Siteco lights university Engineering Hub
Energy-efficient lighting for the University of Lincoln’s £7 million Engineering Hub has been achieved by Siteco with a combination of efficient luminaires, low-energy lamps and lighting controls to meet the W/m2 target, helped by the use of Osram T5 fluorescent lamps. Achieving energy efficiency in this new building was a high priority as the university has a plan for creating a lower-carbon campus, with a target to reduce CO2 emissions by 43% by 2012.
Much of the energy-efficiency drive was based on the facilities for energy management and systems monitoring that were put in place at the Engineering Hub via KNX building controls and a DALI interface. In previous years, the university had already established KNX controls in other buildings, and the controls for the Hub are linked to this system, allowing central management across the site.
Hugh Whalley, business manager for the projects and solutions division of Siteco, explains, ‘KNX and DALI are crucial tools in managing energy and targeting inefficiencies. To take just one example, daylight sensors intelligently monitor the level of light within the Hub and automatically dim the lighting accordingly. This means that on a sunny day less energy is used for artificial lighting. Intelligent controls are also having a huge impact on the maintenance burden.’
To reduce maintenance costs, the KNX-DALI network includes integration of all emergency lights for scheduled automatic testing and reporting.
Maintenance is also streamlined by ensuring that the new lighting tallied with the established maintenance regime — reducing the number of lamps to be held in stock. Early in the project, Siteco stipulated that the same type of lamp would be used in a range of different luminaires.
Attention has also been paid to aesthetics and other special requirements. In lecture theatres and presentation spaces, the Novaluna luminaire was chosen for its high light output without glare, even when reflective surfaces like computer screens are in use.
In circulation areas, the Tecario system brings a purist design approach, and its overlapping lamp configuration creates homogenous illumination without visible dark spots.
Wow factor is created in the turbine display area by coloured LEDs to illuminate the Siemens wind turbines that are on display to visitors. The Engineering Hub is a partnership between Siemens Industrial Turbo-machinery and the university.
The Siemens corporate lounge, where Siemens welcomes VIP visitors, is lit by Lunis circular downlights.
