIGITAL MATRIX DMD LED (2019)

The very latest innovation in headlamp technology was announced in November last year by Audi.

The Audi E-Tron Sportback features ‘Digital Matrix LED’ headlamps that employ three LEDs and a DMD (Digital Micromirror Device) chip with one million ‘micromirrors’, each of which can be tilted up to 5,000 times per second.

The DMS chip is similar in concept to the DLP (Digital Light Processing) technology developed by Texas Instruments and used in projectors. Each of the micromirrors on the 2D mirror array either allows the light from the LEDs to pass through to the headlamp lenses (and so illuminate the road), or to deflect into a beam dump, which absorbs the light. The resultant ‘high definition’ headlamp illumination pattern improves upon the beam steering and selective illumination

capabilities of matrix and pixel LED headlamps.

One of the more novel aspects to the Audi DMD technology is the ability to project a ‘carpet’ of light in front of the vehicle, so indicating to the driver which lane they should be in and their position within the lane. Selective illumination of hazards (for example pedestrians) is also highlighted as a benefit of DMD lighting, as is the ability to perform car-to-car communications to warn of hazards.

TESTING VEHICLE HEADLAMPS

In order to comply with UN ECE regulations (the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations) for vehicle type approval, the illumination performance of a headlamp must be tested.

There are two basic methods used when measuring the photometric performance of vehicle headlamps. The first is to project the headlamp on to a screen and measure the illuminance (in lux) as a function of position within the beam.

The alternative option is to mount the headlamp on to a motorised, two-axis goniometer and measure the luminous intensity (in candelas) as a function of angle as the headlamp rotates and tilts with respect to a fixed light meter. I’ll refer to these methods as the ‘Projection Test Method’ and the ‘Goniometric Test Method’ respectively. Both require that the headlamp is measured at a distance of 25m for regulatory compliance testing.

Why measure at 25m? The short answer is that this is the measurement distance specified in applicable ECE regulations.

However, it is helpful to understand the physics of why 25m is chosen and not some other distance.

In the photometry of light sources, we refer to near-field and far-field measurements. In the photometric far-field, the light beam can be considered to be ‘fully formed’. The source itself behaves as a point light source, the luminous intensity (candela value) of the beam remains

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

BOR COLLA

ATE

ATE INNOV RE PREPA ER

DELIV

WORKING WITH YOU

www.theilp.org.uk

33

34

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Automotive lighting constant and the illuminance (in lux) decreases in proportion to the inverse square of the distance travelled.

In the photometric near-field, the beam is not fully formed, and the size of the light source and photodetector input aperture both influence the value of illuminance and luminous intensity recorded. In addition, the beam illuminance does not follow the inverse squared relationship and the luminous intensity is not a constant.

It may be perfectly reasonable to want to measure illuminance in the near-field in some instances (for example, you may wish to know the lux level up close to the lamp). But the problem with near-field measurements is that the readings are to some extent dependent upon the actual size of the photodetector and the intensity value will be lower than the true far-field reading. In other words, a near-field illuminance (lux) measurement cannot be used to calculate the far-field luminous intensity (candela) value as the inverse squared relationship does not hold.

For simple, diffused wide-angle light sources the photometric far-field is typically at a distance of five times the luminous aperture on the lamp. This would be the case for automobile side and marker lamps, with the ECE regulations requiring their measurement at 3m. For narrow-angle sources and those with complex beam structure (such as vehicle headlamps), the far-field distance is much greater. To ensure that headlamps are correctly measured in the far-field, ECE and other regulations stipulate a measurement distance of 25m.

While in reality the true far-field distance for a given headlamp may be less than 25m, this distance is specified to ensure that all conformity measurements are made in the far-field irrespective of the design of the headlamp optics.

GONIOPHOTOMETRIC TEST METHOD

Goniophotometers intended for testing vehicle headlamps need to be very precise, with the beam sampled every 0.1°. To avoid undesirably long measurement times, highend automotive goniometers commonly measure ‘on-the-fly’, meaning they don’t stop and measure at each angle.

Instead, the photometer records the intensity as the headlamp is in motion. As a consequence, goniometers designed for testing automotive lighting tend to be quite expensive. If you are prepared to live with a longer measurement time, or perform lower resolution scans for indicative testing, ‘stop-andgo’-type goniometers are a lower cost option.

In either case, the photometer must be placed at a distance of 25m from the headlamp mounted on the goniometer platform.

The reason for this is to ensure that the www.theilp.org.uk

headlamp beam is sampled in the photometric far-field, in which the beam can be considered to be ‘fully formed’.

The complex beam shape of headlamps would yield significant measurement errors if sampled closer to the source, in the nearfield. Generally, the goniometer control software will perform a scan, and then automatically analyse the beam shape and intensity values so as to determine whether the headlamp satisfies the requirements of the relevant ECE regulation.

