The Lyttelton Harbour Dry Dock, a heritage site dating back to 1883, required a modern lighting overhaul. Despite various upgrades, the exterior lighting system remained outdated, affecting visibility, safety, and the architectural aesthetics of this historic facility. The Lyttelton Port Company had unique requirements, including considerations for marine life, the industrial environment, and the preservation of the natural dark sky.  

This new lighting design concept developed by Pedersen Read, supported by Energy Light, focused on upgrading all existing exterior lighting with ewo R System GEN 3 R2 & R4 floodlight projectors. The choice of 3000K correlated color temperature aimed to enhance visibility, minimize atmospheric scatter, and contribute to the preservation of the natural dark sky within the heritage site. 

Holders Technology New Zealand spearheaded the implementation of a Casambi Bluetooth Low Energy-based mesh control system for all exterior lighting. The Casambi nodes, strategically placed atop each pole, ensured minimal wireless communication interference from surrounding steel-hulled ships. The wireless control system, connected via a NEMA socket, provided flexibility, reduced cabling, and facilitated individual addressing and dimming of each fitting. 

The lighting upgrade exceeded expectations, providing a uniform, consistent, and focused environment. Feedback from both dock users and the local community has confirmed the positive influence on both safety and aesthetics. Casambi’s wireless control seamlessly integrated with traditional switches and tablet control, enhancing user accessibility and flexibility. It also contributed to sustainability by allowing for future changes with ease without the need for any additional cabling. 

This project has received an award of commendation from the IES and a Highly Commended award from the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand (RASNZ). The latter recognized the commitment to sustainability and responsible lighting practices.

Dry docks require good lighting for enhanced visibility and safety during ship maintenance, inspections, and repairs. Thoughtful lighting design and advanced control systems are key to enhancing user experience while contributing to sustainable practices, as this Holders project amply demonstrates. 

Lyttelton Harbour Dry Dock

The HB Central redevelopment breathes new life into a significant chapter of Auckland’s CBD building history. A project that seamlessly combines two of the city’s oldest buildings, this ambitious project offers 900 sqm of prime retail space along Queen Street and an additional 2,000 sqm of offices and a café along Lorne Street. The original buildings of HB Central have a rich history, dating back to 1880 and 1914 when they housed the renowned high-end gentlemen’s fashion label Hallenstein Brothers, founded by Bendix Hallenstein.

In their pursuit of a smart and energy-efficient space, Morton Property Group sought the expertise of architects Warren & Mahoney and Mott MacDonald, along with lighting experts Novii. This collaboration resulted in a remarkable transformation at HB Central, aligning with Green Star requirements while preserving and strengthening the building’s original construction features and materiality.

With Green Star certification, carbon footprint reduction and spatial wellness as primary objectives, Novii collaborated with Morton Property, Warren & Mahoney, and Mott MacDonald to choose, design, and commission a one-of-a-kind lighting solution that fully adhered to the Green Building Council’s certification requirements. The brief centered around developing a smart and advanced lighting system that catered specifically to the needs and wellness of existing tenants and stores, while minimizing any impact on the existing structure.

The decision to implement Casambi as the building’s lighting control system was driven by its intelligent IoT solution, resulting in a substantial reduction in control wiring and labor requirements without compromising the automation system’s performance. By integrating Casambi gateways with EnOcean kinetic switches, the building benefited from the convenience of placing scene controllers and dimmers anywhere, even in challenging areas such as steel pillars, eliminating the complexities associated with traditional wiring and conduit installations.

In line with the Green Star requirements, the HB Central building needed to be 95% automated with motion sensors and dimmers to control light and energy use. This provision of dynamic lighting -intelligently activating lighting only when necessary – leads to substantial energy savings. By communicating wirelessly, the sensors minimize wiring requirements, reducing carbon emissions during installation. Furthermore, the lighting gradually dims over a 15-minute period when no occupancy is detected. The overall result is a building-wide solution that optimizes power consumption, decreases luminaire maintenance, and maintains a seamless user experience for tenants, all without the need for site-wide time clocks typically found in traditional automation systems. 

