Simmtronic SPECS3 controls were chosen for the award winning lighting scheme at BP's new financial operations centre at Canary Wharf. For the Cat B fit–out of this 240,000 sq ft office space, at Canada Square, Simmtronic supplied electrical contractor T. Clarke Plc with a fully addressable lighting control system featuring an automatic light level compensation function and DALI control gear for the special 5–lamp fittings.The office lighting scheme that consultant MEIT Associates has provided for BP received much acclaim and recognition at the Lighting Design Awards 2006, where it won the Workplace Projects category.
The scheme features special light fittings containing a 5–lamp cluster, operated by DALI ballasts, which in normal mode operate at 80% output to produce the required light levels. When a lamp fails, the ballasts report back through the Simmtronic lighting control management system, which is programmed to compensate by increasing the light output of the 4 remaining lamps in the cluster up to 100%. This maintains the light level with only minor impact on the light distribution and, as soon as the failed lamp is replaced, the system resets to the default mode for normal operation again.
Lighting and effects have been used extensively to produce visual interest with colour and intensity changes to create a 'living' environment. Responsive colour coded lights have been used in roof rafts above meeting rooms to indicate their current occupancy/reservation status.
Simmtronic lighting controls have been employed throughout and incorporate presence detection, dimming, scene setting, AV interfaces, partition linking and other functions associated with major corporate office developments. An important addition at the BP offices is the RGB LED controls used for feature walls. Colour change requirements for these are programmed through the Simmtronic system using DMX interfaces.