PROJECTION TEST METHOD

Provided that you have a sufficiently large dark room as your lighting laboratory, the projected illuminance using imaging photometer method of testing holds many advantages.

This technique employs an imaging photometer to record a 2D illuminance (lux) pattern of the headlamp beam as it is projected on to a vertical surface (wall or screen) at a distance of 25m.

The lux versus XY position data-set can be mathematically transformed into an intensity versus angle data-set, often performed automatically though instrument software.

The projection method is the method cited in regulations.

The simplest approach is to manually position an illuminance photometer (lux meter) on the projection wall facing the headlamp and record the beam illuminance as a function of position. However, this is a very time-consuming and laborious process and requires manual computation of the ECE test point compliance matrix. Manual illuminance measurement of headlamp beams using lux meters is not considered practical because of the time required to sample all of the required beam spots.

The more recent development is to replace the simple lux meter with an imaging photometer. The imaging photometer is used to take a photometrically-calibrated, high-dynamic-range digital picture of the beam pattern and automatically align the required test point matrix to the headlamp HV point (datum).

The ECE test point compliance matrix will then be automatically generated based upon the best possible alignment of the test points within the beam that the software can find. Compared with goniometric measurements, the projection test method using an imaging photometer has the following attributes: • It is faster, measurements taking seconds to perform • It is simpler; the headlamp can remain mounted on the vehicle (assuming that the laboratory is large enough that the car can be driven into it)

• It is less expensive, with the typical cost of an imaging photometer being a fraction of the cost of an automotive goniophotometer • The imaging photometer can also be deployed for other kinds of testing, for example analysing the lit area uniformity of side or marker lamps or of DRLs (daytime running lights) On the downside, you do need a 25m-long dark room to perform projected beam tests.

However, indicative tests at shorter working distances (for example 10m) have been shown to correlate closely with 25m measurements.

In other words, a headlamp that passes the ECE test points at 10m is very likely also to pass at 25m, and vice versa. Thus, even if space is limited, projection headlamp testing will still serve as a useful developmental and benchmarking tool for vehicle manufacturers and for those manufacturers of vehicle headlights.

IN CONCLUSION

Headlamp technology continues to develop, with the very latest matrix LED, laser-assisted high beams and digital matrix LED designs providing safer, less stressful illumination for the driver, while at the same time avoiding dazzle, glare and discomfort to other road users.

Yet the basic metrology of headlamps remains the same, regulations requiring that one measure the luminous intensity of the headlamp as a function of angle (or, equally, one can measure illuminance as a function of XY position within the beam).

There are two basic approaches to the testing of vehicle headlamps, one using a goniophotometer, the other being to project (shine) the headlamp beam on to a vertical surface or screen and record the 2D illuminance pattern using an imaging photometer.

The goniometric technique is probably the one that most engineers will be more familiar with, the headlamp being mounted on a two-axis motorised rotary stage (the ‘goniometer’) which is viewed by a fixed light meter (the ‘photometer’) that records the intensity for each angle of view as the lamp rotates.

The more recent, and significantly lower cost, approach is to employ an imaging photometer to record the beam pattern as it illuminates the screen. This projection method of testing is not only cheaper, it is faster, but you do need a large dark room to project the headlamp down (headlamps being tested at 25m, as per regulations).

Robert Yeo is a qualified physicist and co-founder and director of photonics equipment distributor and photometry trainer Pro-Lite Technology

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

www.theilp.org.uk

35

36

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

From floral displays through to festive and seasonal lights, from directional signs to promotional banners, from CCTV through to smart city sensors, our lighting columns are having to bear an increasing load. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why effective structural design analysis, inspection and testing is critical, both through a BSEN40 test and by using the ILPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s GN22 ATOMS toolkit

By Matt McDonald

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Festive and seasonal lighting

W

ith spring finally upon, and dependent of course on what happens with coronavirus, hopefully ‘Britain in Bloom’ fever will soon be gripping our towns and cities. Communities up and down the country will be displaying their floral artistry across our parks and public areas.

Nowhere is this more prevalent than on our high streets, where lighting columns are transformed by hanging baskets. Yet the burden of a hanging basket on a lighting column may not be something many councils and local authorities actually consider when planning their annual seasonal decorations.

For beneath the blooms, what may seem structurally sound on the surface could be telling a very different story below ground.

IS YOUR COLUMN STRUCTURALLY SAFE?

Every responsible agency is aware of the danger posed by unsound street lighting columns, where corrosion that can’t be seen can occur: below ground.