To fulfill Green Star requirements, the office spaces are adorned with contemporary linear task lighting complemented by a soft, indirect lighting scheme, creating a sense of openness and well-being. Through the strategic use of indirect lighting, which bounces light off surfaces, a pleasant and glare-free atmosphere is achieved. The integration of diverse correlated color temperatures (CCTs) adds visual interest, preventing the space from feeling mundane. Furthermore, the heritage wooden ceiling features are subtly illuminated with a gentle, tungsten-like glow, evoking a sense of nostalgia and honoring the space’s historical journey.

Troubleshooting lighting through the cloud

By harnessing the capabilities of Casambi, a significant portion of the commissioning work was efficiently conducted through the gateways, transforming the building into a connected IoT hub. This remote approach minimized site visits, reducing carbon emissions, and enabling Novii to conduct precise commissioning from their offices. Within a week of the building’s opening, the motion sensors’ linger and hold times were remotely halved, seamlessly optimizing energy usage without disrupting tenants. This achievement not only aligns with the Green Star rating and reduces the carbon footprint but also ensures future maintenance advantages. With the established IoT connection, Novii can offer additional services and remotely troubleshoot any lighting or control issues, while still allowing manual overrides for local lighting without compromising Green Star requirements.

The HB Central project represents a bold step towards redefining lighting and spatial design in New Zealand. It sets a new standard where aesthetics, lighting effectiveness, and spatial wellness coexist harmoniously while honoring the building’s rich history. The pivotal role of Casambi’s lighting automation technology in achieving this delicate balance cannot be overstated.

Blending old-world charm with modern innovation, this project repurposes heritage architecture in an eco-friendly way. Using Casambi, it achieves efficient lighting, targeting a prestigious 5-star Green Star rating while prioritizing occupant well-being through well-lit spaces that enhance mood, productivity, and comfort. 

HB Central

Located on Hobson Street, St Matthew-in-the-City stands as one of Auckland’s most remarkable churches. This architectural gem was unveiled in 1905 and was masterfully crafted by the renowned architect Frank Loughborough Pearson. The church showcases an exquisite blend of design elements, characterized by the Early English style. Its magnificent structure, built from white Oamaru stone resting on a bluestone stylobate, adds to its grandeur and charm. St Matthew-in-the-City is a testament to the city’s rich history and the enduring beauty of sacred architecture. 

ECC Lighting was commissioned to create a permanent lighting solution for St Matthew-in-the-City, eliminating the need to rent lighting equipment for different occasions. For this task, EEC turned to iGuzzini, the renowned Italian brand with a proven track record in illuminating historic structures worldwide. Given the client’s specific requirements, which encompassed accommodating diverse functions ranging from traditional church services to weddings and corporate events, each luminaire in the installation was designed to be independently controlled. This meticulous approach ensures optimal versatility and adaptability to suit the varying needs of the space. Another hurdle involved the installation of inground lights within the heritage building, which required considerable time and effort to obtain approval due to the building’s historic significance.

The design process encountered a significant challenge posed by the outdated 3core wiring that couldn’t be upgraded. To overcome this obstacle, the team devised a solution by integrating a Casambi module into each luminaire. This innovative approach proved to be the ideal method for controlling the RGBW luminaires effectively. The DMX luminaires were managed through the Casambi-DMX module, which could be conveniently controlled using the Casambi App on Apple iOS devices. For added convenience, a Casambi XPress switch was made available to set Casambi scenes and enable manual control. 

‘As a heritage building, our foremost priority was to honour and preserve the architectural and cultural significance of the structure. Our challenge was to ensure full functionality of the space without introducing additional wiring. The client’s requirement was to seamlessly support a wide range of functions and events. By training their events manager to control the lighting through the Casambi App, we have effectively reduced the need for traditional wired solutions, thereby minimizing ongoing maintenance associated with such systems’ says Wayne Reddecliffe, General Manager, Holders Technology, New Zealand.

Thanks to EEC Lighting, one of New Zealand’s finest churches is illuminated by Casambi in a way that respects and honours the traditional building.

St Matthews in the city

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Lyttelton Harbour Dry Dock

Projects.

Lyttelton Harbour Dry Dock

HB Central

St Matthews in the city