Auroralia Award 2011: BLISS lead partner St. Helens wins third prize

For the third successive year, the Auroralia Award - organised jointly by LUCI and Schréder - rewards the best sustainable urban lighting initiatives. Following lively discussions, the panel of independent judges composed of representatives from specialised press chose to give an award to Arraiolos (Portugal), Nivelles (Belgium) and St. Helens (UK), as well as a special mention for Remchingen (Germany). The representatives of these four municipalities received their Auroralia Award on 8th December in Lyon at the official ceremony organised in the prestigious setting of the Lyon Light Festival.

For this 2011 award, 19 projects from 18 towns or municipalities worldwide were submitted: Angus, Scotland; Arraiolos, Portugal; Bogota, Colombia; Castegnato, Italy; Krakow, Poland; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Hodmezovasarhely, Hungary; London, UK; Lviv, Ukraine; Mauthausen, Austria; Nivelles, Belgium; North Alentejo, Portugal; Osaka, Japan; Indore, India; Puebla, Mexico; Remchingen, Germany; St. Helens, UK and Valladolid, Spain.

Each of these cities submitted one or more projects to defend external lighting projects that incorporate an environmental dimension in an educational manner. Recruited from the editorial offices of the specialised press, the members of the panel conducted an in-depth analysis before deciding on the three best projects. 

The criteria took into account the efforts to minimise the project's environmental impact - quantified in particular by a reduction in CO2 emissions - but also of its exemplary character, its integration within a larger plan, its socio-economic relevance, its educational dimension and its originality. After a first round of voting, at the end of which Dubrovnik, Hodmezovasarhely, Valladolid, Osaka and Lviv were also among the finalists, the panel chose to give the Awards to Arraiolos, Nivelles and St. Helens. A special mention was given to Remchingen. 

St. Helens

St. Helens is a town of 175,000 inhabitants in the densely urbanised county of Merseyside. Its college was completely renovated to modernise its infrastructures and increase its capacity to 15,000 students. At the same time as new buildings were being constructed, the town launched a project to renovate the lighting installations around the campus. Situated in the heart of the town, precisely where there is most commercial activity, the campus is home not only to educational facilities but also a sports hall, restaurants and public spaces. Replacing the old sodium lamps, a new LED lighting system was installed on the college site and in the four main streets surrounding it.

The aim was to increase the level and quality of lighting while significantly reducing energy consumption. The new installation generates energy savings of 21% and fulfils several functions: light the space comfortably and efficiently, reduce crime, ensure traffic safety and stimulate economic activity. In rewarding St. Helens, the judges wanted to acknowledge the positive impact of this project on the social, economic and environmental aspects of urban and student life.

Additional Photographs

More pictures can be found here on the Bliss website