Power crisis dims skyline

By PHILIP ENGLISH

Auckland's night-time skyline is beginning to dim as businesses take steps to save power because of worry over low hydro-lake levels.

The most prominent structure on the city skyline, the Sky Tower, switched off its main flood-lighting on Tuesday night leaving only the tower's mast and aircraft navigation lights on.

But the flood-lighting was blacked out as a symbolic gesture.

The Sky City Entertainment Group believes its other savings - such as getting staff to turn off non-essential lighting and computers, and switching off air conditioning and cooking equipment when not needed - can save more.

General manager of operations Grant Webster said the reduced lighting on the tower, supported by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority, would send a strong message to other New Zealanders to save power.

Other businesses were either geared up or were gearing up to introduce savings, although one observer commented that it was harder to introduce savings now because previous power crises meant buildings had already set up energy-efficiency programmes.

"You can only milk that cow once."

A once-prominent structure on the skyline, the Auckland Town Hall clock tower, has also been blacked out. It would have been blacked out sooner but for complaints from passers-by that they could not read the time.

But still there were some lingerers yesterday.

Mrs Karen Selby of Papakura complained that street lights were still burning at 3pm on Hunua Rd, three hours after she told her district council about the waste.

"They shouldn't be on all day, especially when we've got the water levels and that down, eh?" she said.

* The ANZ Bank still has promotional lights on at the top of its Albert St tower, but the bank said yesterday it had hired an energy-efficiency consultant to prepare a savings plan which would be implemented next week.

* The ASB Bank's tower, also in Albert St, can control the power use of every other branch in New Zealand, so the lighting in branches from the north to Queenstown can be dimmed from Auckland. The bank has introduced savings, but where security is concerned, such as in ATM lobbies, lighting will remain on.

* The Auckland War Memorial Museum says external flood-lighting has been cut except for where security is compromised. The museum's interior is in complete darkness at night unless a function is being held there. A timer circuit shuts down internal lighting at 5.30pm. The museum's hot-water cylinders have been wrapped and the building's insulation has been improved.

* The Auckland City Council says that apart from energy-efficiency measures in council offices, lighting at city parks and monuments - including the Domain duck pond - has been cut, except where there are security concerns. Some flood-lighting remains at the Art Gallery to allow surveillance by television cameras in a vandal-prone nearby area.

* The 16-level Oracle Building, on Wakefield St near the Symonds St ridge, has cut or intends to cut lighting to its sign on the top of the building. The software company's other office lighting is switched off, depending on when cleaners leave a floor.

* McDonald's Restaurants are implementing energy-saving initiatives in all 148 branches. The burger chain plans both short-term measures and other measures to get a power-saving message to customers. It is also putting on trial permanent energy-saving initiatives in several branches.

* Sky City: The Sky tower has switched off the flood-lighting to its shaft but left mast and aircraft navigation lights on. Flood lighting at the base was also blacked out.