Elwood Foreshore, Melbourne (AUS)

The Elwood district in the South Australian metropolis of Melbourne is located directly on the large bay of Port Philip. The Elwood Foreshore promenade is characterized by a southwest-facing and gently curving coastline, which is actively used by strollers and recreational athletes, especially in the evenings. With this in mind, the City of Port Phillip commissioned lighting designer Simon Gullifer to redesign the lighting along the walkway for cyclists and pedestrians.

Complex requirements for the protection of nature and the night sky When tendering the project, the client paid particular attention to the synthesis of the requirements of people and nature. On the one hand, a pleasant and safer environment was to be created for the users of the walkway and viewpoint, especially in the evening and at night, and on the other hand, the light was to be precisely directed so that the native plants and the sea were not affected by stray light. In addition, requirements for a Dark Sky certified lighting system had to be met and a conversion to more modern LED technology was to further reduce the energy consumption of the lighting solution. The new luminaires were also to be installed on existing poles in order to continue using existing infrastructure sustainably and keep the project costs low.

This creative freedom enabled ewo and its partners to develop an innovative and unique lighting concept—which was then refined following initial lighting tests and feedback from those responsible. This process ultimately ensured that the Soboras church received lighting that perfectly met the vision and requirements of the project.

The planner responded to these complex requirements by selecting and evaluating luminaires from eight different manufacturers in order to provide the client with a transparent overview of the market. The ewo F–System XS was favored for implementation due to its convincing performance parameters and the minimalist aesthetics of the product. The precise lighting technician, which met the requirement to avoid spill light, and the ADSA certification of the luminaires were particularly decisive factors. The luminaire is approved in accordance with the strict requirements of the Australasian Dark Sky Alliance for projects where particularly high requirements apply to the protection of the night sky. The client was also impressed by ewoECP (ewo Extreme Corrosion Protection), which provides the luminaires with permanent protection against corrosion even in the highly saline atmosphere of the coastal strip. A customer-specific mounting bracket also ensured that the luminaires could be used on the existing poles.

ewo supplied a total of 77 "ADSA Approved" pole-top luminaires of the type F–System F1 XS, all equipped with A–Series lenses. The project was characterized not least by its smart lighting aspect: Each luminaire was fitted with an integrated infrared motion sensor to raise the light to 100% only when presence is detected. Otherwise, the entire system is dimmed to 50 % to save energy and minimize light emissions. The lighting system is also in line with the principles of the Australasian Dark Sky Alliance (ADSA): the F–System pole-top lights are equipped with 3000K Warm White LEDs to reduce the impact of blue light on wildlife, as well as optics that meet ADSA requirements. The so-called "Front and Back Very High Uplight" (FVH & BVH) must remain below the critical limit of 2 % and at the same time the "Upward Waste Light" must be 0 %. This ensures that no direct light from the luminaire shines into the sky.

For ewo, this challenging project offered the opportunity to impress the planner and customer with a sustainable solution. The combination of sophisticated lighting technicians, robust construction, a smart control system and the ability to respond to individual customer needs tipped the scales. Much more important for the local people, however, is the new quality that this special coastal strip has gained. Good orientation with minimized glare provides a sense of security and allows people to enjoy the proximity to the sea even after dusk. We call this "empowering wellbeing outdoors".