Riverside Drive | Solar Pathway Lighting

Popular waterfront pathway receives solar lighting upgrade

Client

Bayside Council

Lighting Compliance

AS/NZS 1158.3.1.2020 PP3/PP5

Traditional Custodians

Bidjigal People of the Eora Nation

Project Overview

When the sun descends upon the waters of the Western shore of the historic Botany Bay, the community of Sans Souci are blessed with the sight of picturesque sunsets. The coastal pathway along Riverside Drive is a popular walking, running, and cycling destination for residents wishing to soak up the final remnants of sunlight.

After sunset however, the run-down lighting system on the pathway failed to adequately illuminate the pathway and left residents concerned about their safety when returning home from their dusk walks. Bayside Council sought to upgrade the existing system and alleviate residents’ safety concerns.

Substandard existing lighting in need of upgrade

The previous solar lighting installation at Riverside Drive was over 15 years old with an outdated design requiring costly ongoing maintenance. In this system, the batteries were buried in the base of the poles, causing the cavities to collect water which resulted in frequent system failure. Several of the previous poles had also corroded beyond repair, impacting the structural integrity of the system. Additionally, the previous system utilized fluorescent lamps which not only delivered a poorer light output, but was also energy inefficient. Bayside Council therefore sought a lighting solution utilizing the latest solar LED technology to improve lighting output, reliability and efficiency, thus responding to the community’s request for improved lighting.

Out with the old, in with the new

Leadsun was contracted to replace the previous system with 15 new SMART solar lighting systems. Additionally, Leadsun was tasked with the challenge of lighting a 60 metre section of pathway shaded by dense tree canopy that was previously unlit due to the lack of sunlight. To enhance the safety of the pathway, the lights in this section were given a special ‘source-remote’ solar engine solution that ran a low voltage circuit to remote lights. This ‘source-remote’ solution significantly improved the safety and evening walkability of Riverside Drive.

As Riverside Drive is located by the water, the nature of the sandy wet soil made Leadsun’s special concrete-less EZYFoot an ideal choice due to its easy installation. Overall, the project was completed in 5 days with minimal disruption. By using the latest LED solar lighting technology and a site-specific source-remote solution, the solar lighting upgrade at Riverside Drive has achieved fabulous results.

Win-win solution

Thanks to Bayside Council’s wise decision to upgrade the solar lighting on Riverside Drive to Leadsun’s SMART solution, they are now equipped with innovative solar lighting LED technology. This solution not only ensures nighttime safety for the Sans Souci community but also allows Bayside Council to save the money that would’ve been spent on costly maintenance for their former lights.

Bayside Council has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the community in regard to the lighting upgrade. Leadsun’s installation has not only facilitated safe nighttime exercise for the community but has also reduced Bayside Council’s lighting maintenance expenses – a win-win solution for all involved.

Leadsun Products Used

P Category lighting compliance – AS1158.3.1.2020 PP3/PP5
Number of lights – 15
Solar module series – AE3
Solar size – 60W
LED output programming – 100% illumination 5 hours from dusk then dim 20% to Dawn
Pole footing type – EZYFoot
Pole type – Lowerable

Acknowledgement of Country

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which this project was undertaken, the Bidjigal People of the Eora Nation. We recognize their continuing connection to land, waters and culture and we pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.