Ex-Or helps meet accessibility and energy goals

Lighting management from Ex-Or was specified for the flagship headquarters building of the Spinal Injuries Association (SIA) in Milton Keynes. The building was designed around the principles of accessibility, low energy consumption and use of renewable energy, in which lighting played an important part. The stunning structure, designed by architect Peter Hall, has no corridors, large areas of internal open space, and an exterior making great use of glass.

It was recently officially opened by Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal, patron of the SIA.

Building services consultants Malcolm Chard Associates specified Ex-Or lighting management and scene-setting systems throughout the building to ensure no energy will be wasted through unnecessary use of lighting, and also to make certain that optimum levels of light will be delivered automatically.

The single storey building has an angular-sectioned roof which is designed to increase the quality and amount of daylight penetrating into the deeper office spaces.

Malcolm Chard Associates chose energy-efficient lighting using Ex-Or MLS Digital Managed lighting system presence and daylight sensing equipment within the luminaires throughout the internal open plan areas.

Said partner Malcolm Chard: 'We worked closely with Sansome Hall architects to provide a high quality working experience for the SIA.

This involved taking advantage of our knowledge of the practical energy-saving technologies available to us, including lighting control.

'The lighting system we chose is a direct/indirect system of suspended luminaires located in parallel channel systems, each luminaire containing an Ex-Or MLS sensor to provide the presence and daylight regulating control required.

'We chose Ex-Or due to the proven quality of their well-developed system, competitive costs, and their ability as an independent organisation to integrate their control system and sensors into the luminaire manufacturer's fittings.

'The main benefit of the Ex-Or MLS system is that it ensures lower energy consumption and delivers an even lighting level within the building.

This is essential for a charity like the SIA - the elimination of light switches for staff using wheelchairs is a great benefit, as the lighting will automatically illuminate the rooms they visit and regulate to the optimum level'.

Ex-Or's scene-setting and dimming system SceneSelect II, which at the touch of a button instantly produces a variety of lit environments depending on the required room usage, was installed in a large meeting room within the new building.

In addition to lighting control, the building's other energy-saving features include solar collectors to supplement the hot water generators, high efficiency heating boilers, recycled rainwater systems, and automatically opening windows triggered by temperature fluctuations.

Paul Smith, SIA executive director, said: 'This state-of-the-art facility meets our requirements for a building that is fully accessible and highly environmentally friendly.

One day, all buildings will be built with these features.'