The project, located in the Town of Banff, was initiated by Parks Canada, as part of an exterior upgrade which included the removal of paint down to the original log finish, landscaping around the building, and a parking lot upgrade. The goals for lighting the structure were to have an understated, low maintenance, energy efficient, and full cut-off lighting project. Lighting Solutions Inc. was chosen as the design firm, developing a 3D model for the exterior based on 73 – 6W LED floodlights hidden under the eaves. The model was accepted, and work was completed just in time for the Olympic Torch ceremony to be held in the adjacent parking lot, with the museum acting as a backdrop.

Total wattage for the project then was 438W, which is less than a single typical HID exterior building floodlight, and the LEDs are expected to last 50,000 hours or more. It was important that the fixtures be well built, robust, and compact, so we chose the BK Nite Star, with a fully machined aluminum body and stainless steel hardware. It was also important to provide the capability for dimming, as well as a consistent lamp voltage, since the LED modules are dimmable. We therefore specified 2 of the Q-Tran QTM series surface mount transformers, which we knew from experience would provide excellent voltage regulation and trouble-free dimming.

Finally, the original lanterns hanging around the perimeter were retrofitted with 5W, 2700K cold cathode lamps, to provide a soft glow and long life, while not producing glare for the viewer.