KCL Engineering is pleased to announce the firm was named a 2017 Merit Award Recipient in the categories of Outdoor Lighting Design and also Lighting Controls Innovation for The Monster Roller Coaster in the 44th annual Illumination Awards. The Illumination Awards are presented by the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES).
The Monster features the world’s first combined track and ground mounted color-changing LED lighting system with dynamic programming abilities. The KCL Engineering system illuminates 2,500 feet of track with a 131 foot vertical lift hill, 101 degree first drop, and five inversions. Popular lighting features follow the car’s movement along the track, create swirling effects on the ride loops, fill and empty the entire track with color, and create a mystical rainbow visual.
The honor of meritorious contribution to lighting design was received in both Lighting Controls Innovation and Outdoor Lighting Design categories. “Current IES staff and awards committee members cannot recall a roller coaster ever receiving a lighting award, let alone in two categories,” said Mike Lambert, a senior lighting designer with KCL Engineering.
“These awards are a testament to the vision, ingenuity, and skill of the KCL team,” said KCL Engineering founder Kris Kunze while describing the multi-faceted talent required for this system. “Fixture knowledge, software programming, and product installation expertise delivered by our individuals truly sets our firm apart from traditional consulting engineering firms.” Kunze added, “Diverse and fearless team members are the reason KCL continues to design breakthrough projects worthy of national recognition.”
A full list of The Illumination Merit Award Winners can be found at https://www.ies.org/events/illumination-awards/.
About IES and The Illumination Awards
The Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) seeks to improve the lighted environment by bringing together those with lighting knowledge and by translating that knowledge into actions that benefit the public. Judges are selected from a broad professional spectrum representing knowledge of lighting and design excellence. The IES Illumination Awards program recognizes individuals for professionalism, ingenuity and originality in lighting design based on the individual merit of each entry. The IES Illumination Awards are comprised of four parallel progr
am categories. Illumination Award for Lighting Control Innovation, Illumination Award for Interior Lighting Design, Illumination Award for Outdoor Lighting Design, and Illumination Award for Energy and Environmental Lighting Design.
About The Lighting Controls Innovation Category
Lighting Controls Innovation Category recognizes that advanced lighting control solutions can provide significant energy savings, flexibility and other benefits in buildings. This prestigious award recognizes good lighting projects that exemplify the effective use of lighting controls in nonresidential applications.
About The Outdoor Lighting Design Category
The Outdoor Lighting Design Award recognizes excellence in lighting design and application in all aspects of exterior lighting. The program celebrates achievements in aesthetics, applied technical acumen, creative solutions to demanding site conditions and advancements to the industry in outdoor lighting applications. The goal of the program is to further the understanding, knowledge and function of outdoor lighting as a critical aspect of the built environment.