Aigueblanche modernization project
In the town of Grand-Aigueblanche in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, André Pointet, the Mayor of this municipality created in 2019, was seeking to modernize its public lighting. As a result, the new municipality, which was formed by the merger of Aigueblanche, Le Bois and Saint-Oyen, replaced approximately 35% of its lighting stock in a move towards more sustainable solutions, while ensuring the safety and security of users.
The retrofit enabled the town to make significant energy savings and to install the “right” lighting, with the maximum possible reuse of old light fixtures. In addition to reducing energy costs, this approach also takes account of the environmental issues surrounding public lighting and the environmental responsibility of municipalities.
As a less expensive and more environmentally friendly option, retrofitting stood out as the perfect solution. This arrangement enables a lighting system to be modernized using the best performing LEDs without needing to replace the entire system.
With a lifespan that is 12 to 15 times greater than that of standard bulbs, LEDs are the only light source rendering renovation operations eligible for an Energy Saving Certificate (CEE). The renovation was also eligible for grants from the Syndicat Départemental d’Énergie de la Savoie (SDES) (Savoy Departmental Energy Fund).
By switching from a traditional light source to an LED source, the municipality was able to achieve energy savings of between 65% and 74% depending on the sector.
The project, which began in 2019, covers 900 lighting units, of which 300 have been modernized to date.
The Ragni light fixtures included in the renovation are:
- The Rognac urban lighting fixture, upgraded from a high-pressure sodium light source (HPS) to 32 LEDs
- Complete replacement of the light section with the traditional Vence lighting fixture with an 8, 16 or 32 LED source depending on its location, as well as the Deiko-S road lighting fixture with a 32 LED source.
- All with the lighting dimmed by 50% between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.
A dedicated lighting fixture for the municipality of Aigueblanche has been specially designed for this project. It is called the “Aquablanca”, the municipality’s former name, which means “white water”.
André Pointet, the Mayor of Grand-Aigueblanche, gives his recommendations for municipalities that are still hesitant:
“Come and see what we have done and look at the results. It has to be done! Today, there is financial support for modernizing local lighting, so don’t hesitate. In terms of financial savings, when you look at energy costs, if we hadn’t done this, we would have had skyrocketing bills. So quality and savings, it is our duty as elected officials to move in this direction, in order to spend public funds in the best possible way.”
The modernization of lighting has yielded a number of significant savings:
For Le Bois
Saving: > 65%>
Consumption – old light fixtures: 50,905.6 kWh for 4100 hours
Consumption – new light fixtures: 17,867.56 kWh for 4100 hours
Energy saving in kWh: 33,038.04 kWh
For Saint-Oyen
Saving: > 74%>
Consumption – old light fixtures: 20,524.6 kWh for 4100 hours
Consumption – new light fixtures: 5,354.5 kWh for 4100 hours
Energy saving in kWh: 15,710.1 kWh
“I would like to thank André Pointet and Thierry Brunier for their commitment to this project as nothing could be done without the municipality’s commitment. This collaboration enabled us to work well as a team with Ragni’s various departments, the municipality and the installer.” says Arnaud Jarocki from Arel.
We were delighted to welcome André Pointet, the Mayor of Grand-Aigueblanche, Thierry Brunier, the Mayor of Saint-Oyen, Patrick Carle, representing Serpollet, as well as Arnaud Jarocki from Arel, for a brief interview about this incredible project – link to the interview below.
Al Maryah Island or the smart example
Ragni-admin
CITY
Abu Dhabi
Completion date
2021
Landscape consultant
Ziad Milli, Cracknell
Al Maryah Island, formerly Sowwah Island, is a new and rapidly growing natural island in the north east of Abu Dhabi. Smart and ultra-modern, the island wanted to integrate “smart” technologies into its lighting systems. It therefore turned to the Korner multifunctional bollard, a solution that perfectly meets the requirements of a connected city.
Lumen At Work, a distributor of Ragni products and LED lighting specialist based in the Middle East, worked with Cracknell, a prestigious landscape architecture firm, to create the perfect solution for this project. Cracknell was looking for a streamlined linear design with a personalised identity reminiscent of the surrounding buildings.
In total, 14 Korner bollards were placed in the Global Market Square. Various features were installed:
- Wifi and USB ports.
- Loudspeakers dedicated to the communication of public speeches and events organised in the central square.
- A decorative backlit module has been added to complete the look. It incorporates customised cut-outs of the island’s logo.
The Korner bollard provides both functional and architectural lighting. Fixing splints mean that smart modules – for promotion, management, security, connectivity and services – can be positioned as required.
