The near-derelict Kings Ash House building in Torbay has been regenerated into a modern office complex, featuring Dextra Lighting’s precision-engineered LED products and intelligent lighting controls. The installation helped recreate the smart and contemporary style characteristic of the TDA’s own offices and its other commercial properties, whilst delivering future-proof energy-efficient lighting.

about The client

The Torbay Development Agency (TDA) has dedicated itself to encouraging investment and stimulating economic growth in the South West region; offering its services as an award-winning property and assets management company. In 2014, The TDA’s firm commitment towards keeping development environmentally sustainable was lauded by the Salix Energy-Efficiency Fund through its Recognition of Exemplary Achievement. As part of an ongoing local regeneration programme, the TDA recently secured £1million of funding, to repurpose Kings Ash House; an old office building left unused for a number of years. The aim of the refurbishment project was to create 30 state-of-the-art offices to attract businesses from the surrounding area and increase job opportunities in Torbay. The grade “A” building was to be run and managed to an equally high standard by the TDA.

Reputable construction group, Morgan Sindall plc. were appointed to completely redesign and build the site’s interior; including features such as roof lighting and expanded windows, to create a vibrant and well-lit environment. During the second phase of development, Dextra Lighting was chosen by Mr. Adam Hobbs, Electrical Engineer, amongst competitors, for its vast and affordable luminaire range and its extensive portfolio of office refurbishment projects, to design and deliver a sustainable lighting system with a modern edge reminiscent of their own Tor Hill House offices in Torquay. The TDA was able to rely on Dextra Group’s total service for all their lighting needs – from the design, right through to assisting with the installation process. Dextra worked in partnership with Exeter-based electrical contractors, Dodd Group, during the installation and commissioning stage of the project.

The brief

The newly refurbished, Kings Ash House complex was designed to offer its tenants all the comforts and functionality of modern office accommodation. Using the existing TDA headquarters as a template, the lighting was to convey a smart, contemporary and professional image from the main entrance, right down to the building’s amenities. Since the 10,000sq.ft office facility was intended for 24-hour use, reducing power consumption and flexibility was also a top priority, with LED and the latest T5 fluorescent technology, advanced sensors and user-friendly dimming controls being key factors in achieving this goal. Low maintenance was also a central element in the design, in order to assist the TDA in managing the property cost-effectively and efficiently.

The solution

Offices – Sira

The central aim of the project was to create office spaces that would stand the test of time and attract businesses to set-up-shop in Torbay. As the offices would be advertised on major property sites and publications, the luminaires, as with the rest of the interior design, needed to create a striking first impression with potential clients. With this in mind, the Sira high-efficiency T5 luminaire was installed in each office for its appealing contemporary design and premium performance. The standalone version of the luminaire (also available in continuous runs for more design possibilities) was suspended over individual desk areas, with its bi-directional output equally splitting the light both above and below the fitting, to create an elegant visual balance. The Sira’s LG3 louvre offers full compliance to BSEN 12464 glare limit requirements, making it ideal for office applications where monitors are in use, whilst enhancing visibility and comfort in the work areas.

To reach maximum energy-saving potential in these areas, the luminaire was

installed with High-Frequency absence detectors, activating the luminaires only when each individual work-zone is occupied. Wall-mounted push-to-break switches were also fitted to allow users to manually turn the lights on or off whenever required. Integral three-hour, non-maintained emergency lighting drivers were also included with the luminaires to meet the building’s safety requirements.

In addition to its attractive design, highly efficient optics and T5 lamps, the Sira is also highly versatile; offered with a wide range of sensor and dimming controls (HFR, DSI, DALI, Switch and Bi-Level), luminaire sizes in either single of twin lamp configurations, as well as number of flexible installation tools and options, allowing the luminaires to be arranged according to the practical and aesthetic needs of each application.

‘The service provided by Dextra is second to none from the initial project brief to the after sales service and warranties’

Corridors – Protec LED

The corridors cut through the middle of each floor and are shared by all business tenants 24 hours a day. The ultra-versatile and efficient Protec LED with REAF 3 High-Frequency, Mid-Range presence/daylight detection sensors and controls, was installed to provide a smart, clean and professional ambience in the circulation areas, whilst minimising energy consumption throughout the day. Grey bezels and blue colour ring attachments provided a subtle and elegant look in the corridors. The 3000lm output variant, fitted with an Opti-Spec, specular reflector, provided a pleasant and uniform distribution using the widest luminaire spacings possible; economising on the costs of running the installation and purchasing extra luminaires.

