Lighting Upgrade Highlights Ferrari Dealership
The only official Ferrari dealership in Ireland is located on the outskirts of Belfast; however, just because Charles Hurst Ferrari is the only authorized dealer in the country does not mean it can put facility upgrades for the showroom and the attached service center on the back burner.
To keep the space looking fresh and up-to-date, the showroom – which sells both new and certified pre-owned Ferraris – recently upgraded its lighting, replacing the old, inefficient fluorescent with modern LED versions that would be both aesthetically pleasing and environmentally friendly.
To deliver the desired contemporary look, as well as provide a brighter output, LED strip lights from LED lighting manufacturer Aurora Lighting was selected for the refurbishment. Electrical equipment provider EDM supplied a significant amount of Aurora’s LEDline 22W CRI90 flexible strip. The higher color temperature (4000K) was chosen to yield the uplift in brightness that the showroom required.
The specification of a CRI90 solution also allows for the true colors of the cars in the showroom to be fully appreciated by potential customers. By doing so, buyers can be confident they know what color the car will be in the daylight —a visual perception that can vary in indoor settings where the CRI of the lighting is lower.
With cut points every 55mm, Aurora Lighting’s LEDline offers maximum flexibility. For runs over 5m lengths, the LED strip can be connected in parallel, allowing for longer lines of light if required. (A number of channels and drivers from Aurora Lighting were also supplied by EDM.)
To make the switch from the previous fluorescent lighting to the LED strip, the stretched ceilings had to be removed alongside the old fluorescent tubes. The ceiling was then re-skimmed before installing the runs of the LED strip and the channel to house the lighting.
Unbeknownst to the retrofit team at the time, the upgrade to LED would prove to be especially timely, as the UK and EU ordered a ban on the sale of fluorescent lamps as of 2023. While existing fluorescent lamps do not have to be immediately removed from installations, once those light sources reach their end of life, they must be replaced with a newer LED-based lighting solution. (The reason for the ban is the growing body of evidence showing the use of mercury, which is contained inside fluorescent tubing, is harmful to human health and has a hazardous impact on the environment.)
By upgrading from the fluorescent lights to more efficient, cleaner and greener LED lighting, the Ferrari showroom is demonstrating a clear commitment to the environment as well as compliance with the new regulations.
Ed Denny, National Sales Manager for Aurora Lighting, stated, “As the only official Ferrari showroom in Ireland, Charles Hurst Belfast consistently looks for way to improve the customer experience. Improving the lighting has not only made the showroom more appealing, the upgrade to CRI90 ensures customers can be assured what they see with regard to color is how the car will look when it is driven outside in the natural light. This blend of aesthetics and design, alongside technology features that offer elevated results, is what sets Aurora Lighting apart and makes us the right choice for high-end projects such as this.”
The showroom is also benefiting from greater efficiencies with regard to lighting, lower carbon emissions, and reduced energy costs.
