Swamp Ecosystem at Auckland Zoo

Overview

As part of Auckland Zoo’s ambitious $62 million South East Asia Jungle Track, the immersive Swamp Forest dome offers visitors an authentic experience of the Indonesian rainforest — complete with native flora, aquatic life, and a humid, tropical climate.

To help bring this environment to life, Intelligent Environments was engaged to design and implement a lighting control solution capable of mimicking natural light cycles with remarkable precision. The 400m² climate-controlled dome posed a unique challenge: create a consistently regulated 12-hour daylight cycle that seamlessly replicates sunrise, daylight, and sunset in a region known for dramatically different weather patterns.

Objectives

The lighting system needed to serve more than just a visual purpose — it was a key component in sustaining a healthy ecosystem for the swamp’s animal and plant life. Project goals included:

• Simulating authentic tropical sunrise and sunset transitions

• Ensuring consistent lux levels across the dome despite external weather fluctuations

• Supporting animal circadian rhythms and plant growth cycles

• Integrating with the zoo’s Building Management System (BMS) for centralised control

• Providing staff with operational flexibility through intuitive software control

• Achieving energy-efficient and adaptive lighting performance

Technical Solutions

To meet these unique requirements, Intelligent Environments deployed a fully integrated zencontrol DALI lighting control system, tailored to suit both the complexity and sensitivity of the habitat.

System Components Included:

• 20 high-output DALI-controlled floodlights to replicate daylight across the dome

• Low-level pool spotlights for realistic aquatic lighting

• 5 lux sensors to constantly monitor and maintain optimal lighting levels

• DALI controllers, relays, and power supplies for responsive and reliable operation

• Planview control software for real-time monitoring and manual adjustments

• Cloud services enabling remote diagnostics and programming support

Smart Lighting That Supports Life

The zencontrol system plays a vital role in recreating the rhythm of a tropical day. By simulating gradual sunrise and sunset transitions, the system supports natural behaviours among the dome’s inhabitants—from amphibians and fish to plant species adapted to equatorial light patterns.

Adaptive Lighting Control
Lux sensors monitor natural light entering the dome and automatically adjust the artificial lighting to ensure a consistent light profile—conserving energy while maintaining ecological balance.

Integration with BMS
The DALI system is fully integrated with Auckland Zoo’s building management platform, allowing lighting to be managed in sync with other environmental controls such as humidity and temperature.

User-Friendly Operation
Using zencontrol’s Planview software, zoo staff can easily oversee the lighting environment, make scene adjustments, and receive system alerts—all from a central interface.

Project Outcome

The result is a living, breathing slice of Indonesia — right in the heart of Auckland. The Swamp Forest dome now operates as a thriving ecosystem, supporting both conservation and education goals by offering an immersive, biologically accurate environment for visitors and wildlife alike.

From enhancing animal welfare to supporting sustainable operations, this project showcases how intelligent lighting control can extend far beyond buildings—supporting ecosystems where light is life.

For more information about this case study or to discuss how we can support your lighting control project, get in touch with us.