Lighting systems from Zumtobel are playing a key role in creating a first class learning environment at a cutting edge school in Reading. The John Madejski Academy is one of a new wave of schools designed to raise the level of achievement in England's inner cities by bringing together high quality teaching staff, excellent facilities and the latest technologies in a state-of-the art building. The building comprises six triangular learning clusters linked by a covered semi-external ‘agora'. Zumtobel was initially approached to provide a classroom lighting solution for the learning clusters, but went on to provide around 90% of the lighting types for the school – including both external and internal lighting.
As Matthew House of Zumtobel explains, "Although we started off just looking at one aspect of the lighting, we were able to show that a complete lighting solution using the highest quality luminaries, with high quality design materials and construction could be specified and remain within budget. By putting together a comprehensive proposal we were able to offer a solution that covered almost all the lighting types at the school in a cost-effective package."
The objective for the classrooms was to provide a straightforward solution that would be simple for the Academy's estate management team to maintain – but that would also provide the right lighting for a high-quality modern learning environment.
Zumtobel's approach was to use the same type of lighting for all the classrooms, but with different optics depending on the specific requirement. For most of the classrooms the solution was to use Mellow Light IV luminaries with grid mesh light controllers mounted on Tecton continuous busbar trunking.
Mellow Light IV grid mesh luminaires produce a combination of direct and indirect lighting and the perforated steel grid mesh controller means that, in contrast to most overhead lighting, there is no glare from any angle. This gives the optimum conditions for general classrooms where students will predominantly be working on laptop computers.
Tecton is a sophisticated modular system that allows different types of optics to be easily added or removed anywhere along the continuous trunking without isolating the circuit. This means for example, that the same mounting system can be used throughout the school. Where protected units are required, in areas such as the science labs, Perluce sealed luminaires with an enclosed louvre give IP54 protection and fit on the same Tecton track.
By using Tecton, if a luminaire needs maintaining or replacing the estate management team can simply remove and replace the unit without turning the power off or disrupting the teaching programme.
For the double height atria in each of the learning clusters Zumtobel provided decorative high bay pendant lights with dimmable compact fluorescent lamps. Lighting can be adjusted from 100% down to 3% to allow the right light level for any task, and the lights can also incorporate unobtrusive emergency lighing. A similar solution was used in the hall and gym.
Lighting in the semi-external Agora drew on the Zumtobel Bega range, including flood lighting for efficient and practical area lighting, combined with adjustable mini-floods for emergency lighting and restrained downlighters to balance the surfaces where required. Outside the school buildings Bega lighting included pole-top luminaires, bollard lights and in-ground surface washing floodlights.
As Matthew House explains, "When we started on this project we were looking at supplying maybe 70% of the lighting types used, but by putting together a complete proposal that met the financial, aesthetic and functional requirements of the client we were able to increase this to 99%."
Catherine Shaw, Principal of the John Madejski Academy said, "The lighting is fantastic wherever you go inside or outside the Academy. Everything is fit for purpose – I have nothing but praise for what Zumtobel has done here."
