Andromeda’s lighting expertise at Dublin’s O2
A venue as versatile in its application as the O2 in Dublin requires an equally versatile lighting-control system, which has been achieved by Andromeda Telematics with a KNX/DALI solution. Not only does it create lighting scenes appropriate to the eight standard formats of the main auditorium but it can also create scene control for other public areas and test emergency lighting — at the same time as reducing overall energy consumption by up to 60% with presence detection and lux sensors. Consulting engineers AECOM (formerly Faber Maunsell) specified Andromeda from the outset, which was then appointed by Andromeda to provide the lighting-control solution.
O2 is a redevelopment of The Point, which famously hosted the premiere of Riverdance during the Eurovision Song Contest.
The new auditorium can accommodate up to 14 000 people and be set up for theatre mode, in-the-round, boxing and ice performance. Layouts can be created for specific artists.
Lighting control is used in a practical sense, with pre-show, interval and post-show lighting scenes helping to create structure for the show. The system also controls exit signs and emergency lighting. External lighting is also controlled. The complete solution contains 120 Siemens DALI gateways, 300 Theben PIRs and 170 ABB pushbutton interfaces.
The emergency-lighting solution provides test and monitoring through a central-battery/static-inverter system. Lamp or ballast failures are continuously monitored, and scheduled tests are carried out on groups of fittings or the entire system.
A complete system test involves all emergency lights being turned on and the static inverter simulating a mains failure for the specified test duration. Any lamp or ballast failures will be reported and retained in the historic record.
The project was completed by Andromeda in just five months from delivery of the first panel to site to completion of commissioning.
