Science of light

There are two main considerations when lighting a building: good aesthetics and task suitability. Usually, it is the bright and interesting lighting schemes that receive praise, but with an industrial building, such as the Golden Bay Cement factory, it was far more important that the lighting promote safety.

Lighting designer Tracy Bronlund specialises in lighting industrial and commercial spaces. For this project, as with all applications requiring lighting, she says it was important the lighting create an environment that was conducive to productivity and one that felt safe and comfortable to work in.

"One part of the plant consists of a bag house and a seven-storey-high platform, with another two storeys being added to the top tiers. These are outdoor platforms, so with work often being carried out throughout the night, the lighting needed to be adequate to illuminate the many on-site obstacles."

However, as the factory is in a prominent position in Northland, Bronlund's design also needed to contain the illumination within the building. This was achieved through the careful placement of luminaires.

Bronlund works as part of a team of experienced and qualified engineers and electrical designers at Buchanan Projects Limited (BPL). She is also the chairperson of the New Zealand chapter of the Illumination Engineering Society of Australia and New Zealand (IESANZ), and part of the team organising this year's convention in Queenstown. This is the first time since 2001 that the event will be held in New Zealand.

For information on Tracy Bronlund and Buchanan Projects Limited, visit the website: www.bpl.co.nz.

For more details on IESANZ, and this year's convention in Queenstown, visit the website: www.iesanz.org.

Story by: Trendsideas