Big Increase in LED Projector Output

NEW - CRE070

A new fibre optic projector has been announced  with an even higher performance. Known as the CRE070, this new fibre optic projector looks identical to the original CRE040, but uses the latest LED technology driven at 2A to give a much higher output. Producing a nominal 4320lm (from a 1 metre long 400 fibre randomised fibre loom when using the 4000K neutral white LED) this projectors output is significantly higher than that of our 100W CRE096 and CRE0100 Tungsten Halogen projectors. So now this new 70W product can be considered for projects where HQI projectors would have previously been an automatic choice. 
Link here for more information on the new CRE070

Higher output for the CRE040 too

The latest specification CRE040 has a new Bridgelux LED array at it's heart, which when driven at the standard 1A now delivers more than 12% more light than the original version, with a lower 36W power consumption.
This increase in both output and efficacy is partly due to the improvement in the Bridgelux array itself and also to the LEDs smaller physical size which allows more of the available light to enter the fibre bundle at the focus.
A total of 2640 lumens are now delivered (when tested as the CRE070 above) clearly beating the output for  the original 100W Tungsten Halogen lamped projectors even at 3000K.

New - LED Tubes

Crescent is setting the standard for quality and price performance following our entry into the commercial LED market with an industry leading range of LED tube lights for fluorescent retrofit applications. The Energy Focus range includes the first LED tubes to deliver efficacies of 130 lm/W (lumens per watt) and is the only commercially available brand with a military design pedigree which stems from specification and approval by the US Navy for use in demanding environments. Compared to fluorescent tubes in typical retrofit applications, users will benefit from superior rated lifetimes of 50,000 hours, major energy savings and paybacks in as little as two years.

 T8 and T12 fluorescent tubes are quickly and affordably replaced with the new Energy Focus LED tubes through the re-use of existing ceiling fixtures and, in some cases, ballasts. This makes them ideally suited for use in a broad spectrum of commercial lighting, re-lamping and energy performance applications including warehouses, factories, cold rooms, education, healthcare, office and municipal facilities, car parks, stations and depots.

“Now in our 25th year of supplying innovative lighting solutions, we are very excited about entering the commercial LED sector with our ground-breaking Energy Focus range of competitively priced military pedigree LED fluorescent retrofit tubes,” said Michael Morrison, Managing Director. “Energy Focus LED tubes offer users and the energy services contractor market affordable access to highly robust and energy efficient retrofit solutions which provide industry leading light quality and significant savings on maintenance and energy costs.”

Backed by a five year warranty, Crescent’s Energy Focus range currently includes 600, 1200 and 1500mm LED tube products offering a choice of colours in warm, neutral or cool white with clear or frosted lens. Further features include rotating and locking end caps for ease of installation; compatibility with third party controls such as proximity sensors. 
For more details of the range click here

Crescent Energy Focus retrofit LED tubes are available now through electrical wholesalers, contractors and energy services specialists.

Crescent Light Sacred Textiles at Waddesdon

Crescent has lit objects in Sacred Stitches: Ecclesiastical Textiles in the Rothschild Collection at Waddesdon Manor, near Aylesbury in Buckinhamshire.
Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild (1839-1898) and his sister Alice (1847 -1922), acquired textiles, whose former uses include altar frontals and part of vestments, as furnishings for the Bachelors' Wing at Waddesdon and for Alice's Pavilion on the neighboring Eythrope estate. The textiles were mounted as banners hangings and chair coverings, their exoticism and rich colours helping to create the sense of opulence and luxury which was so characteristic of the Rothschild interiors.
The Sacred Stitches exhibition examines techniques, original uses and the transformation of the textiles once they entered Rothschild collections.
The cabinet mounted objects were lit from above and below using the 'Lightbar' linear fibre optic system powered by CRE096 100W TH projectors.

NT Water Tower changes colour for Christmas!

The National Trust owned Trelissick Gardens in Cornwall sits on its own peninsula in an unspoiled stretch of the river Fal. Pictureque planting is heightened by the folding contours and the informal woodland setting.There is a mini lighting festival in December every year as part of their seasonal activities, where parts of the gardens remain open after dark and are lit to show off the specimen tress and shrubs.

