Holophane Aeris luminaires with LED light sources have been used to provide highly efficient, low energy amenity lighting in the grounds of the new Engineering Building housing the College of Engineering and Informatics at the National University of Ireland (NUI) in Galway.
Officially opened by An Taoiseach Enda Kenny, the14,250m2 building was the public choice in the RIAI Irish Architecture Awards 2012 and is the largest of its kind in Ireland. It provides accommodation for around 1,100 students and 110 staff and is designed to be a teaching tool in itself, with exposed construction techniques and an array of ecological building methods.
As sustainability was a key element in the design of the building and its environs, it was essential that this was reflected in the design of the amenity lighting. Having considered a number of options consulting engineers PM Group selected Holophane Aeris luminaires, supplied by Garrabridge Lighting & Controls of Co. Tipperary.
A particular attraction of the Aeris luminaire was its high performance optical design, which reduces energy consumption, controls spill light and reduces glare while also providing full cut-off of light at and above the horizontal plane. The optical design, combined with the choice of up to five light distributions, also ensures that the low energy LED light sources are used to full effect, ensuring light is directed precisely to where it's needed. Each of the Aeris luminaires used for the NUI project contains 63 x 1.1W LEDs.
A particular feature of Aeris is that all of the specular segmented reflectors can be rotated through 90° increments for maximum flexibility. In fact, the unique nature of Aeris optics virtually eliminates the striations normally associated with horizontal lamp luminaires and this was a key consideration in achieving the required night-time effects at NUI.
To further reduce energy consumption, all of the exterior lighting is controlled using a combination of time-clocks and photocells.
The low profile contemporary design of Aeris ensures that not only is its day-time appearance as striking as it night-time performance but that it also complements the aesthetics of the building. This has ensured that the amenity lighting blends with the overall design rather than appearing separate from it.
In using Aeris for its amenity lighting, the NUI is enjoying a high performance, low carbon exterior lighting installation that enhances the night-time appearance of the building while helping the University minimise its carbon emissions.
