Lighting up station car parks with 3,000 LED luminaires

NeuxPark is a contractor providing bespoke products and niche projects in the commercial and industrial sectors, who have a vast amount of experience within the rail sector. NeuxPark were commissioned to replace the outdated fluorescent and metal halide luminaires in the car parks at St Pancras, Ebbsfleet, Stratford and Ashford, with a total capacity of up to 8,000 spaces.

The new luminaires reduce energy consumption and carbon footprint as well as providing brighter illumination for increased safety and security. The operators of the car parks sought longer lasting lights to reduce the frequency of replacement thus eliminating maintenance costs.

Commenting on the project, Richard Jenkins, Technical Director at NeuxPark said: “Knowing the client’s requirements within the rail industry, the Goodlight LED luminaires and lamps were the ideal solution to address the client’s stringent security and safety specifications. It was at the forefront of the clients specification to deliver the following end result - reduced carbon footprint, lower energy consumption, commercial cost reduction, safer working and public environments, zero maintenance cost, quality well-built products, increased lumen output and enhanced lux levels for this high risk environment. The Goodlight LED products met every requirement and together Goodlight and NeuxPark delivered an exceptional end result.”

NeuxPark, an approved partner for Goodlight, installed a selection of Goodlight LED lights which supports a five year guarantee and a specified 50,000 hour lifespan. These included G360 LED SON Lamps (Daylight and Natural) in 20, 30 and 60W which deliver a high lumen output of 140Lm/W brightness from its 360° beam angle.

Due to its advanced cooling system, the G360 LED chips can be run up to 30% brighter, which is suitable for a car park environment. Also specified were T8 LED Tubes (Natural) in 5ft 25W that achieve up to an impressive 120Lm/W brightness. These were the replacement for the standard fluorescent fittings in the car parks as they are robust, impact resistant and glass-free.

The T8 LED Tubes easily retrofit into existing lamp fittings and operate independently of external control gear. Once installed, they deliver a superb even light spread with no shadowing. Eco LED Battens were also chosen (Natural) in 5ft 50W together with Emergency Self-Test versions, delivering up to 110Lm/W.

They are ultra-reliable and designed to replace outdated fluorescent fixtures with brighter, more energy efficient LED battens. In addition, 120W GX1 LED Low Bays (Daylight) were selected, delivering a bright output of 110Lm/W. These new Goodlight LED light fittings are glass-free and were direct replacements for the standard SON lamps and fluorescent tubes that were in situ across the four car parks.

“The installation procedure varied from each site dependant on the existing electrical infrastructure” explained Richard Jenkins. There was a variation of retrospective modifications and luminaire replacements across the four sites, all would require wiring and containment modifications and technical implications to be taken into consideration. “We have worked with Goodlight on many successful projects in the commercial sector and we are very familiar with their products which helped simplify the installation process.”

He continued: “At one of the sites, we were tasked with installing the Goodlight GX1 LED Low Bays on 22 x 16-metre-high mast lighting columns which required bespoke bracketry to be designed and manufactured. High level access requirements and the use of a custom-built rise and lowering power tool were also required to carry out our installation process. This was a challenging project, but we delivered on time and all car parks are fully commissioned, tested and certified.”

Saima Shafi, Sales and Marketing Director at Goodlight commented: “Our LED lighting technology offers car park owners more efficient light at a lower cost. The LED lamps and luminaires reach full brightness instantly and are virtually maintenance free with no ballasts or starters needed. This is especially beneficial in external areas, such as in car parks, where the environment is harsher and light fittings may be hard to access. Our products are already specified in exterior installations including London Underground, Liverpool Street Station and a major supermarket chain’s car park.”

Whilst the financial gains and environmental reasons for making the switch to energy efficient LED lighting are clear, as importantly, it is as essential to provide a safe and comfortable environment for the users.