There are approximately seven million streetlights across the UK. According to our own data, typically: • 2%-4% of these columns fail a structural test and require replacement, classified as ‘Red’ • Between 15% to 20% have defects requiring retesting within three years, classified as ‘Amber’ • The balance are columns that have passed, and are classified as ‘Green’ The concern with Green and Amber columns is their limited residual life. Street lighting columns may have an intended 25-year lifespan, but many existing columns have far exceeded their manufacturer’s guarantee.

Below ground, columns can start to show signs of corrosion within five years of installation, where galvanisation has been compromised. Yet unless this is specifically tested for, from above ground it’s not obvious the damage that’s being done below ground.

WHY YOU NEED BSEN40

If you’re an asset owner, such as a parish or district council, or responsible for a lighting scheme supporting seasonal decorations, then you are required by law to ensure that the lighting asset is capable of taking any form of additional load. This is through a structural test with a design demonstrating compliance to BSEN40.

BSEN40 is a structural design analysis, which is achieved by performing a structural inspection and test on the column, taking detailed measurements and parameters to ensure they meet European standards. This detailed calculation will determine whether the column strength is sufficient to take the additional load. Without this, there is the potential for catastrophic collapse because of column overload.

ATTACHMENTS – THE LOAD

Perhaps the most obvious seasonal decorations to consider are festive lights, such as for Christmas and Diwali, which are naturally placed on lighting columns to illuminate the night sky.

But, with Christmas decorations becoming more impressive and spectacular year upon year, their weight increases, meaning extra pressure on the columns supporting them. Not to mention the period of time they are up for, which is also often increasing.

With the average Christmas illuminated decoration weighing anything from 5-12kg, and taking into account adjustments for windage, the extra weight placed upon the column can be significant.

Planning is crucial. Christmas decorations tend to be erected in late October/early November, so testing should ideally take place at the end of the summer.

For spring hanging baskets, the beginning of the year is ideal. By allowing a contingency period for any structural work that may need to take place, it ensures that planned decorations and lights which need to be displayed in a specific time period will be able to go ahead without delay.

Aside from seasonal decorations, the lighting column has become the go-to structure for displaying an array of material ranging from directional signs to promotional banners. CCTV cameras are also a common sight and more recently the burden upon lighting columns has increased with EV charging points now being incorporated into them as the demand for EV infrastructure increases.

HOW GN22 CAN HELP

The ILP’s GN22 Asset Management Toolkit: Minor Structures (ATOMS) provides and methodology and roadmap for effective asset management of lighting columns and other minor structures.

It is free to download from: www.theilp.org.uk/atoms

GETTING SMART

Smart street lighting projects are also of course eyeing the potential of the once ‘humble’ lighting column.

The first step – as most ILP members will undoubtedly be aware – has been replacing traditional sodium lamps with LED. With LED lanterns, which are designed to last up to 25 years being installed on to existing columns, it is important to make sure the column is structurally sound, capable of taking the new lantern and not nearing the end of its own 25-year lifespan.

Embracing Internet of Things (IoT) technology in our leading cities will further repurpose streetlights into smart city platforms. By incorporating cameras, speakers, digital signage, image sensors, environmental monitoring and Wi Fi routers, smart and lighting infrastructure will be revolutionised.

But will some of our aged lighting columns be able to withstand these new technological additions?

TESTING IS KEY

The singular purpose of our original lighting columns used to be to provide street lighting. That, clearly, has changed and is continuing to change. Any extras columns can deliver on must only be seen as a bonus.

Structurally testing lighting columns on a periodic basis can help to identify potential issues before it’s too late, which is especially important given that the nature of corrosion is not a straight line.

Carrying out a BSEN40 test is one of the many steps that will ensure your festive lights and seasonal decorations are compliant, averting the potential for a catastrophic disaster that could have been easily prevented.

Matt McDonald is sales representative at Electrical Testing Ltd

www.theilp.org.uk

37

38

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Asset management

The ILP’s GN22 ATOMS toolkit is all about putting quality data at the heart of the asset management decision. Tony Parasram drills down into how it can work at a practical level for local authorities

By Tony Parasram

T

he launch of GN22 Asset Management Toolkit: Minor Structures (ATOMS) at the ILP’s Professional Lighting Summit in June 2019 heralded a step change in the management of lighting structures.

Firstly, they were referred to as minor structures and not just lighting assets. This brought the subject into the realm of seeing the loadbearing elements as structural components to which classic structural theory, material deterioration and structural modelling could apply to any point of a column’s service life.

Secondly, GN22 harmonised the management of the assets to the UK Road Liaison Group’s Well-Managed Highway Infrastructure code of practice, which came into force in October 2018. This moved the management of lighting stock and all other minor structures from the prescriptive into descriptive. What that really means is GN22 suggests rather than instructs.

