Gundeli-Park car park in Basel shines in a new light

News Source: Zumtobel

As part of a renovation project, Swiss real estate company Wincasa had the Gundeli-Park car park lighting in Basel upgraded to the latest version of the TECTON continuous-row lighting system, saving almost 50 per cent of the previous power consumption.

A modern lighting concept makes car parks feel inviting and safe. The lighting should also make it easy for users to find their way around, while consuming as little power as possible. Zumtobel successfully combined these aspects on a renovation project in the Gundeli-Park car park in Basel. Sustainability was the guiding principle for this project – both in the business relationship and during installation.

For 20 years, Swiss real estate company Wincasa has relied on Zumtobel solutions to provide reliable, modern car park lighting, including in the Gundeli-Park car park in Basel, with its three floors. As part of a renovation project, the real estate company had the car park lighting upgraded to the latest version of the TECTON continuous-row lighting system. The lighting solution not only ensures cars, people and obstacles are easily recognisable and makes it easier to find your way around, but also improves the subjective feeling of safety.

Both energy efficiency and light distribution and control play an important role in the lighting of the Gundeli-Park car park. It has no natural daylight, and the roof is unpainted. Spaces with dark, unpainted roofs can feel a bit like a cave and thus oppressive. The aim was to avoid this effect with the right lighting, making the car park feel inviting and safe instead. Previously, open TECTON FL fluorescent tubes from Zumtobel fulfilled this function thanks to their 360-degree beam angle.

Sustainable retrofit thanks to plug-and-play approach

In the search for the right model from Zumtobel's portfolio, the TECTON BASIC continuous-row system luminaires were ultimately selected. Like their predecessor models, these luminaires also feature a generous beam angle. This not only allows the light to be directed over the numerous columns of the car park, but also illuminates the ceiling to help prevent the infamous "cave effect". Their sturdiness makes the light bar perfect for use in the car park. Unlike open LED luminaires, the plastic cover of the TECTON BASIC ensures impact and shatter protection, thus guaranteeing a long product life time.

The advantages of the modular, flexible TECTON track system became clear when replacing around 600 luminaires: the old continuous-row luminaires could be replaced with new LED models using the plug-and-play principle without the need for major installation work. "That minimal installation work was required is demonstrated by the fact that the electricians for each floor only needed two days instead of the week that had been estimated," remembers Philipp Büchler, advisor in the team for Northwestern Switzerland at Zumtobel. The reuse of the existing trunking was also a win for sustainability, as no waste was created by having to dispose of an old track system.

Save energy – safely!

Emergency luminaires from another manufacturer were also installed in the multifunctional lighting track system and could also be modernised easily and independently. When it comes to maintenance, the car park operator can easily replace the luminaires – neither special tools nor electrical expertise are required. The ease with which luminaires can be repositioned or the system expanded makes TECTON particularly sustainable and future-proof. The low-maintenance continuous-row lighting system provides sustainable light and a pleasant environment for car park users – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. With the new TECTON LED luminaires from Zumtobel, it was also possible to save almost 50 per cent of the previous power consumption.

"The intensive preliminary work paid off: our client is very satisfied with the result and we have already agreed on follow-up orders," sums up Philipp Büchler. The refurbished lighting is also being met with enthusiasm by drivers reviewing the car park. "The fact that users explicitly mention the lighting in their comments is rather unusual – and underpins the success of the lighting renovation in Gundeli-Park."

Inspiration GundeliPark carpark

You can find the detailed project report in our inspirations.