Powerful ambient lighting in the airport: Refurbishment of Terminal 1, Sydney Airport

Handling close to 40 million passengers each year, Kingsford Smith International Airport is Australia’s largest and busiest hub. Terminal 1 was opened in 1970 and, due to the international flights, is considered the gateway to the world. After extensive refurbishment focused primarily on the security control point as well as the retail and departure area at its far side, the terminal has been shining in a new light since autumn 2015. Its transformation is owed in no small part to ERCO. The Lüdenscheid Light Factory supplied the Skim downlights that now illuminate this section of the terminal with brilliantly efficient ambient lighting.

Efficiency with high luminous flux and low maintenance for maximised longevity of the lighting system
Based on master plans designed by noted Australian engineering consultancy Aurecon as the coordinator, the terminal was refurbished without disrupting airport operations. Specifications for the lighting system included maximum energy efficiency with optimal luminous flux packages, reliability and longevity. Given that international airports such as Sydney effectively operate 24/7, all technical equipment in public spaces must be designed for an absolute minimum of maintenance. As tenders were invited, ERCO’s lighting solution based on Skim downlights proved superior in all respects. Pivotal to the decision of a design concept built around the ERCO Skim lighting tools was their excellent efficiency, reliability and versatility.

As a quality criterion, all ERCO LED luminaires guarantee excellent lumen maintenance. Advanced passive thermal management as a focal point at ERCO ensures that at least 90% of all LEDs still achieve more than 90% of the original luminous flux for up to 50,000 hours. Effectively, this means that the luminous flux of no more than 10% of all LEDs in this period reduces to 90% or less (L90/B10). Up to that point, the failure rate of individual LEDs used at ERCO is just 0.1%, meaning that even after 50,000 hours, the luminaire remains fully operational.

Powerful without glare – even from up high
The ceiling in the security screening area measures around 3.5m from the floor. Suspended with white panels, it was matched with white Skim downlights with a connected load as low as 18W and warm white light (3000K). The resulting uniform illumination with optimum glare control creates a calm and pleasant atmosphere in this highly sensitive area.
The retail and departure areas are designed mainly like a typical shopping mall, with Skim downlights illuminating the circulation zones. At around 6m, the mainly white ceiling is broken up by three black lines running parallel from one end of the mall to the other as a striking design feature. So as not to disrupt this effect, the Skim downlights installed in these lines feature black anti-glare cones to ensure an unobtrusive appearance in the ceiling. Skim owes its powerful yet discreet performance to the superior glare control of the specially developed ERCO lens system. With an output of 28W, the neutral white light rated at 4000K combines perfectly with the mall’s daylight, creating a bright and pleasantly fresh ambience illuminated by sophisticated lighting tools. Even from a great height, Skim provides illumination of exceptional uniformity, thereby adding distinctly to the mall’s high amenity value – an impression that is shared by the airport’s operator and passengers in overwhelmingly positive feedback.