The city of Hamm in North Rhine-Westphalia also recognises the importance of the commitment to its population when planning its public street lighting: only high-quality products have been and will be purchased to ensure exceptionally long durability.
Avoiding extensive maintenance and repair work or even premature replacement of luminaires benefits the city’s finances. In addition, the impact of roadworks is far more manageable for residents and traffic planners. Even more sustainability value is being added to the two central squares decades after installation: energy modernisation is carried out during ongoing operation, taking into account the original luminaires. The luminaires remain, the lamps are being upgraded – ensuring many more decades of use while maximising energy savings and keeping costs within budget.
Sustainability means accountability and making a commitment to the future. At the turn of the millennium, the city of Hamm consistently followed the specification for the illumination of Willy-Brandt-Platz and Platz der Deutschen Einheit: extremely long service life for the lighting system.
BEGA pole-top luminaires were chosen for one of the city’s central areas with its lovingly restored railway station, bus station and Heinrich Kleist Forum cultural centre. With their timeless design language, they create the desired urban planning accents right from the start and look effective, both in front of the historical building structure of the railway station and in front of the modern architecture of the forum.
Efficiently reducing energy costs More than two decades later, the city of Hamm gave the company responsible for public street lighting a clear mandate: how can we efficiently reduce energy costs? The sustainable approach to facilities for these spaces ("We don’t buy disposable products!") has now paid off. These luminaires do so much more than just work perfectly at all times.
Two decades of weathering has not substantially damaged the coating of the luminaires. It was clear: a technical upgrade was all it took.
Customised LED conversion kits Continued operation with BEGA Conversion kits preserved the urban planning philosophy of the squares, significantly improved energy efficiency and optimised light distribution, thanks to the LED technology used.
In this case too, modernising the energy efficiency of existing luminaires was the ideal solution for a favourable lighting system. "We were very satisfied with the condition of the luminaires before the modernisation," said a spokesperson from the municipal Energy and Water Providers, which is responsible for public street lighting in Hamm. "When it came to the question of how we could modernise, the conversion kits were much more appealing to us than retrofitted lamps." Lighting modernisation can be checked and planned for each luminaire. Even if BEGA discontinues this luminaire with its parameters in the future, it can be modernised now or in the future.
Timeless design language The understated design emphasises the architecture and also makes BEGA luminaires a long-lasting architectural feature. Theoretically, therefore, it would be possible to replace some of the luminaires or add new ones at any time to integrate them seamlessly into the design of the lighting system. However, abandoning the tried-and-tested and reliable existing luminaires would not have been economically viable, especially as the luminaire and poles were customised to meet the requirements of the city of Hamm. As a long-standing partner, we find special solutions like these while providing reliable support and further development for the system. This aspect, which played a decisive role in the purchase of the luminaires a quarter of a century ago, continues to underpin the trust-based collaboration both today and in the future.
Responsible for public street lighting Energie- und Wasserversorgung Hamm GmbH (Municipal Energy and Water Providers)
