Broadcast lighting levels
Perth, 21st February 2010
With the Winter Olympics in Vancouver moving into its second week I guess we have all been able to catch some of the sporting heroics on TV at some point in time. Because of the worldwide audiences the events are held both during day as well as at night. Our interest of course is professionally focused on the night events and we look out for glimpses on how various events are lit. The ski slopes, the luge tracks, the ice rinks, etc.
As it is the world’s biggest sporting event one would assume that lighting for the performances of the athletes is first priority. However it cannot be denied that with millions, perhaps billions of people around the world watching, the lighting for broadcast purposes is probably as important perhaps even more important. With today’s high tech video recording abilities (slow motion, super imposing images, visual time tracking, etc) lighting is critical.
TV broadcasting for such major event basically means that the lighting design needs to account for each and every camera position! From the TV broadcast it is easy to see that each and every corner of the track or venue is covered by fixed camera’s for general viewing, but there are also the moving, roving and “on board” camera’s that track individual athletes, etc. Lighting levels are reported to be anywhere between 1000 and 3000 lux vertical! But with the modern camera technology being able to record images at very low lighting levels one can be forgiven to question whether we really need these sort of high lighting levels??
Oh…and there is the public…Somehow I have the feeling they are the forgotten ones… :). The opening ceremony for instance was specifically designed for TV. The public in the stands did not have the same beautiful visuals as we had on TV!
PS: The Dutch just won their second gold medal…yes you guessed it…in the 1500m speed skating 🙂
Lighting and turtle breeding
Perth, 20th February 2010
This blog is long overdue and quite different from your average architectural lighting design project! Lighting Images has been involved over a period of about 2 years in exploring the environmental impact of lighting to the natural habitat. As part of a larger environmental expert team we were entrusted with researching the lighting effects specifically on “turtle breeding”. For that we spend a good period of 2 years over various seasons and times of the year doing actual lighting research with different types of lights and real life turtle hatchlings on a prospective site for a future development classified as a turtle breeding beach. In order to get approval from the government for the development, the developer had to commission this environmental impact study.
Adult turtles basically have to find their way up the beach to nest and uncontrolled artificial light may cause premature egg laying before they even reach the nesting place. Then when the baby hatchlings are born these have to find their way back into the sea. Uncontrolled artificial lighting will cause disorientation and as a result many die before even reaching the sea.
While the detailed results of our study are still confidential, there are some generics that we can share. Turtles have a different spectral vision then we have with more than one peak sensitivity, a bit like our photopic and scotopic vison. Different turtle species even have different peak eye sensitivities. While moonlight is the natural way of lighting for turtles, we found that the more moonlight was present the lesser impact the artificial lighting had on turtle behavior.
Our study focused mainly on finding wavelengths that would be invisible or of no impact to turtles while still allowing human activity. While total perfection could not be obtained, our research showed that with lighting producing light waves well above the 600 nm range the greatest successes were obtained. These findings basically rule out any fluorescent or low pressure sodium as acceptable visible light source. However by far the most important result is that lighting design (control and manipulation of light by location and shielding of direct and reflected light) is the keyto success!
Mobile lighting
Perth 19th February 2010
I am not going to talk about torches or head lamps. Today I wanted to touch upon temporary mobile lighting equipment. Most of the time when we engage in lighting design we always design for a fixed architectural lighting installation. Even lighting for exhibitions and fairs can be considered semi permanent and often involves a lighting designer in the design stages. The difference is that it is dismantled after the event. No, I am referring to lighting that can be moved around and has its own gen-set for instance.
This afternoon I went out with my children and noticed preparations for a sporting event (from my understanding the Rottnest Swim Marathon) which is to be held tomorrow. I assume it will start very early in the morning as mobile generators equipped with telescopic mast and floodlights were being tested. Four 1KW metal halide area floodlights on a telescopic mast that could reach up to about 6m. Floodlights were roughly aimed from the ground by a contractor before lifting up the mast. Yes quite glary…but then the aim is just to have some light, glare is of secondary concern in these situations.
Mobile lighting equipment as described above is used in a variety of night time situations such as for road repair works, temporary car parks at special events, construction sites, etc, but also for emergency and rescue operations such as accidents and earthquakes. While most situations are planned and programmed, the calamities are unpredictable and do not really leave time for any design or programming!
However I would venture to say that there is still quite some room for improvement for these mobile installations! The type of floodlights (glare control), prefixed aiming positions, possibly with some set up guidelines, would help making it more efficient and less glary!
