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The system optimises energy efficiency by controlling lighting in relation to daylight, presence and absence
accommodation areas, corridors, the lecture theatre, café, seminar rooms, toilets and stores. These include the passive infrared detector EBDSPIR-PRM, which can be set for absence/ presence detection, switching the load on or off according to occupancy after a preset time. The time delay is adjustable between 10 seconds and 99 minutes and, if there is sufficient natural light, a built-in photocell will keep the lighting switched off. It also has the benefit of
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optional manual override. As part of the college installation, the lecture theatre, café, seminar rooms and assembly room required a dimmable lighting system with scene setting for different applications and CP’s Rapid system was chosen for this application. Rapid is a fully addressable, networked lighting control system which is configurable, enabling a change of illumination to suit the mood in the area, without the need to change the hard wiring. The system was set up to allow pre-set scenes to be called from local scene plates on the wall for both phased dimming and digital dimming protocols to preset levels to the end user specified requirements. The system optimises energy efficiency by controlling lighting in relation to daylight, presence and absence. The high level of addressability has enabled the designers to establish control parameters that best suit the design and usage of each space. we&e cpelectronics.co.uk
Smart lighting helps protect against asbestos By Saima Shafi We all know that the development and use of electricity has transformed the world in which we live. We also know that, alongside its many benefits, electricity can pose serious risks and that we all need to be careful not to expose ourselves to those risks. Of course, as users, we can be confident in the knowledge that our electrical products have to meet stringent safety standards so, as long as we handle such products appropriately, we will come to no harm. In the world of lighting, we have long been used to flicking a switch and enjoying a safe and reliable result. However, what about the installers of our lighting? A recent survey commissioned by the Health & Safety Executive revealed that electricians and electrical fitters come into contact with deadly asbestos, on average, more than 70 times each year. Such exposure to asbestos, and other potentially harmful building materials, often occurs during lighting upgrades. In these situations, installers are frequently required to create space in walls or ceilings to accommodate new fixtures and fittings. Furthermore, even when the new fixtures themselves can be surface mounted, they are increasingly supported by bulky controls and sensors that need to be hidden away for operational or aesthetic reasons. Modern retrofit lighting products are setting new standards of performance and functionality. Increasingly, these lights offer presence detection, automatic dimming, emergency battery back-up and other performance enhancing extras. However, these user friendly features are often not installer friendly. So, what’s the answer to avoiding the dangers of installers’ exposure to potentially harmful building materials?
Fortunately, the answer may be easier than you think. The latest generation of 2D LED retrofit lighting products has discarded the reliance on external controls and sensors by incorporating them into the lamps themselves. The most sophisticated of these “smart” lamps have been engineered as a unique controllable “three-in-one” solution, built into a single lamp. Typically, these new super bright 12W LED models replace standard 28W CFL lamps and are designed to be retrofitted into existing luminaires and bulkheads. They are the first retrofit 2D lamps to offer presence detection, automatic dimming and emergency battery back-up without the need for separately fitted components. By combining this impressive “three-in-one” control capability within the body of the lamp itself, installation is easier, faster, cleaner and, crucially, safer by eliminating the installer’s exposure to asbestos. As this cutting-edge technology becomes more widespread, increasing numbers of “smart” lamps will replace other traditional lighting models. This will, in turn, lead to a dramatic reduction in the threat to electricians and installers. However, in the meantime, the Health & Safety Executive is encouraging all tradespeople to visit a new asbestos safety web app. The free Beware Asbestos web app, designed for phones, tablets and laptops, leads users through a list of multiple choice questions. These cover the type of building they are working in, the job they are doing and the various types of asbestoscontaining materials. If you have any lightingrelated questions for Saima to explore, please email tim@ energystmedia.com Saima Shafi is co-founder of Camberley-based LED Eco Lights