Acrospire collaborates with Cardiff Highways to install energy-efficient heritage street lighting that protects local ecological bat populations.
Specialist lighting manufacturer Acrospire has completed a modern heritage lighting upgrade at Britannia Quay in Cardiff Bay, working alongside the local Highways team. The project required replacing ageing infrastructure subject to harsh coastal weather while navigating sensitive environmental factors, notably an undetected local bat population.
The upgraded installation balances high-performance illumination and historic architectural character with ecological mitigation, ensuring light spill is carefully controlled to prevent disturbing local wildlife habitats.
Coastal installations present severe challenges for exterior electrical equipment, requiring high IP ratings and corrosion resistance to withstand salt-laden air. Concurrently, environmental regulations governing protected species increasingly dictate outdoor lighting designs across UK infrastructure and municipal projects.
What does this mean for a UK tradesperson or DIYer actually buying this kit — does it change what they should pay, buy, or watch out for?
For commercial electricians and external lighting installers, this project highlights key factors when quoting and specifying exterior fittings. Standard domestic floodlights or entry-level commercial units sourced from B&Q or general wholesalers will quickly fail in coastal or exposed environments lacking appropriate marine-grade coatings or high ingress protection. Furthermore, sparkies undertaking external work near trees, watercourses, or historic structures must account for dark-sky and wildlife-friendly lighting specifications in their pricing, ensuring fixtures feature warm colour temperatures (below 3000K) and directional shielding to satisfy local planning controls.
Reported by Electrical Times — original article
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