London Aquatics Centre at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park has undergone a £685,000 lighting upgrade, bringing new energy-efficient LED technology to the iconic Olympic venue and cutting energy consumption by up to 60 per cent.
The investment gives London Aquatics Centre greater flexibility in how it is used, supporting everything from international, national and regional swimming competitions to television and commercial filming, photography and other events and productions.
The new system also creates opportunities to transform the atmosphere within the venue, with colour-changing lights, eight pre-set light shows and the ability to synchronise lighting effects with music. Individual lights can be controlled separately, allowing the pool to be blacked out, different areas to be illuminated and lighting effects to be changed to suit different uses.
The upgrade will help London Aquatics Centre operate more sustainably, with the new LED system using up to 60 per cent less energy when operating at full output compared with the previous lighting system.
The new lighting has also been designed to meet the requirements of elite televised sport, ensuring London Aquatics Centre continues to provide the high-quality lighting needed for major competitions while giving the venue greater flexibility beyond sporting events.
Everyone Active has invested £685,000 in the lighting upgrade, working in partnership with global lighting specialist Signify and electrical contractor DC Electrical Supply.
With the new lights suspended up to 40 metres above the pool, engineers used specialist digital technology to precisely position and aim each one.
Designed by Zaha Hadid and opened for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, London Aquatics Centre is now a multi-purpose venue at the heart of the local community.
Alongside its role as a leisure centre, offering swimming, diving, fitness and other activities for local residents, it hosts elite athletes, major competitions, filming, photography and a wide range of events throughout the year. Everyone Active manages London Aquatics Centre on behalf of London Legacy Development Corporation.
The latest investment will help ensure the iconic London 2012 venue can continue to play a major role in London's sporting, leisure and events landscape for years to come.
Mark Basker, Regional Contract Manager at Everyone Active, said: “This is a significant investment in the future of London Aquatics Centre. As well as making the venue more energy efficient, the new lighting gives us greater flexibility to make the most of this unique space, whether we’re welcoming elite athletes, local customers, major events or filming productions. It’s exciting to see a London 2012 venue continue to evolve and remain such an important part of the sporting and leisure landscape.”
Mark Camley, Executive Director for Estate & Neighbourhoods at LLDC, said: “The new energy efficient lighting upgrade is a welcome addition to London Aquatics Centre as we embark on the next phase of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, focussing on shaping sustainable communities while supporting the Mayor’s ambitions for a greener, cleaner and healthier capital. London Aquatics Centre is a much-loved venue, and Everyone Active’s investment builds on its legacy as an exemplar for televised sport where major swimming events are hosted regularly. It also benefits those who use the space, from local members of the community to world class athletes.”
Simon Wilkinson, Commercial Leader, Public UK, Signify, said: “London Aquatics Centre first took its place on the world stage under Signify lighting in 2012. More than a decade later, we are proud to have been chosen once again to help future-proof this iconic venue with a new generation of lighting performance, flexibility and energy efficiency that will support athletes, spectators and broadcasters for years to come.”