Users are asked to take a risk-based approach depending on geography, local conditions, consequences of failure and suchlike. Users may, as a minimum, adopt the GN22 suggestions on things like inspection frequency but there remains the need to justify in writing validity of such an approach in order to be compliant.

GN22 did three other things. First, it migrated valid material from TR22. Second, it updated existing concepts from TR22 to a risk-based approach. And third, it innovated new concepts and associated tools, bringing www.theilp.org.uk

it into line with other asset management codes of practice.

At the heart of it all is something very simple: data. The need for good quality, regularly obtained, well-recorded data remains paramount in understanding and managing the asset. In this regard electronic records are more useful than paper, but then paper records are more useful than no records. The GN22 conversion table allows translation of TR22 inspection records to the GN22 format, thereby giving the user access to the free Column Condition Index tool.

Since its launch, here at Free4m Lighting we have been working with clients not only to apply GN22 principles but also to use inspection and test data, initially called for in TR22, to inform and advise existing budget allocations and capital works programmes.

With most local authorities, deciding where best to use annual budgets either falls into the ‘worst first’ method of allocation or, at best, via a locally developed multi-level criteria incorporating factors such as local issues, energy efficiency, safety, environmental, performance and maintenance history. There may be others, but these tend to be the core.

In the main, budgets are allocated to reactive ad hoc repairs, routine maintenance programmes, electrical and structural inspection and testing, planned preventative maintenance (for example wholesale column replacement as part of schemes or end-of-life replacement) and finally major upgrade programmes (for example lantern

replacement with LED lanterns, possibly with an adaptive lighting regime on to existing columns).

LED replacements on existing columns have always been viewed as a way of increasing energy efficiency while commensurately reducing carbon, but savings may be lost if lantern replacement is carried out in isolation of other factors.

This article looks at two key results for a local authority’s application of GN22, where it had historically applied a maintenance and capital works programme similar to that described above.

ASSUMED RESIDUAL LIFE CONDITION DATA

The first key result was noting the potential financial saving by utilising ‘Assumed Residual Life’ (ARL) condition data for a lantern replacement programme. The second was to understand how using ARL condition data on lantern replacement programme would affect stock Column Condition Index (CCI).

The first step was to collate the existing asset records, inspection and test data held within the client’s records management system followed by cleaning of extraneous information. Once ‘cleaned’ the data was converted to the GN22 format and asset CCI and ARL profiles developed.

This gave a visual indicator of stock condition (structural elements only comprising base, column, bracket and arm) against which decisions could be made, notably the stock-wide CCI, providing a ‘snap shot in time’, and the Assumed Residual Life

Low Profile Sealing Caps

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Designed for ease of installation and minimum visual impact

For further details visit westire.com

W6005 Shorting Cap Black keeps the lights on (480 VAC Max)

W6005M Shorting Cap Blue keeps the lights on with a 320 Joule MOV (320 VAC Max)

W6007 Open Cap Red keeps the lights off

UK & International Sales

North & South America

Irish Sales

HQ & Manufacturing

James Wright E: jwright@westire.com T: +44 7713 958962

Michael J Duffy E: mduffy@westire.com T: +1 847-274-6756

Fiona Gallagher E: fgallagher@westire.com T: +353 97 81209

Westire Technology Ltd, Ind. Estate, Belmullet, Co. Mayo, Ireland.

E: info@westire.com T: +353 97 81200 F: +353 97 81400 www.theilp.org.uk

39

40

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Asset management providing a ‘long-term view’.

For this article, we will look at the value of applying the CCI and ARL to an LED lantern replacement programme. We compared the spend profile for a wholesale roll out of new lanterns on to existing columns without considering ARL, against a roll out considering ARL.

ANNUALLY RE-OCCURRING

Always an option and frankly probably the most used, ‘annually re-occurring’ literally means works based on what has gone before. If we did annually re-occurring then all columns (other than the obvious worst performers) would receive the same programme of routine maintenance and be included as part of any lantern replacement. Although this article reviews decisions made on a lantern replacement programme, the process would be the same for other major work programmes.

Figure 1 above shows the reducing ARL of the stock over time on a ‘do nothing’ basis. The condition of the stock deteriorates over time, as expected, with a considerable percentage falling into the ‘Poor’ category at year nine.

Figure 2 shows the spend profile for a lantern replacement programme rolled out on this stock.

The two waves are evident. The first wave is the expected spend on lantern replacement but, without visibility of stock deterioration, most asset managers would not expect the magnitude of the second wave at year nine. Using typical values for a column replacement programme this second wave is substantial.

DATA-DRIVEN DECISIONS

Given there appear to be two ‘waves’ of spending, it is possible to save by timing the roll out of the lantern replacement using the ARL condition indicator data.

