Lighting system also suppresses noise
Spectral Lighting has provided a modern noise-suppressing lighting installation for the refurbished University of Bristol study centre to bring a contemporary feel to a classic Edwardian building. The study centre has a high ceiling and tall deep-set windows to provide lots of natural light. The estates department wanted to use the refurbishment to reduce noise levels in the room, but without installing a false ceiling that would have obscured the tall windows and high ceilings.
‘We had two objectives for this project,’ explains Andy Phillips of the university. ‘We wanted to create a better working environment for students by reducing noise, providing a better quality of light and keeping the natural light coming in from the windows — but we also wanted to reduce our energy bills.’
Spectral’s Stora-Akoustic met all the requirements. Its extrusion is deep enough to accommodate a noise-suppressing acoustic panel but slim enough not to obscure sight of the Edwardian architecture. The use of square and circular luminaires creates a dynamic visual effect. The suspended fittings were made in bespoke sizes to create a uniform solution that provided a high quality of light.
The luminaires include uplighting to draw attention to the classic ceiling. The lit acoustic panels were combined with additional plain panels to ensure there was sufficient noise-cancelling suppression while avoiding overlighting the space.
The project includes the RIDI Control 3 system with daylight linking and presence detection.
