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Stranmillis University College in Belfast has used a Crompton Intellect intelligent lighting system from Cooper Lighting and Security to solve the particular lighting problems it faced when converting a sloping lecture theatre into an open-access computer suite.
As part of the refurbishment process, the lecture theatre's original multi-level ceiling was replaced with a new sloping ceiling. This meant that, to achieve a consistent 400 lux at bench level, the luminaires used in the new ceiling would have to have adjustable light outputs - the luminaires at the back of the room being much closer to the benches than those at the front of the room.
According to the university's estates manager, John Chapman, energy saving was also a key consideration for the lighting: "We wanted movement detectors so that, if there are no students in the computer suite for 20 minutes, the luminaires would gradually dim down and eventually switch off. And that is exactly what we achieved with the Crompton Intellect system."
As well as incorporating occupancy detection and daylight sensing technology, Intellect Digital intelligent luminaires can be programmed to provide light levels anywhere between 1% and 100% of their maximum output, thereby ensuring constant illumination regardless of the age of the tubes.
Five rows of four Intellect Digital Wafer T8 luminaires were installed in the computer suite, programmed to operate in eight zones to avoid the intimidating phenomenon of isolated pools of light surrounded by darkness. Also, the luminaires by the exits were programmed to remain on while any zone is occupied.
"I am very pleased with the lighting," said Mr Chapman, "and we have had no negative feedback from the students, which means that it works well. As far as we know, no-one had attempted this approach before in a room with different luminaire heights."
Mr Chapman is now looking at using the Intellect system in ordinary, single-level classrooms, which all have large areas of glass. "We want to be able to take advantage of the daylight for maximum energy efficiency," he said. "Compared with the lecture theatre lighting scheme, the ordinary classrooms should be much simpler to design and install."
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