By ‘optimising’ the lantern replacement programme, the roll out matches the column deterioration as column condition moves to ‘Fair’. Figure 3 shows the optimised spend using ARL condition data.

This figure clearly shows how the overall www.theilp.org.uk

p Figure 1. Assumed Residual Life on a ‘do nothing’ basis

p Figure 2. Spend profile for a lantern replacement programme without ARL consideration

p Figure 3. Spend profile for lantern replacement programme with ARL consideration

spend between year five and year nine is higher, accounting for both lantern and column replacement. But, taken over a 24-year period, there is a budget saving of approximately 32%.

Figure 4 overleaf shows the two different roll-out strategies superimposed against ARL condition data.

The ‘reactive’ spend profile in blue shows the first wave as the new lanterns are rolled out followed by the second wave of spending as columns reach end-of-life and require replacement. The ‘optimised’ spend profile in orange changes the column and lantern at an optimal time with both profiles flattening thereafter.

ANNUAL BUDGET AND STOCK CONDITION

The second key result, as touched on

earlier, was an understanding of how the stock’s CCI score would be affected by the decision to ‘optimise’ the lantern roll out.

Figures 5a and 5b (also overleaf ) show the projected CCI for the stock across the 24 years.

Year by year the projected stock CCI difference is minimal, but all achieved with a significant cost saving over the 24-year period.

In 2017, the ILP published GN6 Retrofitting LED luminaires on existing lighting columns, which covered structural implications.

Within GN6/17 ARL (Assumed Residual Life) differs insofar as it is a tool to assist in decision-making at a strategic level and not at column level.

Again, LED lantern replacement on to

42

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Asset management

p

Figure 4. Lantern replacement spend profile superimposed on ARL condition data t

Figure 5a (far left). CCI stock condition for lantern replacement without ARL condition data.

Figure 5b. CCI stock condition for lantern replacement with ARL condition data

existing columns continues to be viewed as a step towards energy efficiency linked to carbon emissions. But, taken in isolation with no regard for the structural condition of the stock (base, column, bracket and arm), savings may well be lost.

Finally, by using CCI and ARL asset owners can produce an investment strategy for a desired out-turn CCI or, vice versa, determine an annual CCI for a fixed investment strategy. GN22 ATOMS from the outset is all

about quality data becoming the driving force behind asset management decisions.

This article concludes that there are potential financial savings using condition data in decision making.

The financial saving is realised in a ‘right first time’ approach, particularly relevant at a time of climate emergency. Reduced reactive works to a column lowers carbon emissions.

Efficiency with materials through

appropriate timing of works lowers carbon emissions. The key issue here is today’s decisions being taken against a backdrop of future consequence. We can see the consequence of lantern replacement on existing columns all from data the client already held.

GN22 Asset Management Toolkit: Minor Structures (ATOMS) is free to download from www.theilp.org.uk/atoms A programme of ILP training events on the new toolkit is being delivered during 2020. However, as physical training and LDC events have been affected by the disruption caused by the

coronavirus Covid-19, the ILP is from this month also launching online ATOMS training for those unable to travel.

Prices start at just £225 and all local government attendees can be invoiced during the current or future financial year depending on t h e i r b u d g e t n e e d s . Fo r m o r e

details and to book a place go to: www.theilp.org.uk/atoms GN6/17 Retrofitting LED luminaires on existing lighting columns is free to download from: www.theilp.org.uk/documents/ guidance-note-6-retrofitting-led-luminaires/

www.theilp.org.uk

Tony Parasram is director at Free4m Lighting

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Lighting

Take control of your time and budget with Free4m Lightingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s GN22 Toolkit Easy to use, accessible and affordable online asset management and lifecycle planning. Our online subscription service takes your existing stock data to provide you with Condition Index and Assumed Residual Life at the click of a button.

Subscribe now at www.free4mlighting.com

Asset Manager Be GN22 compliant with Asset Manager computing your Condition Index and Stock Residual Life automatically. Make more informed decisions as you filter results to suit your needs.

Optimiser Be confident with the investment strategies to meet your budget or tailored stock condition. With Optimiser you can view various lifecycle plans designed to achieve your objective.

LiveConnect Be informed of your changing stock condition as LiveConnect always retrieves the latest inspection and test data. LiveConnect takes the guesswork out of whether you are looking at the latest condition results.

Lighting

www.theilp.org.uk

43

44

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

COOL AS ICE By switching from metal halides to LED, an Aberdeen curling rink now has the flexibility properly to televise sporting events while also saving money on energy consumption and, because LEDs emit less heat, even helping to keep the rink cool

By Nic Paton

A

ssuming coronavirus doesn’t put a spanner in the works, all sporting eyes will this summer be on Tokyo a n d t h e 2 0 2 0 O l y m p i c s.

