Lighting consultant Denis Hutchinson did research on similar projects, and, using his experience as one of South Africa's top lighting designers, specified the tender. The tender was awarded to DWR Distribution who supplied a list of brands including Philips Strand, Philips Selecon and Robe as well as lighting bars, associated items and the installation which was carried out in December 2012.
"One of the difficulties in specifying equipment for schools is that all too often the gear is used for three weeks of the year and gathers dust for the rest of the time," explained Hutchinson. "This makes it very easy to overcapitalise and the trick is to find the balance between being able to do the job and not overspending. In the last few years, the downward spiral in terms of cost and the dizzying increase in efficiency for LED fixtures has now brought them to the point that they start making a lot of sense for smaller installations.
"The installation is an integration of LED and conventional lighting. Although they are fantastic for strong colour washes, the CRI on LEDs still leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to flesh tones. It's therefore still necessary to include some tungsten in the rig if only in the fronts" said Hutchinson.
Hutchinson adds, "Unusually for a lighting installation, this contract also included having the rig focussed. I've seen too many school installations where the lights are so badly focussed that they might as well not be working; we can't prevent the school from moving units, but as least let it start out right. A big thank you to the DWR staff who endured a focus session with me."
(Jim Evans)
