Green light for Göppingen

The local authorities in the German town of Göppingen have already used several road-lighting projects to make the switch to LED – with more set to follow. The R2L2 range, designed by Thorn for exactly this kind of urban function, is making a real impression in Göppingen with its economic benefits and attractive look. At the same time, Thorn has called on products from the Urba portfolio to provide the perfect lighting solution for the varied requirements of the “Ort der Vielfalt”, a multifunctional leisure complex in the town. 

Any forward-looking environmental policy with a real focus on sustainable development has to address the key issue of climate protection. A commitment by the county of Baden-Württemberg to systematically cut carbon dioxide (CO2) made a few years ago prompted the authorities in Göppingen to gradually start converting urban street lighting to LED technology. The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Natural Protection and Reactor Safety (BNUB) in Germany is now supporting this shift with a grant to cover 20 per cent of the investment costs. 

Göppingen has identified the illumination of routes outside the urban area as a crucial way of reducing light emissions. The authorities have even gone as far as introducing a ruling that requires the light source, location and control system for luminaires outside of the urban area to be chosen on the basis of their imopact on the environmental. Scattered light should be reduced wherever possible and the beam always has to be focused exclusively on the ground. The effect on local wildlife also needs to be kept to a minimum.

A combination of the powerful R2L2 family and CiviTEQ street luminaires from Thorn has proven to be an appropriate and cost-effective solution in Göppingen. Along with optimum lighting performance and low maintenance costs, energy efficiency is one of the key advantages of LED street lighting. With a wide selection of optics, light distributions and luminous fluxes, the luminaires are suitable for use in applications that range from residential streets and pedestrian crossings to major traffic routes. The high-performance R-PEC LED optic supports energy-efficient operation with various light distribution curves, helping towns and cities like Göppingen benefit from precise and effective illumination that stops stray light. The integration of a lighting management system into the installation has also enabled conventional half-night switching to cut energy consumption even further. The successful conversion of the first sections has led to the approval of a second grant from the BMU, while a third application has just been submitted.

Helmut Renftle, Senior Planning Officer in Göppingen, is delighted with the results: “Thorn LED lighting has provided the best solution for our particular needs. Even with just 700 replacement LED luminaires from the Ministry for the Environment’s LED grant programme, we have already achieved an annual energy saving of 450,000 kWh and lowered CO2 emissions by 266 tons. The lighting system will pay for itself in about three and a half years.” Helmut Renftle is also impressed by the aesthetics of the new solution: “The new LED luminaires bathe our town in environmentally-friendly light and fit in perfectly with the urban landscape here.”

Design was also an important consideration when it came to defining the lighting concept for the multifunctional “Ort der Vielfalt” leisure complex (a name literally meaning ‘place of diversity’) in the heart of Göppingen. The circular plaza with a diameter of 44 metres has been incorporated into the centre of a park and flanked by a sizeable sound-proof wall. This 53-metre-long and 5-metre-high construction also doubles as a place for skateboarding, while a climbing wall on the south side of the complex extends the range of sporting options. The children’s play area features climbing frames, slides, swings, see-saws and a large sand pit. The site, which was opened in May 2017, also includes dedicated facilities for families and senior citizens and is now one of the most diverse trend-sport complexes in Germany.

The lighting is particularly important in this place of meeting and movement, so LED luminaires from Thorn were carefully chosen to meet all the different urban lighting requirements. Various sizes of post-mounted and surface-mounted fittings from the Urba lighting range use glare-free technology to provide impressive lighting quality. As a versatile lighting system for decorative area and path lighting, the extensive Urba Deco portfolio includes post, catenary wire, pendant lighting and bollard luminaires. The unique architectural form and defined lit effect blend in with the stylish concept of the sports concept, while the specific light distributions and flexible mounting options help highlight points of interest. 

“The lighting is extremely important for visitor safety,” explained Mr Schuller, a street lighting specialist involved with the “Ort der Vielfalt” project. “The lighting conditions are now ideal for a wide range of users – from BMX riders and skateboarders through to joggers and runners. All the tracks, steps and edges can easily be seen, without people having to cope with visual discomfort caused by factors such as glare.”