Insect-friendly lighting along the riverside promenade
Project
Fürth's riverside promenade
illuminated with ›Biological Red‹
Fürth, Germany
In order to protect insects, the municipal energy supplier, Infra in Fürth, is employing a novel lighting approach. As part of a pilot initiative, a segment of the waterfront promenade in the Bavarian city is illuminated in red light. Named 'Biological Red,' this Circular Lighti Profile, developed by Selux, aims to balance both human and environmental needs in an eco-friendly manner.
Since September 2023, those strolling between Badsteg and the Badstraße cultural venue in Fürth after nightfall will observe the banks of the Rednitz aglow in red. The 250-metre stretch is illuminated by eight Tal luminaires.
Not only are the luminaires equipped with the ›Biological Red‹ light profile, but are combined with an adaptive function: between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., the light output drops to 10 percent and the luminaires only go up again when there is motion detected.
The new lighting has the advantage that it has less impact on insects and other nocturnal animals such as bats and owls. According to scientific studies, many species do not have receptors for light in the long-wave, i.e. red, range. This means that the animals are not attracted to a red light source, but there is still enough light for the human eye, including from a safety perspective.
Background
Tal in combination with the ›Biological Red‹
Circular Light Profile guarantees security with special protection for nature and insects.
In addition to the dimming profile, the Tal luminaires feature an esave control function, known as 'tracking light,' which adjusts the light intensity when cyclists or pedestrians pass a luminaire. Esave received the 'DALI Lighting Award 2023' in the Outdoor category for its lighting control system on the riverside promenade in Fürth. The lighting along the riverside promenade ensures safety, considers insects, and conserves energy. The 'Biological Red' light profile programmed into each luminaire alters the light colour between the red spectrum and a warm white hue based on insect activity: from March to October, each luminaire illuminates the riverside promenade in Fürth in red, switching to 2700 Kelvin from November to February.
The pilot project in Fürth has garnered positive feedback from the local residents and is initially limited to one year. The red light is well-suited for natural urban environments, such as city parks or riverside promenades. With the aid of circular light profiles, providing insect-friendly lighting is straightforward, as each luminaire is pre-programmed with the corresponding light profile and location prior to delivery. Installation and operation can be carried out later without requiring complex planning. All that is necessary is the precise location of the project.
object Waterfront promenade Fürth
client infra fürth gmbh
lighting design Selux GmbH, Dwayne Waggoner
photographer Frank Pfeiffer
product Tal
features Circular Light Profil – Biological Red (modified)
