Trends in the lighting world are constantly in flux, and this is no different when it comes to outdoor lighting. LED’s, new materials, futuristic designs – you name it, it’s available.
Q How are today’s exterior lights designed and manufactured to ensure that they are both aesthetically pleasing and durable in the harsh South African climate?
Nadja Smith, Beka: At Beka we know the criteria which have to be applied to ensure longevity to lighting products, particularly their technical capability to operate in high temperatures, as well as their ability to resist the high UV radiation, coastal corrosion and vandalism. Importing lighting products from manufacturers on continents not familiar with these conditions can lead to dismal system failures.
Allan Loxton, Voltex Lighting: Ligman products use a high corrosion resistance aluminium alloy (as used in the motor industry). The high-pressure die cast bodies provide excellent mechanical strength and heat dissipation. 316 stainless steel screws and weatherproof non-aging silicone gaskets are standard. All fixtures are Zinc chromated prior to painting with UV stabilised polyester powder at 200˚C. Not only is Ligman’s range of products extremely durable for the harsh South African climate, but it is aesthetically pleasing to.
Q Does South Africa present exterior lighting manufacturers with any unique challenges?
Beka: We strive for highest local content in all our products and production. This is benefitting the South African industries, since all value adding, starting from design, manufacture, assembly, quality control and distribution is done locally. Low quality imports are not only detrimental to the customer, but add no value in respect of skills development to South Africa’s manpower.
Voltex Lighting: South Africa does present exterior lighting manufactures and designers a unique challenge. With increases in material and electricity costs, often the mistake is to source cheaper alternative products. This often results in inferior quality products entering the market that cannot stand up to the South African conditions.
Q What can we expect in 2010 on the exterior lighting front?
Beka: South Africa will be hosting the world in 2010. All infrastructures for this event will be ready in time and South Africa, and its leading lighting suppliers, will be able to showcase their abilities of providing world class lighting solutions.
Almost all lighting products used in these highly prestigious installations have been manufactured or assembled locally, proving the high standards of manufacture by the industry leaders.
The highlights of the products featured for the 2010 events are:
* The LED lighting of the arch of the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, which provides almost 1km of continuous high powered LED lighting. The lighting will by dynamic, providing spectacular lighting effects for the nightlife of Durban.
* The specialised, custom designed luminaires and reflector systems for the lighting of interior spaces.
* The spectacular and innovative lighting of the exterior spaces, surrounding the stadia.
* The lighting of main infrastructures, like the Gauteng Highway system.
Voltex Lighting: With electricity prices set to increase over the next few years, energy efficient exterior lighting will become more important than ever. Traditionally exterior lighting is used for security reasons and can be left on all night resulting in energy being wasted.
Voltex Lighting offers a full range of Ligman outdoor products focusing on modern design, high quality for our harsh environment and most importantly, energy saving. All Ligman products are equipped with energy saving electronic ballasts and lamps. A range of high powered LED fittings are also available, with its low wattage and maintenance free characteristics, LED fixtures will become an increasing popular choice in the future.
Eurolux: Remember when sufficient outdoor lighting was considered a few security lights and perhaps a lit-up pathway? Well, those days are long gone. Nowadays homeowners want to maximise their gardens and create total synergy between inside and outside spaces. ‘Garden living’ as this trend has been dubbed, is fast growing in popularity, calling for a fresh approach to outdoor décor and lighting in particular.
The new ranges of contemporary Eglo outdoor light fittings allow you to effectively extend your living room into the garden. “These are outdoor lamps featuring unique designs in weather proof materials,” comments Eben Kruger, marketing manager at Eurolux – sole importer and distributor of the Eglo range in SA. With the main focus of the range being on floor lamps, he adds, “At first it might sound unusual to put a floor lamp in a garden or on a patio, but the right lamp can truly compliment and enhance your outdoor spaces, and this Eglo range includes something for all tastes.”
The attractive Lorena outdoor floor lamp has an antique brown finish and a basket weave look, ideal for decorating terraces, patios and gardens. The globe-shaped Ferroterra decorative garden lamp features an unusual, yet striking metal ring design and comes in a black/silver or clear silver finish – the Rocker features a similar design to the Ferroterra but is a wall lamp that is available in either an aluminium or rust finish. Kruger says many people believe that you must have a large porch or terrace before it is worth going to the expense of fitting outdoor lamps. “But any garden or outdoor space can become an impressive entertainment area if you fit an outdoor wall lamp such as this one, and it will cost a lot less than you think.”
Eglo’s Progressive low energy, outdoor cube floor lamp comes with a red, blue and green cup to place over the bulb, thus creating different lighting effects and appealing to individual tastes and décor ranges. This Art Deco lamp has a silver/white finish and will work best in uncluttered spaces where it can attract the attention this striking design deserves.
Radiant Lighting: Balmy summer evenings call for festive sundowners, al fresco dining and outdoor entertaining. By using innovative garden lighting, one can create an enchanting backdrop to your home long after the sun goes down. The home is the ideal venue for a relaxing get-together with friends and family. With the help of a clever lighting scheme, garden and outdoor areas such as the patio and pool can be turned into an extension of the indoor living space.
Valerie Poyurs, general manager for marketing for The Radiant Group (Radiant) says that when designing an overall outdoor lighting scheme, you should aim to simulate the same level of light as a bright, moonlit night. Flooding your entire garden with harsh, bright light may keep burglars at bay, but it also creates an artificial atmosphere that washes out natural light from the moon and night sky. By using different types of lighting and a variety of light sources, you capture the intimacy of evening time, while visually enhancing your property.
Outdoor lighting fixtures should be designed to withstand wet and cold weather. To save energy and the environment, choose LED bulbs which last far longer than traditional lamps. Unlike fluorescent lamps, LEDs also become more efficient as the ambient temperature drops, making them ideally suited for outdoors. You can also intersperse solar-powered lamps in between electric lights in hard-to-reach places. The trick with outdoor lighting is to hide the light sources. A beautiful, decorative stone lamp is a far better option than a plastic, glaring lamp.
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ExteriorLighting1.jpg: DOWN THE SIDE OF PIC Pic courtesy Beka
ExteriorLighting2.jpg: DOWN THE SIDE OF PIC Pic courtesy Beka
ExteriorLighting3.jpg: DOWN THE SIDE OF PIC Pic courtesy Eurolux
ExteriorLighting4.jpg: DOWN THE SIDE OF PIC Pic courtesy Eurolux
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