Illuminating heritage: A guide to conservation lighting
For over a century, we have been blending timeless elegance and cutting-edge technology in our outdoor lighting designs, bridging the gap between tradition and technology, earning the trust of generations of discerning clients through our family-owned business.
Renowned for our functional streetlighting, floodlighting, lighting columns and high masts, we have recently shifted our focus to take a renewed look at our Heritage Lighting. With new updates to our traditional lighting range, we reinforce our position as an alternative for conservation areas and heritage applications. As we celebrate our centenary, we believe now is the ideal time to remind our clients of the key questions to ask before embarking on a heritage lighting scheme.
Key considerations for heritage lighting
Preserving the past: Can I keep my existing lantern?
The UK and many world cities boast stunning historical architecture. Preserving our nation's architectural legacy is at the heart of any heritage lighting scheme. We understand the importance of safeguarding the past and, at the same time, preserving our world's natural resources.
Following circular economy principles, many existing luminaires can transition to LED through our retrofit options and undergo simple refurbishments - a testament to our commitment to sustainability. Our retrofit options and conversion kits extend from the luminaire to the column, facilitating an effortless integration of modern efficiency with historical charm.
If a new lantern is necessary, our Heritage Lanterns, crafted from high-quality materials, embody a blend of traditional and modern performance. The result is a robust and enduring luminaire that stands the test of time. They also encompass the environmental aspects with the new design being more aligned than ever on circularity.
What style heritage luminaire should I choose?
Heritage lighting spans various design eras, each contributing to the rich tapestry of our architectural history. Choose a luminaire in keeping with your architectural era or a timeless classic that complements.
Our easy to install range offers an array of authentically designed luminaires, from Victorian tear-drop lanterns to large Georgian style LED luminaires.
Explore our period-style street lighting, meticulously crafted from Aluminium, designed to be sympathetic to the local environment, and offering a high degree of recyclability. We also support colour matching for the area, helping create an authentic street scene, suited to your city.
Furthermore, we offer a range of complementary street lighting columns for residential areas, parks or conservation areas. Designed for use where a traditional column is required without a sizeable extra cost, our decorative columns are manufactured from steel with cast aluminium decorations and structural test friendly equivalent embellishment kits.
Discover our heritage columns here.
Choosing colour temperature (CCT)
In the evolution from gas lighting to sodium lamps and now LED technology, striking the right colour temperature is crucial for heritage applications to echo the warm glow of bygone eras.
Warmth meets efficiency
Acknowledging the significance of warm colour temperatures, our light engines now bridge traditional low-pressure sodium lamps and the industry's shift towards warmer tones, offering colour temperatures down to 2200K.
Navigating the budget: Can I afford Heritage lighting?
Traditionally, heritage lighting has been associated with high costs due to long-lasting materials and superior quality. However, we have managed to improve performance and deliver cost savings. The integration of 4th Generation LEDs has boosted our luminaires' efficiency by up to 30%, achieving an impressive 172 lumens per watt. This not only enhances energy efficiency but also makes heritage lighting more accessible than ever before.
Is my heritage scheme Dark Sky friendly?
Light pollution should be a significant consideration in any lighting scheme. Years of reaping the benefits of LEDs are paying their toll on our night sky. However, the right choice of optics and colour temperature negate these negative impacts.
In the spirit of responsible outdoor lighting, our heritage range reduces upward light and boasts a glare rating of up to G3. Certain optics and lantern powers are Dark Sky compliant, aligning with recent International Dark Sky approvals. Speak to us if this is an important aspect of your scheme.
Should I add lighting controls?
Adding lighting controls can improve most lighting schemes – it's not just about flexibility but also saving energy and budget. Controls can bring extra security by making sure lights are on when they should be. When you need less light, they kick in to save energy wastage and protect residents and wildlife from over lighting. So, thinking about adding controls isn't just an option; it's a smart choice for efficient, modern lighting schemes!
Several of our heritage ranges offer lighting control options from Mini photocells, NFC control, to wireless CMS. We work with our CMS partners, to provide our customers with the functionality to easily control their lighting output and review maintenance needs all within a central app-controlled device.
A beacon of tradition and innovation
Our Heritage Lighting Range embodies a century of expertise and a commitment to innovation with 100 years of history, designing, manufacturing, and delivering lighting schemes for our customers. The recent enhancements showcase improved lumen performance, superior efficacy, and enhanced lighting quality. Paul Carter, our Technical Manager, expresses his optimism: "With the improvements to our traditional lighting range, we hope that specifiers see our heritage luminaires as a viable alternative."
In the world of heritage lighting, we're not just a manufacturer; we're stewards of tradition, seamlessly blending the charm of the past with the efficiency of the future—illuminate history with our traditional lighting, where heritage meets innovation.