Posted on: 14th August 2005, United Kingdom E-mail this page to a friend

Architectural lighting specialists i-Vision have designed, specified and commissioned an eye-catching LED lighting installation in the new steel roof structure of the Energy Hall at London's Science Museum.

It's the first ever installation to utilise i-Vision's new, compact, highly efficient LumosDrive 216 LED driver, which cut the cost of the installation substantially, and is more efficient and easier to install than the previously available technology.

Architects Ward McHugh Associates and design engineers Pearce Buckle approached i-Vision because they wanted an energy efficient lighting scheme for the Energy Hall's new roof. The Energy Hall houses energy related exhibits, so it made sense to get a specialist LED lighting company onboard for this aspect of the roof project.

i-Vision's project manager Luke Dodd went for the initial on site demo, taking with him a selection of fixtures including Lumos Flood 36's and some non optic Lumos Strip 1200 fittings.

As soon as he saw the location, he realised strips were the ideal solution for the given application, and proposed that i-Vision make 30 bespoke Lumos Strip 2400 RGB (non optic) to be installed alongside the LED floods that Ward McHugh had originally considered using.

The curved roof runs for 40 metres and spans 15 metres and the 30 RGB Lumos Strip 2400's run end-to-end right along both sides, mounted on a concealed tray pointing upwards, and boosted with 10 i-Vision RGB Lumos Flood 36's – also non optic - per side. The LED emits a powerful, radiant glow enveloping the white corrugated steel structure of the roof in a series of rich saturated colours.

The design brief included that the installation had to have a clear impact for visitors in daylight – covering most of the museum's opening hours - as well as at dusk and after dark.

In addition, allowing the scheme to reflect any required colour at the touch of a button offers the museum the facility to match the corporate colours of any client using the hall for special events.

Dodd worked with the Science Museum's Head of Estates Andrew Haycock and on-site project manager, Danielle Rowe.

"It was a pleasure to work with such a proactive project team throughout" says Dodd, "There were some challenging times with access to all public buildings severely restricted after recent events in London, but the team pulled together and created a stunning lighting scheme that we're all proud of".

The increased capacity of the new Lumos Drive 216 enabled i-Vision to specify 12 driver devices instead of the 70 individual units that would have been needed before the release of the new product.

Lumos Drive 216 makes installation quicker, is more user friendly and easier to programme than the previous drivers available. It is compact, lightweight, multi-functional, highly specified and lowers the total cost of each LED fitting.

States Dodd, "It's a really positive move for us to now offer a dramatically reduced cost-per-LED driver, making LED systems even more affordable to end-users".

The scheme is controlled by a single Sunlight DMX Software system, complete with 8 button scene recall panel.

The installation was undertaken by Science Museum's on site contractors Pegasus Systems headed by Max Johnson, overseen and commissioned by Dodd and i-Vision's Gerry Stevens.

Pegasus Systems comment that the project was one of their "Most challenging to date. Luke Dodd knew what he wanted to achieve with the illumination cover, and after our initial meeting, we designed and installed the containment onto which the fittings are mounted. An excellent working relationship between Dodd and Johnson ensured the contract ran smoothly, efficiently and on time".

Access in the roof was a major challenge with the install says Dodd. The team had to physically work on a 15 inch shelf running around the edge of the roof to install the fixtures, below which was a straight 4 storey drop to the museum floor!

All the work had to be completed at night as the museum stayed open to the public in daytime.

At one end of the roof, an air conditioning duct had to be circumvented so the LEDs didn't cast any shadows, which was achieved with some careful tweaking and re-angling of the fixtures once in situ.

Lead architect Kelvin Fallow comments, "LED was chosen because cutting edge technology was attractive to the Museum, and easy maintenance was another factor due to limited access and the whole 'life cost' of the installation.

"The flexibility of the lighting effects also enables the Museum to tailor a single installation to accommodate changing gallery themes, special exhibits and a variety of corporate events, all of which use the Energy Hall at different times.

The result is a dynamic lighting scheme that visually enhances the new roof and compliments the gallery space and atrium below.

"i-Vision's expertise helped the Science Museum and its design team to appreciate what LED lighting can achieve, how it can be positioned within the roof space and how to overcome the specific challenges of access and working around the public".