“For the project presentation, and at the consultant’s request, we carried out lighting studies as well as acoustic studies, for which we had to undergo training with a specialised software. We also assisted the installer with the IT aspects and the configuration of the Wi-Fi network. Therefore, it was a truly comprehensive project that required all our skills.”Thierry Burot, Lumen At Work Chief Technical Officer
Light pollution at the heart of the project
The New Saint-Denis River bridge saw the installation of 106 luminaires. 43 of these are Griff XL luminaires on EXIS consoles, all with a colour temperature of 2700K, and 63 are Slide L luminaires (10 with 2700K and 53 with 3000K) with elm veneer. Slide luminaires were installed for the urban part of the project.
The 2700K is a warmer color temperature which reduces the impact of the amount of blue light in artificial light spectra and, as a result, reduces light pollution.
The Griff XLs were placed on the 110-metre-long New River bridge, which is a flight corridor (listed by the SEOR, Ornithological Research Society) for Barau’s petrels, a species of bird which is endemic to Réunion and known for being particularly sensitive to cold temperatures.
Light pollution is a serious problem for these birds, which can be attracted and deceived by the artificial lights when they are leaving their nests to head to the ocean for the first time. When they slam into luminaires, this can sometimes prove fatal or leave them seriously injured, but most of the time they simply crash to the ground.
The intensity of stadium lights is probably what causes a large proportion of these accidents. The species, therefore, needs to be protected. Anything that can be done by way of land use planning and awareness raising among local people and elected officials to reduce this risk of disorientation due to outdoor lighting is strongly encouraged. Several towns have joined SEOR in signing charters and agreements to reduce external light pollution and help rescue injured birds. Warm light, as provided by Griff XL luminaires, can help to protect local biodiversity and reduce the environmental impact of lighting.
The Association Nationale pour la Protection du Ciel et de l’Environnement Nocturnes (ANPCEN – National Association for the Protection of the Night Sky and Environment) cites studies which have shown the harmful effects of public lighting on the balance of flora and fauna. Many species have been forced to modify their behaviour due to inappropriate lighting. So it’s important to find a balance for better and mindful lighting.
The Griff XL luminaire is designed for street lighting. In the form of an elongated trapezoid, it has cooling fins on the underside for thermal management. . It can take 8 – 80 LED in a wide range of color temperatures and photometrics, which means that it can fully satisfy the project’s lighting requirements and comply with light pollution regulations.
The Slide L luminaire is designed for urban and ambient lighting. It is 100% aluminium, artistically designed, and is available in 5 versions (1, 2 or 4 lamps). Designed to be positioned parallel to the roadway, Slide offers an elegant alternative to luminaires that hang over the area to be lit.
The luminaires also have a NEMA socket with a connecting node for remote management.
Interview Lumen At Work
Interview Lumen At Work
Introduce yourself and LAW!
F.J.: “I created Lumen At Work after acquiring 10 years of experience in LED lighting through various functions and companies.”
T.B.: “Based in the UAE for 20 years, I am a specialist in LED and the DIALux software. I started working with François in 2019.”
What are the specificities of your market in terms of public lighting?
T.B. and F.J.: “The Middle East market is extremely competitive, with a large number of players in the field of urban lighting. Some countries, like Oman, have recently started investing in the renewal of their aging public lighting system.”
Where is your market in environmental awareness?
T.B. and F.J. The UAE has become increasingly aware of environmental challenges in recent years. The UAE wants to position itself as a regional pioneer in terms of sustainable development, is investing in renewable energy and is turning to less energy-intensive and more environmentally friendly lighting solutions.”
Is solar lighting very present there? If not what?
T.B. and F.J. Solar lighting is present of course, but sometimes the low quality of installed products, often locally manufactured with old battery technology, makes the customer experience unconvincing. We have a lot of educating to do with customers to make them understand that autonomous and sustainable lighting requires the use of the latest LED, battery and control technologies.”
What is the Ragni project you are most proud of?
T.B. and F.J.: “We are very proud of the Al Maryah Island project in Abu Dhabi, which showcases RAGNI’s Smart solutions with the use of the Korner multifunctional bollard.”
Les Rencontres de l'Éclairage Raisonné
On July 6, 2022, the first edition of the Mindful Lighting Meetings #RDER took place, an intense day of listening and sharing. It was a gathering of stakeholders in the public lighting sector, focusing on the social and environmental challenges facing the industry.
We’re proud to have organized the first CSR event of this scale at Ragni, bringing together some 50 passionate, committed and creative players open to the many disciplines that make up the industry.
