Designed to Win
This winner illustrates how selection and placement of lamps can significantly reduce light pollution and energy consumption, and still create effects that merit an award

The 2008 GE Edison Awardwent to lighting of the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium in California, USA, by James R Benya of Benya Lighting Design, Michael Neils and Juan José Villatoro of M Neils Engineering Inc and James E Christensen of the City of Sacramento.

This historic building that opened in 1927 is listed on the National Historic Register and has been the home of concerts, inaugurals, and other civic events. The objective of the lighting design team was to develop a lighting design that would be significantly better than the original, while taking into account night-time skies, light pollution and energy efficiency.

The team limited their light sources to two types: ceramic metal halides and linear fluorescents. The building’s six columns with ornate capitals and two end pilasters were each up-lighted with one 150W T6 3000K in-grade luminaire, which was located precisely in the second step so that the column, capital, frieze and cornice are illuminated. This positioning has reduced power use by half.

Luminaire locations were limited by preservation requirements. The team chose not to flood the façade, so they created a dramatic lantern effect on top of each pilaster. For interior lighting of the skylight windows, fluorescent 32W T8 3000K lamps were used. In ceiling coves behind the arches, 70W down light wall washers illuminate the wall and doors.

The massive brick building’s largest façades are the east and west, each comprising of a series of pilasters with roof lines sloping back. The team installed a continuous fluorescent 54W wall wash luminaire between the pilasters to connect the composition around the building base. The pilasters have been up-lighted with asymmetric luminaires, with 70W lamps for the middle level and 39W lamps for the top and bottom levels. The east and west façades are only partially illuminated, leaving extensive areas in artfully chosen shadows.

There are Romeo and Juliet balconies at each of the four main fire exits. Two 70W floodlights and a single 54W 3000K up washer in each balcony highlight the balcony and brick wall. The lighting reveals an artful brick pattern that is not evident by daylight.

The lighting design also includes site poles that provide all plaza, street and walkway lighting for the building’s block, and luminaires are fully shielded and employ 150W lamps. The lighting complies with the requirements for LEED Credit SS8 for lighting pollution reduction.

This year’s winning entry for the 26th annual lighting design competition was awarded at a May ceremony in New York City by GE Consumer & Industrial. The project also earned an Award for Excellence in Environmental Design.

The competition is open to lighting professionals who creatively employ GE lamps or LEDs in a lighting design project completed during the previous calendar year.