The 12th-century French-Gothic Cathedral has been relit with over 400 Philips LEDs.

The new lighting scheme was designed to allow different atmospheres to be created depending on whether a religious ceremony, tourist visit or concert is taking place in the Cathedral.

A touch screen computer panel is used to control the LEDs, enabling them to be dimmed to correspond with certain events, times of day or seasons.

The intensity and colour of the lights can also be adjusted.

250W spotlights have been inconspicuously installed to help reveal the details of renowned works of art and highlight the delicacy of the stain-glass windows that line the building’s walls.

The new rig is expected to cut the Cathedral’s energy consumption by 80%, from 140 kW to just 30 kW.

The lights are predicted to last 13 years after being used ten hours a day, reducing the amount of disruption caused by maintenance.

Notre Dame pre-LED retrofit      Image: Lloyd Alter

After LEDs were installed    Images: Royal Philips

Courtesy Tree Hugger