Consumer watchdogs
Perth, 18th January 2010
Many countries have so called consumer watchdog organizations, looking after consumer rights. After our glare investigation (see yesterday’s blog), another issue hit the news today… faulty solar panels! It appears that faulty connections are causing tripping of the installation with fire as a result. Several cases have been reported recently in Western Australia. It is not clear yet whether it is the manufacturer or the installation contractors issue but it is certainly the talk of the town on talk-back radio today.
My point for today is customer protection. What kind of legal rights do our customers have when it comes to lighting? It obviously varies from country to country. But it also varies from application to application.
If we look at public city lighting for instance complaints about lighting will be mainly in regards to either faulty lights (maintenance issues), glare (installation design issues) or insufficient lighting for public safety (lighting standards compliance issues). The only recourse to the public generally is to lodge a complaint or notice to the city council. The onus is than on the council to rectify or provide a satisfactory response to the public.
When it comes to private (residential or commercial) installations the situation is a bit different. Most of the time it revolves around failing or non performing lighting systems. Some situations maybe covered by warranty, some may require complaints and rectifications by the vendor or manufacturer. Rarely however does it go all the way up to the lighting designer. Where disputes arise, small claims tribunals or even law courts may come into play.
We have been called in as expert witness in the past when lighting was deemed to be one of the possible reasons for a fatality. Cases involve road accidents or work place mishaps. Legal recourse in lighting is still in its infancy but it may be something that needs to be addressed as part of our discipline in the future.
Golf Course Lighting
Perth 17th February 2010
Later tonight I will be going out to check on a fairly common lighting issue. Local residents are complaining about the glare from the nearby golf course lighting. In this case, more specifically, the driving range. As so many developments in the Asia Pacific region (and probably around the world), golf courses are build as complete resorts, leisure and sports facilities and residential developments around it happily make use of the golf course’s presence to promote a “lifestyle”.
There is nothing wrong with that as long as golf is played during daytime, but with the nice climate that we have in many of the countries in Asia Pacific it is really nice to play golf in the cooler hours of the evening. So in comes golf course lighting…but most of the time as a commercial afterthought! 🙂 Some clubs just provide lighting for the driving range, some for the last 9 holes, and some for the whole course.
For those not familiar with golf, the lighting at night needs to illuminate the flight path of the ball which can go up fairly high. The general guideline calls for about 50m high as a “volume” to light up. Simplified this means that when using about 25m poles, the floodlights are shining pretty much straight ahead. With floodlights ranging from 1 to 2 KW it is easy to see the amount of glare that will be produced!
Unless the golf course design has been developped to consider playing at night under lighting right from the start (playing directions and related lighting aiming directions, etc), golf courses are generally not really designed and suitable to be lit. It is already challenging enough to design golf course lighting to be comfortable for the players themselves, let alone to control the glare within a residential environment!
3D Video Mapping
Perth, 16th February 2010
New technologies are coming in fast and furiously and 3D Video mapping seems to be one of those technologies that is making its way into our lighting domain! Those who saw the Olympic Games opening ceremony in Vancouver a few days ago would have seen the amazing projections (like the swimming whales!) which are basically 3D Video projections. Till recently I would say that these kind of projections were limited to festivals and special art events, but I believe it won’t be long (if not already) before we can find this in permanent architectural installations.
I am currently trying to get my head around the equipment that is needed to create these images as well as the size and scale on which this can be performed. Judging from the opening ceremony this is quite sizable already. As with most modern technologies half the equipment will be hardware, the other half the software to control and program the lighting effects. But really the lighting effects created are only limited by your own imagination! So are the costs probably as well … 🙂
While the Olympic Games images are all copyright protected, I have found a link with a good example of 3D Video projections on buildings to stimulate your senses and show what is possible!
Have a look at à http://vimeo.com/4238052
Colors of life
Perth, 15th February 2010
Color is an integral part of our life. We know the colors of the rainbow as a natural progression; we know how (white) light breaks into the same rainbow colors through a crystal prism or through water. When the sun sets we go through the same array of colors again, though amber and deep blue are the dominant colors than. At mid-day we have this crisp cool white light.
But with all this multi-colored RGB stuff happening in artificial lighting I am taking some time out to actually make sense out of the use of colors in one of my projects. When I look around colors ( I am talking about colored artificial lighting) seem to be applied randomly, in chases or color mixes, most of the time without any obvious thoughts or reasoning in the color application. Just push the hit-and-run button!
It is very interesting to know how colors directly relate to our human body for instance! While some people may be skeptical about chakra’s and how the energy centers relate to color, like green for the heart (representing love and emotion) or blue for the throat (representing communication) it has been proven beyond doubt that a relation exists. Color therapy for the human body is now fairly commonly available. Some hotels are even starting to integrate the color healing and color therapy as part of their hotel concepts. I remember doing a color healing installation for one of my private clients some years back. The main aim was to be able to turn the room into specific colors depending on the areas of the body that needed treatment.
