As part of a strategy to reduce energy consumption, PIR and microwave presence detectors from CP electronics have been installed throughout the office areas, replacing manual light switches as part of a project to improve energy efficiency.

Employing just over 1,000 people, Hams Hall is BMW’s first engine plant outside Germany and Austria. Built on the reclaimed site of what was once Europe’s largest power station, the Hams Hall plant is a vital player in the BMW Group’s global production network, building all four-cylinder petrol engines for both BMW and MINI brand vehicles.

Presence detectors have been installed to operate with the existing luminaires, a mixture of Thorn Lighting’s Quattro C-Line and Corsa fittings, in the office, circulation and toilet areas. Passive Infra-red (PIR) detectors with push button timers have been installed in low occupancy areas such as toilets, whilst the larger office areas are being controlled by microwave detectors. The PIR detectors switch the lighting on in response to body heat, whilst removing the opportunity for human error in forgetting to switch the lights off. The microwave detectors have been used to turn on the lighting as soon as the door begins to open, rather than waiting to detect the body heat of the person entering. Meeting rooms that require lighting to be switched off manually now have ‘no neutral’ PIR switches installed with a manual override.

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