Super-energy-efficient illumination of the building of the Poznań
Super-energy-efficient illumination of the building of the Faculty of Architecture at the Poznań University of Technology
The building of the Faculty of Architecture of the Poznań University of Technology – designed by Sławomir Rosolski – was built at the Piotrowo Campus located in the vicinity of the river Warta. The investment, inspired by the Greek Parthenon, cost PLN 71 million. From the very beginning, the project was guided by a very environmentally friendly approach. The result is one of the most modern and energy-efficient facilities in Europe.
Maximum energy efficiency was also the architect’s main idea in terms of external illumination – the entire system, consisting of two installations, could not exceed 1 kW. Achieving such low power consumption was possible thanks to the use of very efficient luminaires with an integrated LED panel, made of an aluminium base PCB. The meter installed in the switchgear, indicating 0.99 kW, proves the effectiveness of this ambitious concept. Turning on the entire external illumination consumes as much power as using a toaster or a hair dryer in our homes.
The implementation of the project consisted of two installations. For the first one, we used outdoor luminaires mounted on poles with an ingress protection rating of IP66 and light source efficiency amounting to 112,000 hours. A total of 16 luminaires – each with an individually adjusted illumination angle. The maximum power of each luminaire is 24,4 W, and the luminous flux is 3750 lm – this gives a very high efficiency of 154 lm/W – a very important requirement for this project.
For the illumination of the upper part of the roof, we used a system of outdoor luminaires with wide light distribution, which provides a floodlight effect in a special cornflower colour. The installation on the roof – emitting indigo-coloured light – affects the perception of the whole structure and casts a delicate glow on the river and the nearby green areas. For its implementation, we used 60 luminaires with a maximum power of 5.5 W and 40 luminaires with a maximum power of 4.5 W. The difference in power resulted from the need to install a number of luminaires above the existing ventilation system – these luminaires had to be power-limited in order to balance light intensity on the façade. It was also necessary to create a special structure so as not to damage the surface of the roof. Luminaires mounted at the level of the ground have been fitted with special lenses that helped focus the light on the right place on the façade. To simplify the mounting process and the entire installation, we used special luminaires with through-wiring. The ingress protection class of the luminaires is at least IP66. The weight of a single luminaire does not exceed 0.5 kg, which contributes to the low load on the roof structure.
The power factor used for the entire luminaire project is (cosine ϕ) ≥ 0.9, thanks to which reactive energy is not generated. The luminaires are also resistant to very low and high temperatures.