Lunch under innovative LED lighting

Sibelga, the Brussels gas and electricity network operator, recently invested in the complete renovation of its canteen, where 350 meals are served every day. The company primarily (95%) opted for LED lighting. Design, comfort and energy-savings were the most important reasons for this innovative choice, according to Philippe Julemont, architect at Archi-PJ, which brought the project to a succesful conclusion.

More than 1,000 members of Sibelga staff are active in the Laeken offices. For one year now, they have been taking their lunch and coffee breaks in a particularly inviting and pleasant decor. The building, which dates back to the 1970s, features floor-to-ceiling glass facade windows, resulting in a lot of incident light. The lighting design has taken this on board resulting in artificial and natural light nicely blending.
“The restaurant’s design is elongated. The self-service area is located on the side of the large windows, the technical corridor and the kitchen equipment are located on the other side. For the self-service section aesthetics prevailed, with a convivial and colourful design. Safety aspects, water-resistance in particular, were the deciding factor for the kitchen section,” explains architect Philippe Julemont.
“To me lighting forms an integral part of the space. The combination of suspended and recessed luminaires gives the space a whimsical touch and provides the dynamic. The individual LED luminaires allow to illuminate an island or a separate table, which creates a warm, convivial atmosphere.”

50% saving
As the cherry on the pie, LED lighting also significantly contributes to the 50% energy saving Sibelga requested for the total renovation. “The new canteen can therefore be called a success in all respects. We completed the project in a relatively short period of five months – not obvious, given the radical nature of the renovation and the difficult accessibility of the location. ETAP’s flexibility has undoubtedly contributed to the success of the project.”
 

Project data
-U7 recessed luminaires
-Flare spots
-D13 downlights
-Special US softlights
-K1 and K2 signage luminaires
-K9 escape route luminaires