Even though considered “new age” by many, the inclusion of color, light and health as one of the major topics at the recent PLDC in Berlin shows it has moved on into the reality of our daily life!
PS: It is a further small step to relate colors directly to Feng Shui, but that will be a subject for another blog 🙂.
Sustainability in sports lighting
Perth, 14th February 2010
First of all an update…we (Dutch) got our first Olympic gold medal in the 5000m speed skating ! Incidentally I read that of the 79 medals won by the Dutch in winter Olympics, 76 came from speed skating, one of the most lopsided sports achievements in country history :).
With the Winter Olympics now well under way, one can wonder in how far sustainability has made its entry into sports lighting. A quick search reveals that the Richmond Oval where the speed skating event is held, is classified for LEED silver and (according to press releases), continues to collect awards for its design, construction and integration of sustainable building practices. I could not dig out any specific info on the lighting but would expect that in regards to LEED energy saving and control of light pollution would have been applied. From the venue description I understand that one of the public art installations features two lanterns driven by wind energy!
While I can see how “sustainable” lighting finds it way in the actual architectural design of the sports venues (day lighting, renewable energy, etc) it is probably more difficult to apply it to the actual sports lighting itself. Sports lighting is dictated by the standards for different levels of competition so there is not much room to move other than moving the sports to be played in daylight! I would think that renewable energy for the high performance sports lighting systems is still too big a task?
PS: To my lovely Alex, happy Valentine’s Day! Your unwavering support means the world to me! To all “lovers” out there, enjoy your Valentine’s Day. To those celebrating Chinese New Year, Gong Xi Fat Choy…have a roaring Year of the Tiger!
Winter Olympics 2010
Perth, 13th February 2010
Aren’t we working in an extraordinary environment as lighting designers? I have just watched the opening ceremony of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics and it is without doubt that lighting was the key component in this amazing visual show. I like to venture that the complete Canadian stock of theatrical lights, moving heads, intelligent LED lights was in that stadium for the opening ceremony! On top of that every member of the surely more than 50,000 strong public was given an LED candle which transformed the arena in a sea of twinkling lights during the spectacle. Being held indoors for the first time in Olympic history the contained venue was obviously ideally suitable for the creation of the magical lighting effects produced.
A sequence of amazing visual sceneries including swimming Orca’s, rising trees and mountains depicted Canadian life, history and culture, brought to life and made possible only by the latest lighting projection technologies. The way the whole venue was integrated was well done. I personally liked the plays with light and shadow from the illuminated shadow projections in the public stands to the dueling light and shadow projections on the moon! My compliments to the lighting designers of this ceremony!
So, let the games begin! With my multi cultural back ground I will have many countries to root for over the coming 2 weeks, but I will be rooting for the Dutch speed skating team first!
PS: Interestingly I noted the Olympic rings appeared in white instead of their traditional 5 colours. Has the trend in LED, from RGB to white light, been elevated to become an Olympic standard? 🙂
“Fighting” for space
Singapore, 12th February 2010
As a lighting designer one of our constantly recurring challenges in practically every interior project is our “fight” for the right locations for our lights. If only lighting was the one thing that mattered… 🙂
The reality is that there are many other services besides lighting that are vying for the same spot in the ceiling, wall or floor! Who takes precedence? As a lighting designer I need to anticipate these possible conflicting situations, so right from the start of our design process I will need to engage the project team to safeguard the potential lighting positions as much as I can. I just came back from one such design coordination meeting…
The first thing in for instance is to request for a clear space of at least 200mm above the ceiling so that we can recess our down lights freely without having to worry about being obstructed by ducting or physical obstacles like structural beams. The next thing is to agree that lighting gets precedence over air-conditioning and other services when it comes to location. Besides air-conditioning we will have to deal with sprinklers, smoke detectors, sound systems, and so on. Some services like emergency lights and signs will always have a higher priority as they are dictated by safety standards, but at least we have some form of control over those. Emergency lighting can be integrated as part of our general architectural house lighting (I am not a big fan of separate emergency lights, the so called “UFO’s” anyhow).
When it comes to event and function spaces such as ballrooms and galleries, etc, there are even more elements to consider. Special effects lighting, hooks for stage bars or draperies, overhead video projectors, speakers, etc, etc. It is easy to see that coordinated plans that incorporate all services are critical to the end result. Knowing the “other” requirements and anticipating their need for space will help to safeguard our lighting design interests.
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