Lighting Upgrade for the Underground Car Park at the Australian War Memorial

I. Project Overview

We worked with the project contractor for the Australian War Memorial, who are responsible for the Memorial’s lighting, maintenance and electrical safety. They asked us to provide a custom lighting solution for the underground car park.

As one of Australia’s most important cultural institutions the Australian War Memorial needed a high end lighting solution for the underground car park. The existing lighting had been in place for many years and maintenance costs and electricity bills were increasing. They needed a plug and play lighting solution and the project contractor (who are responsible for lighting, maintenance and electrical safety) worked with us to design a custom solution.

Core Objectives:

• Reduce maintenance requirements;
• Lower energy and operational costs;
• Enhance visitor lighting experience and safety.

About the project

Project name

Lighting Upgrade for the Underground Car Park at the Australian War Memorial

Application Scenario

Underground Parking Garage Lighting

Location

Treloar Crescent, Campbell ACT 2612, Australia

Completion Date

May 2016

Project Challenges

1. 24/7 Operation – The car park needs to be lit 24/7. Traditional fluorescent and metal halide lamps were using too much energy, way over budget.

2. Visitor Experience and Safety – As a national site that gets millions of visitors a year, poorly lit, flickering or unevenly lit areas are a safety hazard and compromise visitor experience.

3. Sustainability – As a federal cultural institution, the Australian War Memorial is committed to energy efficient and environmentally friendly practices, so the move to LED lighting was a no brainer.

II. Solution and Implementation

Solution Summary

We provided a customised, plug-and-play LED lighting solution for the Australian War Memorial underground car park to reduce maintenance and operating costs while improving visual comfort and safety. The design focuses on robustness, ease of service and continuous operation by combining vapor-tight fixtures, sensor based dimming and emergency backup. Factory pre-configuration and linkable wiring minimised on-site labour and commissioning time.

Products Used:

P-Series Vapor-Tight Batten — 2FT / 18W

• Application: infill lighting at stair entries, pedestrian doorways and narrow tunnel sections.
• Protection & materials: IP65 / IK08; high-transmittance milky PC diffuser (≈86%); choice of stainless-steel or PC clip.
• Electrical & installation: large terminal block (5.0 mm hole size) for rapid wiring; clip-fixed driver for tool-free replacement; surface-mounted, suspended or linkable installation.
• Versions: Standard; Sensor Dimming (5.8G HF, 100% → 20% → OFF); Emergency (>3 hours @ 3.6W with 3000mAh LiFePO4 battery).
• Compliance & warranty: CE, RoHS, SAA, C-Tick (RCM); 5-year product warranty (battery: 1 year).

P-Series Vapor-Tight Batten— 4FT / 36W and 5FT / 44W

• Application: continuous aisle and vehicle lane lighting; linkable runs to provide consistent, even illumination along travel paths.
• Shared attributes: IP65 / IK08, 86% PC diffuser, 5.0 mm terminal, clip-fixed driver, surface/suspended/linkable installation, sensor and emergency options, CE/RoHS/SAA/RCM approvals, 5-year warranty.

Key Implementation Steps:

1. Site Survey & Final Design — Verify ceiling heights, lane geometry, electrical feed points and control locations; produce final layout and control zoning.
2. Pilot Installation — Install representative fixtures in lane and pedestrian zones to test illuminance, uniformity, sensor and emergency operation.
3. Factory Pre-Configuration & Bulk Delivery — Pre-fit terminal blocks, pre-set sensor/emergency options and deliver ready-to-install luminaires to reduce site work.
4. Fast Installation & Linkable Wiring — Use large terminal blocks and linkable connectors for continuous runs; install fixtures surface/suspended as specified to meet mounting height and spacing targets.
5. Commissioning & Acceptance Testing — Measure average lux, uniformity and energy consumption; test sensor dimming profiles and emergency duration (>3 hours @ 3.6W); produce acceptance report.
6. Handover & O\&M Support — Provide operation manuals, spare-parts list and technical handover to the client’s maintenance team; set warranty and after-sales contact for rapid response.

III. Project Outcomes and Feedback

Project Results

• Energy Savings: 42% reduction in power consumption, $13,500 annual savings.
• Lighting Performance: 35% increase in brightness, uniform lighting across the facility.
• Maintenance: 54,000 hour fixture life, 75% reduction in service frequency.

Client Testimonial

“Since upgrading and installing COMLED’s LED lighting fixtures, we have noticed a significant improvement. The new system is not only brighter and more uniform but has also greatly enhanced the lighting quality and safety of the underground car park. Our energy bills have been substantially reduced, and the minimized maintenance work saves us both time and money (thanks to its self-testing and waterproof design). We are highly satisfied with the results and will continue to choose COMLED’s products for future projects.”

——Michael Thompson, Facilities Manager