Given the concerns about coronavirus however, especially in Asia but increasingly now worldwide, perhaps it’s just as well we’ll have a further two years to wait until the 2022 Winter Olympics, being held as they are in Beijing.

Either way, Team GB will be looking to

build on its medal haul in both games, with the Team GB curling team especially looking to make a mark in 2022, as it missed out on the medals by a whisker in PyeongChang in 2018.

Being able to access world class, stateof-the-art facilities is a key part of this build-up process, all of which brings us to Curl Aberdeen, a purpose-built sixlane curling rink in Aberdeen that has recently been the beneficiary of lighting overhaul, including making the switch from metal halide to LED. The facility opened in 2005 and is a wellknown fixture on the curling ‘circuit’ in Scotland, hosting many competitions and events, including the European Curling Championships and, mostly recently, the 2018 World Junior Curling championships, which were streamed live on YouTube and the BBC Sport website.

DEMANDING REQUIREMENTS

In terms of lighting, a key challenge was that, with events now being more frequently televised, this creates more particularly demanding illumination requirements, as evidenced within the ILP’s GN2 guidance note (and see note opposite).

The illumination levels required for televising curling are some four to five times higher than for normal competition play.

The plan initially was to install additional

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Sports lighting temporary lighting that could be used for televised events. However, this was judged to be too costly a short-term solution Instead, it was decided a lighting upgrade was the answer, with the rink owners turning to manufacturer Holophane, which had supplied the rink’s existing Prismalume metal halide luminaires.

Although these provided good general levels of illumination and colour rendering, they were not up to the 1,500 lux required for televised illumination.

The solution therefore was to replace the 36 existing 450W metal halide luminaires with 380W LED Haloprism units.

The fact they could be changed on a onefor-one basis reduced the cabling and installation costs. Being LED, there have also been savings in lamp replacement costs because the Haloprism LEDs have a rated life of 100,000 hours (L70B50) compared with 8,000 hours for the metal halide lamps.

The LED luminaires installed at Curl Aberdeen deliver 50,000 lumens with a colour rendering index (CRI) of 80 at 4000K. During televised events, the luminaires are

switched to 100% output and can deliver more than 1,500 lux on to the ice.

At other times, and for normal day-today play, this level of illumination is unnecessarily high. The solution has therefore been a dimming system, in this case Holophane’s Holos Air Lite system.

Based on the wireless EnOcean technology protocol, this uses a simple wall switch to send a signal wirelessly to the DALI connected node. The switch has four positions: 100% output, 75%, 50% and ‘off’.

Most of the time, the luminaires are switched at 50%, meaning the energy consumption is reduced from 450W to 190W, a reduction of more than 40% on the previous metal halides.

Moreover, since the LED luminaires produce less heat, the cooling system for the ice does not have to work so hard, so leading to further energy savings.

Of course, whether the new lighting set-up contributes to producing champions for the 2022 games is too early to tell. But, either way, Curl Aberdeen now has a lighting system that is fit for purpose, and fit for televising.

Your customers read the Lighting Journal Book your advertisement now!

Contact Andy

0153 652 7297 andy@matrixprint.com

THE ILP’S GN2 GUIDANCE NOTE

GN2 Lighting of Televised Sporting Events was released by the ILP in July 2018 and replaced the previous 2016 iteration of GN2.

The document is designed to help designers, architects, planners and decision makers who are involved in the design of arenas, stadia and sport facilities that require artificial lighting in order to broadcast televised events in the UK. It covers areas including position of luminaires, glare and angles, illumination requirements, ratios and uniformity, flicker requirements and colour rendering, colour temperature and finishes, spectator lighting, and event continuation. It can be downloaded from the ILP’s website at: www.theilp.org.uk/documents/ guidance-note-2-lighting-of-televised-sporting-events/

45

46

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

ILP member and lighting designer Lauren Lever found herself on national TV in February when her expertise was featured in a programme about Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s iconic Ritz Hotel. We sat down with her to find out how it happened, what it was like to be in front of the camera, and how she even managed to sneak in an ILP lapel badge

By Nic Paton

www.theilp.org.uk

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Promoting the industry

F

r o m C a e sa r ’s Pa l a c e t o t h e Dorchester, Raffles to the Beverly Hills Hotel, Channel 5’s TV programme ‘Inside the World’s Greatest Hotels’ pretty much did what it said on the tin – ‘exploring the most iconic and amazing hotels around the world’ over the course of six weeks between December last year and February.

Each episode went behind the scenes of a hotel, explaining its history, the people who make it tick and even some of the scandals that have been hushed up over the years.

