Thorn Lighting & Zumtobel provide modern, high efficient lighting for University of Wales

Thorn Lighting and Zumtobel Lighting, part of the Zumtobel Group of companies, have created a solution for the state-of-the-art University of Wales Trinity Saint David development as part of the new SA1 Swansea Waterfront Development. The client’s brief called for modern and highly efficient lighting with high performance and excellent aesthetics internally and externally in order to promote the building as a highly efficient and sustainable higher education facility and a perfect environment for learning.

The university’s £350 million SA1 Swansea Waterfront development will house facilities for the Faculty of Architecture, Computing and Engineering, and Yr Athrofa: Institute for Education as well as new library facilities. The University’s vision for SA1 Swansea Waterfront is for a neighbourhood with academic activity at its core to attract companies to co-locate with the University to exploit knowledge, develop skills, support existing companies and attract new investment into the region. Working closely with employers to tackle future skills needs, it will develop critical thinking, creative problem solving, and environmentally aware, future ready graduates.

Thorn and Zumtobel were chosen for the project for their ability to supply ‘fit for purpose’ luminaires for every area of the building that would achieve all of the requirements for the project. Zumtobel’s Slotlight was incorporated into the design for classrooms and the library to provide an aesthetic, efficient, consistent, uniformly illuminated line. For University of Wales Trinity Saint David, a single run of Slotlight infinity has been installed to provide a virtually infinite light line without interruption or dark spots, high precision and uniform illumination. Using prefabricated frames and spacers ensures a uniform appearance, resulting in a high-grade lighting solution meticulously integrated into the interior design, which appears as a consistent light line.

Thorn’s Chalice Surface has been chosen for the corridors and breakout spaces for its high efficacy of 106lm/W and resulting low energy consumption. Chalice has an overall height of less than 100mm making it ideal for low ceiling depth. Omega LED has also been utilised in the breakout areas for good uniformity and adjustable mounting options for through-life flexibility. For the Atrium Glacier, a modern and efficient decorative LED pendant luminaire, has been installed to provide a high performance (91-124lm/W), efficient solution that suits the surrounding décor. To compliment Glacier, Zumtobel’s Ondaria, round wide-area luminaire with sound absorption has also been used. The elegant Ondaria is optimised to meet the demands of contemporary spaces that have an ‘open’ look and feel, offering an homogeneous light surface and excellent sound absorption.

Thorn’s IP65 rated Alumet Stage has been used to illuminate the exterior of the building to provide exceptional visual comfort during the night and decorative urban furniture during the day. This stylish column features a cylindrical diffuser containing up to six light modules with output reaching 6,600 lm and an impressive efficacy of 80 lm/W. Alumet Stage is capable of illuminating both horizontal and vertical surfaces, delivering maximum flexibility.

Zumtobel’s LiteNET lighting management system is being used in conjunction with a 360° Skyscanner on the roof of the building to deliver optimised visual comfort and energy efficiency. The Skyscanner sends environmental information to the LiteNET software enabling the setting of specifically designed brightness scenes by room or area to create defined atmospheres based on the purpose of that space. Central to the concept is the ability to allow daylight to form a fundamental part of the lighting strategy and be supplemented with exactly the right amount of artificial light to create the perfect environments needed for learning, communicating and growth.

The result of integrating efficient, attractive luminaires along with cutting edge lighting controls is a building which allows its architectural merit to shine hand in hand with exceeding the energy efficiency needed in a modern development.

Professor Michael Fernando, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, Computing and Engineering said: “We are very excited about the new purpose built SA1 Swansea Waterfront development and the opportunities it brings to the faculty. At SA1, the faculty will co-exist and co-create with industrial partners around the development. We will build further on this opportunity to create a Higher Education model that specialises in developing world-class industrial partnerships, excellence in STEM education and facilitates commercialisation and enterprise activities”.

Contact:

Tel: (0) 1388 420042