This year, in addition to llamas and donkeys, a 8 metre Christmas tree and Father Christmas himself, the area lit has been extended again, and the iconic Water Tower now boasts a colour change scheme with LED flood lights from Crescent.
Working closely with the garden team at Trelissick, Crescent LED floodlights CLF7501 and CLF7502 were chosen, with the larger CLF7501 unit mounted close to the Tower base and fitted with wide beam lenses. The CLF7502s were fitted with narrow lenses and mounted in elevated positions to pick out the roof and upper windows. The Tower is not evenly lit all around, but the two primary viewing angles - from the road along side and from within the property itself - are favoured with the most coverage.
The Water Tower has been converted into a holiday home and is let for much of the year - apart of course from this festive season when it is open to visitors who can climb inside and wonder at the strange acoustic quality.

Oxburgh Hall, Norfolk

Despite its dramatic architecture and being built during the Wars of the Roses, Oxburgh was never intended to be a castle but a family home. It was completed in 1482 for Sir Edmund Bedingfeld, and the family have lived at Oxburgh ever since. It was given to the national Trust in 1952.
It has long had a connection with royalty, in 1487 Edward VII and his queen, Elizabeth of York stayed for 3 nights in the (now named) King and Queens rooms. Mary queen of Scots was held in captivity at Oxburgh and she worked on pieces of embroidery together with Elizabeth (Bess) Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury that were later sewn together to become the Marian hanging. This was subsequently used as a bed hanging in the Kings room from 1761.

Working with the National Trust, Crescent supplied lengths of the CLO linearsystem fitted with warm white LEDs to light the Marian and Shrewsbury hangings in their display area - see above. The system is dimmed to 60% and controlled by a motion sensor to help limit the overall light exposure to well within the 150,000 lux per year level recommended.

The Queens Room (left) was also relit, replacing the old par 38 tungsten halogen units with Crescent CLF7700 LED track mounted spotlights. The units are positioned to illuminate the large wall hanging at the end of the room and also to provide usable light for the whole area. The very slightly cooler colour temperature of the 3000K spotlights compared with the old tungsten solution has meant that the area appears much brighter, the colours more vibrant and the staff at the Hall are very pleased with the result. This area is also limited to 150,000 lux per year and this is monitored carefully with a sensor in the room.

Wilkinson Royal Academy Sculpture

Each year as part of their Summer Season the Royal Academy installs a sculpture in the Annenberg Courtyard. In recent years there have been installations from the likes of Damien Hirst and Barry Flanagan amongst others. For 2012, Chris Wilkinson RA has designed a large and engaging structure for the space titled 'From Landscape to Portrait'. The piece comprises a series of eleven wooden frames which twist through ninety degrees, and incorporating a base which has  seating for visitors.
Crescent Lighting supplied a number of CLF2210 LED paver fittings which were installed in the corner of the frames to accentuate the sense of movement when viewed at night.
Crescent worked closely with Dominic Wilkinson from Wilkinson Design Studio on the project, he commented " The installation was very challenging from a technical and programme perspective. By quickly understanding the inherent restrictions of the project, Crescent were able to offer expert advice and practical options within the tight timescales" He also felt that the fittings "..exceeded expectations, providing a discreet and elegant lighting solution that enhances the piece.."

Crescent Colour at Luminale 2012

We worked with Leolightdesign on the 'Doodle' lighting art piece in 2010 and included it in our Arc exhibition stand in 2011.For Luminale 2012, we sponsored another Leolightdesign project, Lightwell, supplying our CLVS linear LED system in RGB mode with DMX driver. Other collaborators for the project included Nuala Morris Lighting Consultant, Lancaster University Engineering Department, Ray Dolby of Control Lighting, Haydn Insley from FabLab, and Jens Gessner of Mobile Filmwerkstatt.

Leolightdesign artist Sandra Dekker who conceived Lightwell 

speaks about her concept for the piece:

"Visitors to the light installation Lightwell look at an ‘empty’ frame, which has been raised to the observer’s eye level and they see ‘nothing’. Although we are surrounded by light, people have no consciousness that light connects them and enables them to see ‘everything’. The light-frame appears empty on first sight, but is in fact filled with light  

Inside the light-frame, the participants can see ‘nothing’, but ‘light’, that is split into its colourful spectrum. Visitors are invited to sit across from each other on cubes. While they observe the rainbow colours and meditate on the light between them, or on ‘nothing’, the participants feel the seat of the cubes vibrate in different frequencies that complement the spectral qualities of light."