Great lighting and lighting design is of course an integral part of the modern hospitality experience, but it was the final programme of the series, on London’s The Ritz Hotel, that attracted the attention of the ILP. This was because ILP member and principal lighting designer at Foundry, Lauren Lever, was featured in the programme recreating how, at a time when electric lighting was still in its infancy, The Ritz’s founder Caesar Ritz had been a pioneer in using light to enhance the dining experience of his guests.

As Lauren explained on the programme: ‘Caesar Ritz is one of the first hoteliers to actually realise the importance of lighting design. Lighting is incredibly important; it affects everyone’s mood. It affects the ambience of a space; it can dramatically change an atmosphere.

‘Nowadays we have got an endless wealth of technology; new light sources that can be used; LEDs, colour tone, even ones that are programmed on your mood and how you are arrive to a space. They look at adjusting

the lighting to suit you as you walk around.

‘Caesar Ritz realised that concentrating on the colour and the tones were very important to him to make sure he got that absolutely perfect.’

To illustrate this point, Lauren – sporting an ILP lapel badge – recreated some of Ritz’s experiments in gauging how different coloured lighting affected skin tones and the ambience and welcome of a space. The idea was that, by doing this, he would encourage his guests, especially those having afternoon tea in the Palm Court, to stay longer and spend more money.

Ritz concluded that women’s complexions appeared best in pinker light and so all the lampshades at the hotel were (and still are) pink. ‘The end result is this lovely peach blush tone that really complements [skin tone] and gives that lovely warm glow,’ Lauren said on the programme.

As it’s not every day of the week that an ILP member makes it on to national TV, we sat down with Lauren at Light School in February to find out how the opportunity had all come about.

‘The production company behind the TV programme approached the ILP to recommend someone from the industry, a lighting professional, to speak about lighting on the programme,’ she explains to Lighting Journal. ‘It was a long day; we were filming for about five hours. And there was a lot of course that wasn’t eventually put in.

‘We weren’t allowed be in the actual Ritz Hotel, because the programme did not have any affiliation to it. So for the experiment I approached the Lutron Experience Centre in London, because it was what I could classify as the closest thing to a hotel

space that we could look at and modify and adjust scenes without having to go in and technically change things,’ she says.

PROFILE FOR THE INDUSTRY

How had she felt when the call came from the TV company?

‘My first thought was “scared”. I’ve done a lot of talks and presentations, but this was the first time I had done any TV; my face has not been shown on TV before!’ concedes Lauren.

‘But I was very honoured to be asked.

There are so many amazing lighting professionals out there, so to be given the opportunity to talk about lighting on national TV was a great honour. I was quite chuffed by it.

‘Having said that, I didn’t feel natural at all in front of the camera. There was a lot of technical side that I hadn’t appreciated, everything from how they were filming things through to not looking directly at the camera. There were a lot of takes!’

And how had she had managed to get away with wearing an ILP badge, therefore giving some great publicity to the Institution?

‘I had to try and get that in there! They weren’t happy about me wearing it to start with. But I think it was quite subtle,’ says Lauren.

Finally, any tips for would-be TV presenters or commentators? ‘Try and relax! They’re all lovely people and just try and be as natural as possible. It was actually great to be able to talk about lighting. We are still quite an unknown, an unheard of, industry, and so doing something like this was great profile for the industry,’ says Lauren.

CATCH UP ON LAUREN’S PERFORMANCE

‘Inside the World’s Greatest Hotels: the Ritz’ is available to view online on My5, and Lauren’s segment within the programme on Caesar Ritz’s experiments with lighting begins at approximately 26 minutes in.

It can be found at www.my5.tv/ inside-the-world-s-greatest-hotels/ season-1/episode-4-the-ritz

www.theilp.org.uk

47

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

• 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

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 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

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

The ILP’s ‘Lighting for Good’ portal

BRIDGING THE GAP Since the ILP’s research-sharing platform ‘Lighting for Good’ launched in November, what have people been discussing?

By Jess Gallacher

B

ridging the gap between lighting researchers and practitioners, the ILP’s ‘Lighting for Good’ platform aims to help practitioners locate evidence and lead to better lighting.

More than 200 people have signed up for this online platform for lighting researche r s, d e s i g n e r s, e n g i n e e r s a n d manufacturers.

The Lighting for Good team hopes that this will lead to more useful, relevant evidence for the profession to benefit from.

I took a look at what has been happening in this space and picked out three key highlights (naming no names!) that will undoubtedly be interesting to Lighting Journal readers.

‘AUTOMATED DESIGN IS AN INEVITABILITY’

Under the topic of ‘lighting quality’, concerned lighting professionals have been sharing their opinions on automated design. Is there a need for research into how automated design affects lighting quality?

