Pathway lights guide the way along The Gables riparian corridor
Weaving throughout the entire estate, The Gables riparian corridor is a central network of walking and bike tracks that unifies the community’s essence of liveability. Ultimately leading to the proposed town centre, school and Future Lake, the pathway is expected to be well-utilised, including during the dark hours of the early morning and late evening. Promoted as a safe and convenient route for even older children to use independently, solar pathway lighting was a key element of the design to uphold these values.
Client
Stockland
Traditional Custodians
The Dharung People
A sustainable journey to solar pathway lights
Stockland 2030 Sustainability Strategy states the company’s belief that sustainability is a fundamental part of their purpose, ‘a better way to live’, and in this instance, they found it’s also a better way to light. Initially interested in solar car park lights for The Gables school car park for obvious sustainability benefits, and after working with Leadsun to design, supply and install the lights during the uncertain times of Covid, they knew they had found a solution that was much more than just sustainable.
Aesthetic pre-requisites, vertical Illumination, and height restrictions
In need of a SMART solar pathway lights solution
Existing infrastructure from the previous developer, including gridpowered pathway lights, set an aesthetic pre-requisite for our solar pathway lights to be sleek, modern, and opulent. A strict vertical illumination level was also required to ensure the path was safe and inviting by allowing users to recognise others and their intent, whether that be friendly, indifferent, or threatening.
Some parts of the pathway entered a transmission easement for overhead powerlines. This imposed height restrictions of 2.5m for the pathway lighting in these spaces. The pathway also included 3 bridges crossing the creek, where designers sought to integrate puck lights into each side of the railing. The bridges are between 30-50m long; therefore, generating enough solar power to light this length of puck lights required large and reliable solar engines.
Seamless, sensible and SMART pathway lighting
Leadsun’s FREEDOM solar pathway lights, solar-powered bollards and puck lights provided Stockland with the perfect solution that exceeded their requirements. The sleek, all-black modern aesthetics fit seamlessly into the landscape, complementing the existing park assets.
The lights were positioned on the outer side of the path to provide users with an unobstructed view of the creek. Pathway LEDs complied with PP3 vertical illumination levels while maintaining Dark-Sky compliance with 3000K colour temperature and 0° upward tilt.
Leadsun installed solar-powered, 1m high bollards along the transmission easement to comply with height restrictions. These bollards are powered by AE6 Remote Energy Storage Systems (RESS), which are mounted on a nearby pole. The solar engine distributes power to each bollard via a shallow trench containing a safe ‘Extra Low Voltage’ DC cable. Similarly, the puck lights are powered by AE6 RESS’, which are expertly sized to power each group of puck lights from dusk to dawn, including Leadsun’s signature provision of 3 days autonomy.
Solar pathway lighting success on riparian corridor
The Gables riparian corridor pathway is now sustainably lit, providing residents with safe early morning and late evening routes to commute, exercise, and escape into nature.
The solar path lights installation was quick and easy, with only shallow trenches made from the RESS’ to power the bollard and puck light.
Solar Pathway Light Products used
- Solar module series –AE3 FREEDOM & AE6
- Solar size – 60W, 150W, 300W, 400W & 600W
- LED output programming: Puck lights & Bollards – Dusk until dawn. FREEDOM – 100% illumination from dusk for 5hrs, then dim to 20% illumination until dawn
- Pole footing: Concrete Ragbolt
- Pole type: EZYLift 4.5m Poles
- Additional solutions: EDGE
Lighting Applications
Acknowledgement of Country
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which this project was undertaken, the Dharung People. We recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture and we pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.
Similar Projects
The Bass Coast Rail Trail
Bass Coast Rail Trail’s ‘dark tunnel’ receives solar illumination to...
Read More
Robin Wiles Pathway Penrith
Crime down and residents delighted after Penrith City Council deploys...
Read More
Tormore Reserve Facility
Tormore Reserve Facility Client Knox City Council Lighting Compliance AS/NZS...
Read More