Lighting control systems from Ex-Or Limited have been installed throughout a landmark three-storey office building in Burgess Hill, near Brighton.
Ex-Or equipment was specified by Farnham-based electrical and mechanical engineers KLEC Services Ltd who installed the complete electrical and lighting systems throughout the shell and core structure.
KLEC said they had to complete the project within a tight deadline and needed equipment with proven reliability. In addition, they needed different lighting control systems to perform a variety of tasks so they required systems that would integrate seamlessly.
KLEC engineer Martin Clow said: “We’ve had experience of using Ex-Or equipment in other projects so we knew it would commission well and give good performance. We also get an extremely good service from the Ex-Or project engineers and their teams. This was a big project but had to be fast tracked into a 16-week period, so it was vital that we had total confidence in the equipment.”
One of the main drivers for lighting control in the building was the need to observe the latest Building Regulations which stipulate that light switches must be no further than six metres away from the workstations of occupants. All the lights in the open-plan office areas automatically respond to the needs of the occupants so the switching requirement of the regulations is met without the need for any actual light switches at all. Lights automatically switch on and off, or dim and brighten, thanks to Ex-Or presence detectors which respond to the smallest movements made by the occupants.
Both Ex-Or’s LightSpot controls and MLS Digital Managed Lighting System were employed in the building. The MLS Digital system ensures that lights remain on only when needed, and automatically deliver light at optimum levels. Communicating detectors share information on occupancy and light levels to provide lighting tailored to the needs of occupants – and inconveniently configured work zones. In addition, it ensures lights in key circulation areas are kept on. In some areas of the building SceneSelect II, Ex-Or’s scene setting and dimming system, was installed. SceneSelect II allows users to recall, at the touch of a button, pre-set lighting scenes customised to suit the requirements of particular activities, for example dimmed lighting for on-screen presentations.
The prestigious building has recently been occupied by an international pharmaceuticals company which is using it as its UK headquarters. Compliance with Building Regulations may have been the main reason Ex-Or was originally specified but the new occupants are discovering other benefits offered by Ex-Or lighting control such as significant savings on its energy bills as automatic lighting control ensures the lights come on only when needed.