With ever-evolving building technology, automating aspects of the home for comfort or visual allure plays an integral role in modern commercial builds. As expert building quantity surveyors, the team at Section 94 consider all the detailed inclusions of new construction to accurately estimate the costs and budget considerations. This increasingly includes the installation of extensive, commercial lighting systems and automation for a seamless appearance.
Whether it’s to add artistic flair or to showcase elements of the build’s exterior, beautiful lighting systems provide a focal point to capture interest when the building is at its least visible. If you’re considering adding custom exterior illumination on your next commercial project, our team have outlined the benefits and considerations of automated lighting designs for an accurate construction budget.
The benefits of architectural illumination
Modern outdoor lighting goes beyond simple recessed pendants or path lights as beautifully designed lighting accentuates and directs attention to chosen aspects of the build. From projected light shows that move gracefully across exteriors, creative wall washing to interactive light installations that inspire people to physically touch the facade, commercial lighting systems are a modern method of making a build memorable.
Automated lighting displays also provides the opportunity for the structure to visually adapt to the seasons. By shifting from regularly illuminating the build with coloured accent lighting to changing the lighting body colour to a green and red scheme for the Christmas season, your lighting design can shift for added interest. And, of course, exterior lighting installation is not only an opportunity to elevate your commercial design, but it also increases accessibility and security during the night hours.
Different architectural lighting option
Lighting displays are no longer limited to just one colour, with many LED options having the technology for individually addressable LEDs that allow different colour designs to be put in place at any time. Automation and integrations are important to modern builds as new technology creates more options for adding excitement to public spaces with the ability to seamlessly control it all from your smartphone. A few lighting options for commercial installations include:
- Exterior LED Lighting: No longer limited to simple floodlights or wall mounts in different shades of white, exterior LED lighting is durable lighting that illuminates the perimeter or surface of the building in different colours, brightness, beam directions and durations all easily controlled through automation and tools.
- Individually addressable RGB strips: This causes each bulb to act as a pixel in a larger display. This lighting option requires an expert programmer to design the lighting layout before installation and program each bulb to the exact lumen and colour desired for the overall vision.
- Sensors and timers: Energy-efficient, dusk-to-dawn sensors optimise lighting to automatically turn on or off in response to sunrise or sunset.
- DALI programming: DALI can be used by any programmer to create addressable lighting designs for colour changing, scene-setting and dimming in response to set timers or sensors. It involves the application controller receiving messages from sensors and relaying designs to the LED lights. These lighting control components can also be changed in response to any layout or timing changes.
- C-BUS Automation: This automation system allows lighting to be turned on or off, dimmed or change colour without flicking switches. C-BUS systems serve as a communication device between the programming, sensors and lighting.
Additional costs of hiring lighting programmers and designers
For elaborate lighting displays across the large spaces of tall buildings, the build team will need to include the expertise of lighting solution professionals. This ensures that the diffusion and colour of the complex lighting display are designed to suit your unique build and your vision.
Each architectural project will include its own complications and difficulties. Perhaps the space is very well illuminated, and the light display is lacklustre due to direct sunlight during the day or the wall-flooding design has not accounted for the uneven texture of the cladding. These quirks can only be resolved with lighting programmers and designers and a firm grasp of the scope and vision of the project. Thankfully, the expert team at Section 94 can assess construction tenders to ensure you have the lighting team best suited for your architectural vision.
Architectural lighting is designed to entertain and add artistic value to the structure and can go further than simply highlighting entry and exit points. If you’re considering adding an exterior lighting display in your next project, complete with sensors and timers, be sure to address the desired effect and budget with your building quantity surveyors and professional lighting team.
Need help estimating your commercial build’s lighting?
Section 94 is comprised of Australia’s premium and experienced building quantity surveyors to help your project progress smoothly without the risk of inaccurate or exceeded budgets.
With over a decade of industry experience, our qualified building quantity surveyors will assist you with all your construction budget and management services such as providing contractor tender analysis and construction cost reports.
Give us a call today on 0413 953 869 or email us at info@section94.com.au to learn more about our premium budget services for commercial builds.