Tri-Partnership yields success in multi-site school project

06-10-2015

In the spirit of collaboration and new beginnings, Dextra Lighting co-operated closely with prestigious property and construction group, Kier Services and leading U.K lighting suppliers, Newey & Eyre Lighting Design, to deliver the first in a series of extensive lighting upgrades. The multi-site project consists of the refurbishment of a total of 6 schools currently managed by Kier in the Norfolk area. The first step in this joint venture has been an all-round success, with Taverham High School’s sports hall now enjoying the financial and aesthetic benefits of the latest LED lighting.

Under Newey and Eyre’s strong recommendation, Dextra Lighting were approached by Kier Services (a subsidiary of Kier Group plc, specialising in facilities management and environmental services) to participate in the near complete refurbishment of the academy’s sports facilities. Dextra’s role was to manufacture and deliver the fittings, whilst Newey & Eyre designed the project and Kier Services installed the entire system. The project included not only the replacement of the lighting but also the hall’s entire floor. As the school’s top priority was to maximise energy savings by improving on the existing T5 fluorescent system (which was already operating quite efficiently with a projected 9 year payback), LED lighting was the natural choice. With fittings mounted at a height of 10m, Kier also reported frequent issues with lamp changes and maintenance, which led them to position their staff on-site permanently as part of a 25 year contract with the school.

With this in mind, Newey & Eyre lighting design put forward a scheme using the purpose-built ProSport LED luminaire in a 17,000 lumen capacity and a cool white, colour 84 light temperature for the sports hall. By choosing LED over conventional lighting, the time and cost of maintenance are reduced to a minimum, as LED lights have a far longer lifespan that can exceed 10 years given the right circumstances. LED sources also experience reduced lumen depreciation over time, again eliminating the need for frequent lamp changes to maintain the desired light level.

Taverham High School have invested extensively in renewing their sports hall to provide their pupils with the best possible facilities as well as a rich and varied programme. Many of the academy’s sports students are put forward to join both regional and national teams in a variety of disciplines and the site itself is frequently used to host local-level competitions. As a result, the versatile Prosport LED was selected for the site as it is specifically designed for a variety of high level sports applications; fulfilling the clients requirements for quality, energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Available in lumen outputs as high as 33,000 and a variety of distributions, the luminaire allows indoor installations to provide the appropriate light levels and uniformity of coverage needed to enhance player experience. At 17,000lm, the highly efficient Prosport LED offers an impressive LOR of 80% and operates at an average of 106 Ll/w, comfortably providing the 500 Lux requirements for the area and corresponding activities. Together with the 23,000lm option, this product is a far more efficient next-generation replacement for 3×80 and 4×80 T5 luminaires.

As pupils use the facilities not only for a wide range of sporting activities such as: netball, rounders, athletics, hockey, sports hall athletics, table tennis, but also examinations, the luminaire’s versatility proved to be a significant advantage. The Prosport is designed to cater for such a wide range of activities. For instance, an optional asymmetrical bracket allows the luminaire to be angled to ensure the best light coverage for badminton or tennis courts, whilst the standard symmetrical luminaire is ideally suited for football, basketball and netball applications.

Many of the games held at the sports hall expose the light fixtures to the risk of ball strikes, which in turn can cause damage to the body or shatter lamps. To counter this, the luminaire’s robust steel housing and polycarbonate LED cover offer a first line of protection. Its angled housing is also designed to be both aesthetically pleasing and avoid balls or shuttlecocks lodging onto the rear of the fitting.

In terms of installation, the Prosport LED’s zintec spine allows for a quick and simple mounting and prewired cables eliminate the need to access the luminaire for wiring at such inconveniently high ceilings. Combined, these features reduce the costs of installation for the academy and therefore improve the overall rate of return on investment.

The luminaire is compatible with DALI and HFR Analogue Dimming to allow lights to be adjusted according to different activities held on-site. It is offered with either standard, self-test or auto-test 3 hour emergency lighting to guarantee user safety.

Overall, the design has delivered on its promise to significantly reduce energy consumption, achieve the required 500 Lux with an even coverage and a more refined light quality throughout; all in order to help provide students with a stimulating and revitalised sports environment. These challenges were met whilst offering substantial paybacks not only in energy savings, but in reduced installation and future maintenance costs. The project was so well received that Newey and Eyre insisted on putting the design forward for the Rexel Renewables Award 2015 for Universities & Colleges & Educational Premises, the result of which will be published as the multi-site contract proceeds.

In line with Kier’s ambitious policies regarding sustainable procurement and environmentally conscious waste management policies, the group took full advantage of Dexreco’s luminaire disposal service, which promptly and efficiently oversaw the removal and recycling of all the previous light fittings.

Kier Services, Newey and Eyre and Taverham High School seemed collectively pleased with the solution brought forward by Dextra Lighting and the level of service provided; ticking all the boxes for sustainability, quality and affordability, crucial to any educational establishment. The installation will also reduce Kier the costs of fulfilling their contractual obligations towards the school, as the luminaires require minimal maintenance, which will allow staff to be redeployed in other areas of need. In addition, all Dextra Lighting LED products are offered with a comprehensive 5 year warranty, supporting Kier further down the line in the management of the site. The success of the project has been a testament to the importance of well-oiled collaborative efforts and firm commitment of all parties to provide excellent service to the customer in every department.