CP Keeps Fort Dunlop's Lighting under Control
Lighting at Birmingham's reinvented Fort Dunlop is being controlled with the help of ceiling mounted PIR presence detectors from CP Electronics, featuring a special finish to meet the needs of the project.
Built in 1916, Fort Dunlop had been standing empty for a quarter of a century but award winning developer, Urban Splash took on the challenge and has created a contemporary design-led development within the former tyre warehouse.
Fort Dunlop now comprises contemporary office space, independent retail and leisure outlets and a 100-bed hotel - topped by the UK's largest living green roof.
Throughout the project, one of the biggest challenges facing M&E contractors Mitie Engineering Services was the need to make the services fit the style and layout of the existing building. Light fittings, for instance, had to have a black finish, as did CP's presence detectors, which also incorporate timer and lux level control.
To that end, the ceiling mounted CP presence detectors have been installed in all office spaces to ensure that lighting is not used unnecessarily. With each presence detector controlling a pre-defined lighting zone, the users are able to achieve precise control over their workspaces while ensuring that occupied areas are adequately lit.
Effective lighting control was a key element in achieving the energy performance required by client Urban Splash. "Energy efficiency was very important for this project and we were looking for PIR detectors that would give us the functionality we needed at a sensible price," commented Mitie's Tony Bates. "CP not only provided the right products, they also delivered a high level of support throughout the project," he added.
Further benefits are achieved from the longer lamp life achieved through lower usage, resulting in extended re-lamping cycles and reduced maintenance costs, as well as fewer used lamps to dispose of under the WEEE Directive.
April 2007
