With all the recent political talk about Climate Change and a worldwide focus on reducing carbon emissions and dependence on natural resources, every new construction now faces the complicated challenge of being energy efficient, or as the politicians like to say, being ‘green.’
Such concerns were evident in the design of Oxley College’s new gymnasium. Project Manager for the construction of the building Robert Duncan of the Life Ministry Centre – the Christian church affiliated with the school – is now also Manager of the stadium and states that “Energy Sustainability was a big consideration for the building, even from the early stages of design.”
With the stadium requiring a heavy reliance on Artificial Lighting, the concept of daylight harvesting – using PE sensors to monitor the level of natural light available and dim the artificial lights accordingly – was bought to Robert’s attention at a design meeting with Advanced Lighting Technologies and BRT Consulting, who wanted the new gymnasium to utilise the latest in lighting design and system control.
Lightmoves supplied and commissioned a fully comprehensive daylight harvesting package for the five basketball courts that are illuminated via custom MH High Bay lights. PE Sensors located at the end of each basketball court read the lux levels of the room and dim the special ballast in the High Bay lights via a 0-10v control signal to the appropriate level. Temperature sensors in the stadium roof are programmed to turn the lights off once the temperature hits 40 degrees; the point in which the special ballasts can no longer efficiently operate. The Dynalite Lighting Control System was also responsible for general control of fluorescents in the foyer, toilets and upstairs class rooms, with Stretch Electrics doing the installation.
Dynalite’s own end-user software program Controlsoft with the on-screen ‘Virtual Control Panel’ was used as the primary user interface. The software allows Robert to easily create his own usage schedules, create and adjust preset levels (which include a low-level ‘Cleaners’ preset, which operates early morning) and even access information regarding circuit usage, lamp burn times and fault reports; which assists him in administering and planning scheduled maintenance.
Even in its infancy, the Oxley College Gymnasium is heavily used with the venue operating seven days a week, including competition on Saturdays and church groups on Sundays. This extensive usage has kept both Robert and the control system fairly busy. “So far, the lighting control system has been running effectively and has easily met our expectations. With the venue used this much, it’s frightening to think how much energy would be wasted running the lights at 100%, seven days a week.”
Dynalite equipment used
3 x DDRC1210 Relay Controllers
3 x DDRC820 Relay Controllers
2 x DDBC1200 HF Ballast Controllers
17 x DLP User Panels
8 x DUS704C Universal Motion Sensors
11 x DUS704w Universal Motion Sensors
6 x DUS704W Universal PE Sensors
2 x DTS900 Temperature Sensors
For more information on Dynalite Lighting Control Systems, please contact Haydn Brennan of Lightmoves on (03) 9701 2500.
www.lightmoves.com.au
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