Here is what some of the Lighting for Good community had to say:

‘Automated design is an inevitability. It is early doors, but parametric design and tools such as Grasshopper and Dynamo are already entering this field. Much lighting engineering is highly algorithmic and thus a prime target. It is beholden to us as designers to determine what is not algorithmic and still needing a human touch (empathy, imagination, aesthetics).’

‘Increasingly we are seeing a trend towards pseudo-automated design for lighting. A requirement to systematically calculate for a set of data variables to roughly cover a geographical area’s generic-esque topography for a few-sizes-fits-all solution to reduce design www.theilp.org.uk

requirements. I can see it from both sides – with budgets pushed, savings need to be made, but arguably they should not be at the expense of proper design.’

‘THE FRENCH DARK SKIES CUT OFF FIGURE IS VERY SPECIFIC AND ARDUOUS’

One Lighting for Good user has raised the subject of France’s Decree on the prevention, reduction and limitation of light pollution, for which phasing in began on 1st January 2020 and which will be mandatory by the start of 2025.

The user was looking for answers as to: ‘the evidence/reasoning behind the very specific and arduous figure – does anyone working internationally know? And are there any LED street-lights meeting the French dark skies cut off requirements?’

The answer soon followed that: ‘France has introduced a host of legislation for luminaires and lighting design, here are a handful: • •

• •

• •

95% of the total light output must be within CIE flux code 3 (which is a 75.5° cone).

Surface density must be equal to or greater than 10, 25 or 35 depending on the application. This is a new metric which is calculated as combined luminous flux of all luminaires in the design/total surface area.

This means that the unit for this measure is in lm/m² but this is not equal to lux! We are considering luminaire flux for the total installation, not lumens on a surface.

ULOR must be < 1% when installed at 0° tilt and < 4% when installed with any other tilt setting.

Most importantly – France now limits the maximum CCT depending on the application. This ranges

•

from ≤ 3000K down to ≤ 2400K. The reason for implementing the limitations with regards to the CIE flux code is to concentrate the light underneath the luminaire rather than sending it into the high angle region.’

‘MOST CALCULATIONS RELATING TO GLARE ARE WRONG’

The subject of glare has drawn a lot of attention within Lighting for Good, and in particular, threshold increment calculations (and will be a subject being looked at more closely by Lighting Journal in May). One Lighting for Good user even ascertained that ‘most calculations relating to glare are wrong’.

Three different academic papers have been referenced in the hunt to determine why road lighting professionals are designing for 23-year-olds, as one forum-ite argued, ‘it makes sense that disability glare gets worse with age as the lens of the eye becomes more opaque and scatters light more with age – and 23 cannot be the average or representative age for drivers’.

Maybe the crunch point is that, if we designed lighting for users who are older, the councils would not like the answer, as it would drive energy costs up. It could also be unpopular with manufacturers if it led to them having to redesign lens settings.

HAVE YOUR SAY

Don’t forget, the Lighting for Good forum and platform is a digital membership benefit accessible to everyone in the ILP. So join in the conversation at www.theilp.org.uk/good

Jess Gallacher is the ILP’s Engagement and Communications Manager

Outdoor Lighting ONROADLED

ONROADLED Inductive Powered LED Road Markers Increased road user safety with less disruption

By combining revolutionary Inductive Power Transfer (IPT) technology with tough and intelligent LED markers, ONROADLED enables smart road and tunnel traffic guidance.

Benefits of Inductive Power Transfer (IPT) technology

Application areas

• Road markers draw power wirelessly from a recessed cable

• SMART Motorways, tunnels and bridges

• Eliminates the need for electrical connections

• Cycle paths and pedestrian guidance

• Accelerates installation, reducing traffic disruption

• Roundabouts

• Enables high ingress protection rating of IP69K

• Bus lanes

• Facilitates simpler maintenance

• Tidal flow applications

• Permits longer networks of up to 2.5km

• Distribution centres

• Remote control functionality – On, Off, Dim, Flash, Cycle & Colour Change

• Retail parks

• Switchable uni and bi-directional

• Accident hotspots and dangerous bends

• Air and sea ports • Car Parks

Department for Transport Type Approved.

To book your demonstration, please visit: www.philips.co.uk/ledmarkers

DESIGN | MANUFACTURE | INSTALL | MAINTAIN

APRIL 2020

LIGHTING JOURNAL

Examplary running head

FL810 FL810 LED FLOODLIGHTING SYSTEM provides an innovative solution for Area Lighting.

The FL810 is a high output LED floodlight, suitable for Area lighting, and may be used as a replacement for existing 1kW or 2kW floodlight systems.

It is available as a single or twin module with CSP (Chip Scale Package) LEDs.

www.theilp.org.uk

+44 1920 860600 | www.cuphosco.co.uk | enquiries@cuphosco.co.uk

52