The large atrium at the Art Gallery has many functions: as an entrance to the gallery, a reception area, a meeting place, an entertainment area, a display opportunity and a showcase for the interior of the sculpture wall.

The lighting initially installed in the atrium was 300 and 500 Watt halogen lamps, with a rated life of 4000 hours. The lights functioned well, but the relatively short life span of the lamps was problematic as a cherry picker is required to access the high ceiling areas. The lights also added approximately 45 kilowatts of heat to the area, the equivalent of 22 kilowatt bar radiant heaters.

The power demand of these lamps was also a consideration, with power requirements of:

Technology has moved on quickly since the first commissioning of the Art Gallery in 2002, so that in November 2008 light fittings were installed that improve many of the operating parameters of the previous lighting, including life span, heat production, maintenance, lumens emitted and power required.

The power demand of the new lamps is as follows:

The upgrading of the lighting has reduced the energy requirement of the lighting by 39 kilowatts or approximately 140,000 kilowatts or $15,000 a year.

There are additional benefits to the change, including:

• The lamps installed have a lifespan of 12,000 to 15,000 hours, reducing the maintenance costs by at least a third.
• The heat emitted by the old lamps was a problem to the area in summer. This is now reduced and air conditioning costs in summer will likewise be reduced.

The benefits of the project

The benefits of the project include:

• a reduction in the energy required to operate the lighting
• a reduction in the electricity costs
• a reduction in the heat produced by the lighting
• a reduction in air chilling costs in the atrium area
• a reduction in maintenance costs.