From 9:15 to 10:30 a.m., the first conference took place: “Regards croisés sur l’éclairage d’aujourd’hui et de demain: aspects sociologiques, philosophiques, politiques, techniques de la lumière et de l’éclairage”. Hosted by Laurence Vanin, Romain Sordello, Virginie Nicolas, Saïg Potard and Sebastien Vauclair.
Followed by a second conference from 11:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. – Ecodesign in public lighting: understanding current life cycles and identifying levers to integrate France’s objectives, led by Julie Revillon and Marie Wouts.
In the afternoon workshops, we experimented with collective intelligence and brought a wide variety of views and ideas, thanks to the hosts Nicolas Houel, Maxime Van Der Ham, Alexandre Gellé, Alexandre Leikine, Marianne Malez, Baptiste Troin, Aymeric Courbis, Thomas Dey Gautier Masseau, Gabin Parisot and Julien Rapin.
Before finishing the day with a drink at the afterworkshop, some participants had the opportunity to speak during CSR pitches, a short format dedicated to express and listen to the needs of stakeholders.
The meetings of mindful lighting allowed the actors to meet, exchange and work on various themes, each one as fascinating as the other.
Throughout the day and through the different workshops, we were able to collect the participants’ feelings thanks to the collective intelligence wall, a space dedicated to future solutions.
Archy O, the majestic luminaire
Designed by the F.A. Porsche studio, Archy imposes with the delicacy of its curves and seduces with its poise. Deliberately majestic, Archy offers full compatibility with all Zhaga standards and can accommodate various intelligent options as well as a dynamic display, placing itself in effigy of smart lighting.
Standing 6 meters high, with a ring circumference of 2.3 meters and weighing 400kg, the Archy luminaire has been placed in the centre of a roundabout in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.
We interviewed Michaël Charrière, sector referent at SIGERLy, the Lyon region’s energy management association, to find out more about this unique project.
Ragni: What were the criterias for the project in terms of functionality and design?
Michaël Charrière “The overall objective was to remove the most energy-consuming lighting fixtures in the community, creating a differentiating visual line, in order to distinguish the commune from its neighbors in terms of urban lighting fixture. In 2017, the construction of the A89 motorway with the creation of the «La-Tour-de-Salvagny» entrance/exit, and the requalification of the roadway by the Metropolis of Lyon, sounded the kick-off for this new line. It was translated into sets of the RAGNI range composed of the ATINIA SLIM luminaire on a curved IRO mast at a height of 6 meters in front of each other, thus creating a luminous arch effect that guides us towards the center of the town.”
Ragni: Why did you choose the Archy O luminaire?
Michaël Charrière: “I had fallen in love with an image presented at the Light & Building show in Frankfurt, which I took back and deleted some options such as the TV screen (which was on the sides in the initial design). I presented it to the municipality, which also loved the unique design of this luminaire and agreed to install it. This is a project that required a lot of patience, as there were 4 years between the imagery and the actual installation of the mast. A delay related to many events such as the change in lighting regulations in late 2018, and of course the health crisis. But the wait was worth it and the result is magnificent!”
Archy O was a project as atypical as it was titanic.
Originally, a company won the contract in Dubai and contacted the Porsche studio for the design. The studio proposed Ragni to conceive and realize the project. Time flies and three years and five designers later, Archy O is born!
Soliciting no less than seven (European) suppliers just for the Archy O halo, it already weighs 400 kg. It is composed of 32 PCBs with a total of 128 LEDs
Our ovens could not accommodate the gigantic ring-shaped light with a circumference of 2.3 meters rising to 6 meters high, so the painting was done by a subcontractor.
Archy O is deliberately majestic.
Learn more about Archy O.
What is eco-design in concrete terms?
What is eco-design in concrete terms?
What is the Ragni Group doing to meet environmental challenges?
Maëlle Verron, Standards Manager, and Jeremy Martin, Mechanical Research and Development Manager, explain the concept of eco-design in an interview.
The Relance Export Tour (RET)
Ragni-admin
In December 2021, we hosted the Relance Export Tour with the presence of the Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Attractiveness Franck Riester and the stakeholders of Team France Export.
The measures of the stimulus plan for exporters in the South region, supported by the State and the South Region, aim to encourage companies to maintain and intensify their export efforts after the Covid crisis.
Several topics were discussed, from the hiring of a V.I.E. (Volunteer for International Experience) to the history of Ragni’s export business, including two other entrepreneurs who have contracted the support of Business France: Margaux Keller and Laboratoires INELDEA.
