Nieuwkoop,
The Netherlands
Urban lighting

Bat-friendly
night-timelighting
Lighting that does not disturb
nocturnal animals
To ensure that its population of rare bats is not
disturbed by its new housing program and associatedartificial lighting, the municipality of Nieuwkoop in
the Netherlands installed streetlights with speciallydesigned color and wavelength in the Zuidhoek area.
The lights have no impact on the normal nocturnal
behavior of bats, while ensuring good visibility forresidents. The overall lighting solution also includes
light management software that enables real-time,
remote management of light points so that artificial
light is only used when required.

A valuable natural habitat
Thanks to its many rare and vulnerable animaland plant species, Zuidhoek in the municipality ofNieuwkoop in the Netherlands is part of the Natura
2000 network. The aim of the network is to ensure
the long-term survival of Europe’s most valuable andthreatened species and habitats.
After decades of operating as a camp site, wherepeople came to enjoy the location and nature, in2011 the municipality decided to convert Zuidhoek
into a residential area by building 89 houses. Prior
to construction work starting, the municipality wasobliged to assess the environmental impact of thehousing program. This involved conducting a studyof the flora and fauna of the area to see if any special
nature conservation measures might be necessary.

The outcome of the research showed that it is an
important feeding area for some rare bat species.
Therefore, before proceeding with the housing
program, they had to put some conservation measuresin place. This had to include lighting that would not
disturb the nocturnal feeding and night-time activityof the bats. For that reason Nieuwkoop selected thededicated Philips light recipe developed throughextensive research together with the University ofWageningen and NGO’s active in the field.
Both the color and the wavelength were designed toensure bats can enjoy the night time as if there wasno artificial lighting in place, while ensuring goodvisibility for residents living in the area. Therefore nocompromise was made on safety.

With the lighting design, the overall
objective was to increase the quality of thedarkness and I wanted to find the best lightsource to achieve that.”
Robert Jan Vos, Independent Lighting Designer

An integrated, cohesive concept
In addition, the new residential area had to follow
strict regulations in terms of architecture and look &feel. It had to blend into the existing landscape froman esthetic point of view. And it had to meet thenature conservation objectives. The lighting plan for
the residential area was designed by independent
lighting designer Robert Jan Vos, IALD.

The key aspect of the project was to create a natural landscaping concept in which thehousing program does not impact local wildlife.”
Robert Jan Vos, Independent Lighting Designer

To further encourage citizens to embrace the concept of wildlife protection, they distributed light bulbs
incorporating the same light recipe to residents, that they could place in their gardens.

Higher efficiency through remote light management
To further optimize light levels, the municipality installed the Interact City remote light management system toensure that light is only on when it’s needed. They can now use the scheduling function and set up an annual
dimming calendar.

Creating a livable space for all inhabitants
The new lighting solution ensures bats living in the area are not disturbed by the color andwavelength of artificial lighting. At the same time it provides good visibility and an optimal
sense of safety for residents.

Fully compliant with nature conservation objectives
The application of the dedicated light recipe supports the municipality’s housing programin Zuidhoek while enabling the creation of an ideal infrastructure that complies with thedirectives of Natura 2000.

Maximum flexibility and optimized efficiency
Enabled by the Interact City lighting management software, the municipality has complete
flexibility to set up dimming schedules and an annual dimming calendar. These ensure that
artificial lighting is only used when it’s needed, thereby optimizing energy efficiency.

Nieuwkoop: Living with nature

Fast facts

Nieuwkoop is a municipality in the province of SouthHolland, the Netherlands. It has a population ofaround 28,000. Its Zuidhoek area is part of the Natura
2000 network of valuable natural habitats.

Customer: Municipality of Nieuwkoop
Location: Nieuwkoop, The Netherlands
Lighting Products: Philips Mini 300 Stealth andcustomized bollard using specially designed
bat-friendly light recipe
Remote lighting management enabled by Interact City

To find out more about Philips LED lighting for urban spaces visit
www.philips.com/urbaninspiration© 2018 Signify Holding B.V. All rights reserved. Signify reserves the right to make changes inspecifications and/or to discontinue any product at any time without notice or obligation andwill not be liable for any consequences resulting from the use of this publication.

Date of release
July 2018
lighting.philips.com