Setting a new standard for sustainable development

Situated in central Bristol on the Finzels Reach development, Aurora House is a 95,531 sq. ft office building constructed predominantly of glass. Set around a spectacular full height atrium, it comprises seven floors and a mix of space including open plan offices, stairwells and lift lobbies, as well as corridors, toilets and a double height reception area.

With a brief to meet high energy standards and future-proof the building, including audio-visual integration, Mechanical and Electrical contractor CMB Engineering turned to CP Electronics for specialist support in design, specification and installation.

James Wallace, Area Sales Manager at CP Electronics, said: “The variety of space involved quite a bit of planning, as well as a wide range of technologies to make the project work. To ensure this flexibility, we put CP’s Vitesse Plus 7 system at the heart of the solution.”

Vitesse Plus 7 is a versatile seven-channel system that’s ideally suited for commercial spaces where control, cost and convenience are key requirements. With an integrated PCB computer, the stand-alone lighting control module (LCM) is designed for simple plug-and-play installation and is easy to commission.

Combined with PIR detectors, each Vitesse Plus 7 module typically controls between six and nine luminaires within the office areas to provide maximum efficiency by ensuring lights only come on when a workstation is in use. To further reduce energy usage, the detectors also contain graduated daylight dimming technology, and will dim the two rows of lights nearest the windows, when enough natural daylight is present.

A wide range of additional CP Electronics products help deliver the complete solution. In smaller spaces such as toilets and storerooms, CP’s Vitesse Modular LCMs and PIR detectors are used to provide switching on and off to the lights, with set timeout periods. In the corridors and lift lobbies, CP’s long-range microwave detectors provides dimmable pathway illumination, with a detection range of up to 20m.

For the stairwells, an AN-10 wireless system ensures lights are only activated on individual floors (and the floors directly above and below them). In the reception and atrium areas, a fully addressable RAPID system runs off a DALI profile to provide a range of features, including the ability to create ambient moods with different scene settings.

Completed in August 2018, just ten months after installation began, the system deploys a total of 173 Vitesse Plus modules and 185 mini PIRs.

“Three factors really contributed to the success and cost-effectiveness of this project. The sheer choice of products meant we could mix and match to get the right approach,” said Glyn Luffman, Contractor for CMB Engineering. “The Vitesse Plus 7 system was especially impressive. As a standalone system with no network cabling, we could commission the system quickly ourselves, thanks to a programmable handset, plus the support we had throughout from CP Electronics was excellent.”