A school in Market Bosworth, rural Leicestershire, has been equipped with special outdoor wall lighting designed to preserve dark skies for multiple species of local bats and other nocturnal animals.
Professional lighting manufacturer Glamox is providing energy-efficient LED wall lights, specifically designed to minimise light spillage and approved by DarkSky International, a non-profit organisation that aims to restore the night-time environment and protect communities and wildlife from light pollution.
Hinckley House School is an independent day school designed for students with special educational needs. It serves children aged 5 to 11 with Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) needs, alongside a range of other associated conditions.
The school is housed in a Grade II-listed Old Rectory within a conservation area. During its renovation, careful effort was made to preserve and enhance its historic character while protecting local wildlife.
Jake Smith, Senior Electrical Engineer at Crookes Walter Consulting, the electrical design consultant on the Hinckley House School renovation project, explains, “In 2018, a bat detection study identified five distinct bat species and indicated a thriving bat community with a variety of roosting and foraging sites.
“For lighting the school perimeter, we specified lighting that was durable, energy efficient, and which would provide sufficient illumination for the safety of pupils and staff whilst minimising light spillage that could affect nocturnal species.
“Our goal was to preserve the night-time environment as best [as] we could.”
DarkSky-approved and environmentally friendly
Glamox provided the DarkSky-approved version of its O21-W wall light for lighting the perimeter of the school building.
The luminaire emits light only where it is needed – in a downward direction – minimising light spill into the night sky.
David Hunt, Managing Director of Glamox’s business in the United Kingdom & Ireland, says, “Artificial light can adversely affect wildlife and plants, interfering with their perception of day and night and disrupting their natural behaviour.
“The lighting for this project has a warm colour temperature of 3000 K and uses special optics to restrict light spillage.
“The wall light also supports a circular economy, which is the opposite of a throwaway society. It’s been designed to be disassembled, enabling parts to be replaced to extend its lifespan.
“Additionally, parts can be reused or recycled at the end of their life. Around 45% of the wall light’s housing is made from recycled aluminium.”
The wall lights are manufactured by Glamox in Basingstoke, Hampshire, and exported across Europe.
Glamox’s customer for the project is Crookes Walker Consulting, which provides sustainable mechanical, electrical, and plumbing design and professional services to property and construction industries.
Simcott Projects undertook the lighting installation.
