Here comes the sun

Walking from Y3A to Y6A through the ecologically engineered wetland, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more beautiful natural campus in the world. In alignment with our One Planet campus by 2030 goal, the pathway now features innovative solar powered lighting that is, sensor activated and low maintenance.

“We didn’t want to bury electrical cables around the wetland, so we went with solar,” said Mehir Lewis, Maintenance Coordinator, Property.

Mehir says the work involved has highlighted how rapidly solar technology is advancing. “Advancements in solar lighting technology created an opportunity to install an economical option which avoided the usual trenching for underground cables through the wetlands. These lights can now be installed and maintained by just one person, without the need for scaffolding or cherry-pickers which is the case for electrical street lighting.”

This makes cleaning, repairs and changing globes much more cost-effective. Adding further efficiency is the use of long-lasting LED globes and motion-activating sensors.

The initiative gets a tick on a health and wellbeing front too, offering students a safer walk home at night through the area with motion-sensor lighting guiding their way.