The European Velo-City exhibition takes place each year in a different city. The international event for cycling and soft mobility is organized by the ECF, the European Cyclists’ Federation.
After a previous edition in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on the theme "Cycling the change", this 2023 edition took place in Leipzig, Germany. Between May 9th and 12th, nearly 1400 speakers and congress participants gathered to speak and exchange on various topics relating to urban mobility and the development of cycling.
LuminoKrom® was obviously present at the event to participate in this transition in terms of sustainable mobility. Our photoluminescent painting takes part of this progressive approach in order to increase the visibility of road markings and thus make road users safer.
It was the opportunity to exchange and (re)make contact with different international interlocutors. We also had the opportunity to meet our partners in the implementation of the luminescent marking of the RAVeL 142 in Namur.
Velo-City 2023, the exhibition that promotes cycling
Velo-City has perfectly chosen its location this year, as it is in Leipzig that the 2023 edition of the show has been held. The choice is particularly interesting because the city is the perfect example of a structure that is becoming more attractive as it improves its sustainable vision.
Indeed, today, one out of three citizens travels by bicycle for their daily trips. The German city was naturally an example in this vision of change and the development of cycling in our territories.
The objective of this annual exhibition is to improve the spread and good practices of cycling mobility. These messages are communicated through different mobility themes using conferences.
These conferences provide places for sharing and exchanging knowledge on mobility policy, promotion and cycling offers, but also on sustainable urban development.
The cycling in the heart of the energy transition of cities
The development of soft mobility is one of the fundamental pillars of the ecological transition of our territories. In order to reduce CO2 emissions as much as possible, cities have placed bicycles at the heart of their mobility plans.
This alternative and eco-friendly way of transportation has been growing considerably in recent years. The number of users is increasing every year and the roads need to be restructured.
In order to adapt our roads to this development, local authorities are organizing and implementing measures to improve the infrastructure, in particular by creating bicycle paths. In addition to their delimitation, it is essential to ensure their security and visibility.
The place of LuminoKrom® in this transition
In response to the need for safety on bicycle paths and green lanes, we have designed the first patented, totally autonomous photoluminescent painting. The markings on the ground are recharged during the day thanks to the sun, without any power supply, and are illuminated at night to make road users safer.
Thanks to its class G luminescence performance, the lanes marked with LuminoKrom® paint will have better visibility for 10 hours. The area dedicated to cyclists will remain safe all night long until sunrise.
With our LuminoKrom® paint, the visibility of green lane users is ensured in a sustainable way, but also with an environmental vision as it has no CO2 emissions.
Discover the entire LuminoKrom® product line online.
Photoluminescence is a physical process whereby a material absorbs photons from a light source and re-emits them. To achieve this, the body is subjected to radiation of varying intensity, which excites the electrons present in the substance. These electrons store the light, store the energy and release it when there is a total absence of light.
Thanks to photoluminescence, the substance can be recharged indefinitely by daylight or artificial lighting. Our LuminoKrom® photoluminescent paint exploits exactly this physical phenomenon.
What are the advantages of photoluminescence?
Installations marked with photoluminescent paint require no special maintenance or servicing. Only standard road maintenance is required.
What's more, this type of marking is totally autonomous, requiring no charge or power source. So it's an economical and sustainable solution.
How long does paint luminescence last?
The paint itself emits for a very long time. The most important parameter to take into account is the length of time its light emission is perceptible to the human eye.
In an outdoor environment devoid of any light, we consider that the eye can perceive light emission up to around 8 millicandela/m², i.e. after 10 hours of emission. If the environment presents light pollution (full moon, proximity of public lighting), this threshold will be raised and the duration of visibility will be shortened.
Indoors, in absolute darkness, the perception threshold is much lower, and you can observe the luminescence of our paint for over 12 hours.
What surfaces can LuminoKrom® paint be applied to?
Our LuminoKrom® paint range can be applied to a variety of substrates and materials. We offer different references to suit every circumstance, whether for indoor or outdoor marking, for example.
Our road and urban paint references are ideal for use on concrete, cement, bitumen and asphalt mixes. A waterborne version is also available for interior applications.Concernant les applications sur du métal, il faudra choisir notre peinture LuminoKrom® pour Métal.
Our luminescent paint is applied over a white primer, so you can apply LuminoKrom® to any surface where the white paint will adhere.