Lifeboat College Dimmer Project - 21

Functional design and energy saving with Futronix PFX system

Opened by HM Queen Elizabeth II, the Royal Lifeboat College overlooking the sea at Poole, Dorset blends functional design and a subtly nautical theme. Electrical systems for the college were handled by Faber Maunsell, who specified FutronixPFX systems to control all lighting in the auditorium, restaurant and bar.

Auditorium

The auditorium, located in the building proper, features maritime detailing in the rounded cutout windows in door-panels, contemporary wall-sculptures hinting at lifebelts, and a bold Chinese red ceiling in the 'corridor' area.

The auditorium can be partitioned into two completely separate rooms, with different lighting controls available for both of the smaller auditorium areas thus created, as well as the remaining central corridor. At least 20 scene settings are available for each area created in any configuration. Partition limit switches, mounted in the partition door frames, detect when both partitions are opened and trigger the change-over from one area to the two separate areas automatically.

Lighting is mainly LV downlights with two rows of fluorescent fittings adjacent to the corridor area. Two PFX1210 panels are located in the service area, operated from SP4 outstations in each zone and in the corridor.

Restaurant

The restaurant uses white cold cathode tubes above the windows, LV downlights around the windows and around the central spiral staircase. And coloured fluorescent tubes configured into two 'ships wheels' complement 3 circuits of circular fluorescent fittings and emergency lights for general illumination. The overall effect of the different types of lighting is stunning and multi-scene capability provides mood lighting for every occasion.

In the slate-floored cafeteria area the marine-door detailing is continued from the auditorium, and flowing servery counters inset with 'wave' motifs are highlighted by curving soffits overhead housing blue cold cathode tubes.

A single PFX 1210 panel in the service area is controlled by an SP4 switch adjacent to the servery. Power for the fluorescent 'ships wheels' ballasts is supplied directly from the PFX panel and the dimming control via a 1-10v converter from the PFX AD card.

Bar

A staircase spirals around the rope-wound central pillar to the bar above, its' railings and balusters suggesting ships railings. Pipeframe stools and circular banquettes carry on the flowing marine theme.

Overhead, ringed by LV downlights, a circular soffit lit by blue cold cathode tubes surrounds the top of the flared out pillar, with LV downlights adjacent to the bar and two orange cold cathode circles helping to impart a soft and warm lighting effect to the room.

As in the restaurant below, LV downlights at the pillars and white cold cathode tubes above the windows frame the view with warm tones to counteract the cool exterior views.

A single PFX 1210 panel is located in the service area, controlled by an SP4 switchplate in the corridor.

Lighting Controls for Restaurant and Bar

In both restaurant and bar, the low voltage and cold cathode lights are driven directly from the PFX panel via suitable transformers. Circular fluorescents and emergency lighting are permanently powered from the PFX panel. On/off switching and dimming control for fluorescent fittings is via an internally mounted DSI controller linked to the PFX AD card. Emergency light-fitting power detection input is also fed from the PFX panel through a permanently energised relay, which monitors loss of mains or PFX card low voltage supply failure.

The Futronix PFX system enhances the occupants experience, while saving energy and proving itself to be maintenance free.