The Protec LED’s popularity is owed to its ability to combine increased versatility, efficiency and aesthetic appeal. Using the latest Lumileds LEDs and highly efficient anodised aluminium reflectors, the luminaire offers LORs in excess of 90% in outputs of up to 3000lm, and a 60% average

reduction in electrical load compared to equivalent legacy light fixtures. These energy-efficient features tie in perfectly with the TDA’s sustainability policy, which combined with intelligent control gear, greatly accelerate returns on investment for the agency.

With a wide range of customisable options including beam angles and bezels, as well as interchangeable reflectors and colour attachments, the Protec LED offers increased flexibility and adaptability to tailor installations to suit changes in interior design, style and layout. The luminaire’s IP44 cover can be silicone-sealed to IP65 for bathrooms and other wet areas, whilst a BSEN 12464 compliant version can also be provided specifically for office use. Versatility with this range extends to installation, with a four-point, self-clamping spring bracket, allowing a quick and easy fit into plasterboard, mineral fibre and metal tile of varying thicknesses.

‘Our customers are also big fans of Dextra with one school asking for Dextra fittings to be installed again on their next project as they were so impressed with the transformation that the Revox, Discalo and the Graduate LED fittings had made on the areas in which they were installed.’

Entrance Foyer and Reception – Discalo LED, Capo LED & Protec LED

The impressive double height foyer and reception area required a selection of high-quality luminaires to provide a smart, professional and inviting introduction to the building. Alongside the Protec LED downlight acting as primary lighting from the entrance’s high ceiling, the Capo LED suspended luminaire provided accent lighting at a lower level around the reception desk. Its anodised spun aluminium housing, colourful translucent collar and opal refractor combine to offer a modern and decorative touch, ideal for high-end corporate applications. These attractive design features do not compromise performance, as its highly-efficient Lumileds LED chips provide equivalent lumens to 70W HID sources at approximately half the energy consumption, whilst eliminating the cost and inconvenience of frequent lamp changes. The Capo LED also offers a range of customisable dimming and emergency options which are incorporated within the luminaire’s housing, avoiding any remote control gear housings to affect the integrity of the reception’s decor and style.

The smart and contemporary design theme continued through to the stairwell leading up to the first-floor offices with the Discalo LED’s rear diffusers producing a unique and vibrant blue halo effect. Also available in white, the diffuser is easily detachable and can be replaced to suit changes in colour branding schemes. The Discalo LED range offers more than just aesthetic appeal. Its high-quality Lumileds LEDs and efficient diffuser guarantee LORs in excess of 80% for lumen outputs between 1500 and 3000lm, giving similar performance to traditional fluorescent or HID sources, but with significantly lower energy expenditure. To add to these energy savings, the luminaire is offered with a wide range of sensors and dimming controls (Switch, Dali and DSI), including a bi-level function to dim the LEDs to 10% output for continuous background lighting in corridors and stairwells for guidance and safety. Integral self-test or auto-test emergency can also be provided for this product.

feedback

The service provided by Dextra is second to none from the initial project brief to the after sales service and warrantees.

Their ability to assist in the design, produce drawings and accommodate multiple design changes and turn them around in a very short period of time is absolutely critical when working on a construction project of this nature.

It is not just their customer service that is impressive but also the light output ratios of the light fittings are very impressive compared to other manufactures’, enabling us to provide cost savings to our customers as well as providing a modern, professional looking lighting upgrade. The light fittings are very well made and over the last 5 years of specifying and installing various Dextra products over a number of different sites (schools, libraries, council buildings, offices, shop units etc) we have not had any failures and on every project we have had a positive response.

Our customers are also big fans of Dextra with one school asking for Dextra

fittings to be installed again on their next project as they were so impressed with the transformation that the Revox, Discalo and the Graduate LED fittings had made on the areas in which they were installed.

This along with their great product range, after sales care and very high quality and durability of the fittings made appointing Dextra a very easy decision to make.

The lights installed on the Kings Ash House Project have really transformed the building, by using a variety of the product ranges we have been able to greatly upgrade the lighting and lux levels in the building, which were very poor, and also significantly reduce the running costs. The vibrant blue halo produced by the Discalo LED in the stairwells and entrance foyer along with the blue rings on the Protect LED’s in the corridors and conference room and the very impressive high level Capo LED fittings provides a very modern and professional feel to the building.