16 PROJECT CUNDALL OFFICES, BIRMINGHAM

PROJECT DETAILS PROJECT CUNDALL OFFICES, BIRMINGHAM LIGHTING DESIGNER CUNDALL LIGHT4 SUPPLIERS ACDC, CONCORD, FAGERHULT

July 2014

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17 PROJECT

Watch this space Workspaces are in the midst of a lighting revolution as a new design approach is defying office conventions. Leading the charge is Andrew Bissell at Cundall’s specialist lighting team Light4, who explains how he achieved a 50 per cent saving per square metre at his company’s office branch in Birmingham. Scott Lang reports  www.lighting.co.uk

July 2014

18 PROJECT Cundall offiCes, Birmingham

 DESIGNFILE a snapshot of the winners of this year’s iald awards p24

“Good lighting is vital. Few of us work well in poor light – it can have a big impact on productivity in the workplace”

Beneficial cutbacks Cundall light4’s scheme at its Birmingham office is up to 50 per cent more energy efficient than many standard offices

W

hile offices have evolved over the decades to accommodate new ways of working, the way they are lit has largely remained on a plateau of progress. Historically, when it comes to lighting design, offices are often treated as one sprawling hegemonic space, which results in characterless continuity explains Cundall Light4’s lighting director Andrew Bissell.

Bland spaces

“This approach is a very inefficient way to design that creates uniform bland spaces and levels of light that are not needed in certain areas. “By considering the tasks that will be undertaken and placing lights where they are needed, it’s a great opportunity not only to create better-quality spaces, but also to save energy at the same time,” he says. This emphasise on task-centric lighting design coincides with a raft of encouragement from many of the industry’s most notable lighting guides, which are starting to reflect the changes in research and technology. In September last year Bissell joined speakers from the British Council for Offices (BCO), Arup and architects Allford Hall Monaghan Morris at a forum hosted by Lighting, which July 2014

highlighted new thinking about the best way to light offices and coincided with the launch of the BCO’s new guide to office lighting. “Previously there was no guidance but now the British Standards, the BCO literature and other guides are actively promoting a drive to reduce carbon emissions and use artificial lighting only where and when it’s is needed,” Bissell explains. Pioneering project

“Good lighting is essential in an office. Few of us work well in poor light and it can have a big impact on productivity in the workplace,” says Richard Kauntze, chief executive of the BCO. At Cundall’s Birmingham headquarters, Bissell employed a lighting scheme that delivers a staggering connected load of 6W/m2 for 100 per cent light output. This is up to 50 per cent more energy efficient than many standard offices.

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20 PROJECT Cundall offiCes, Birmingham

Photos: Cundall and mc photo studio

This figure also doesn’t consider that the lighting-control system is currently set to 75 per cent and will dim further or switch off when daylight or absence is detected. Consequently, Bissell infers that the energy saving is likely to be closer to 75 per cent. “We wanted to do something a bit different and showcase what can be achieved with a dedicated design strategy,” he says. Central to the concept is to illuminate a task zone with the appropriate amount of lux – depending on the task carried out – and diffuse the immediate surrounding area with lower-intensity lighting. The spill from this ambient lighting is often enough to illuminate the gaps between workspaces, which lowers energy consumption and makes the space more interesting, says Bissell. Breakout areas, meeting rooms and other zones, such as corridors, that don’t need maximum lux levels are treated separately. The work carried out at the Birmingham offices informed the design approach as Cundall undertakes a myriad engineering tasks.

“We made careful consideration about desk placement and distance form fittings to ensure each task had the right amount of light” Andrew Bissell, Cundall Light4

In the mix fluorescents were used in 75 per cent of the space but leds were used in areas like the reception (above), the waiting area (below) and the boardroom

“We have a broad range of specialities in house and needed lux levels to accommodate computer and CAD work in addition to paper-based tasks such as drafting and sketching. “We made careful considerations about desk placement, the distance from fittings, along with the various working planes, to make the most of natural light and to ensure each task had the right amount of light.” Bissell modelled a series of scenarios using DIALux software to test and assess the appropriate balance between light and acoustic performance, which, he says, was integral to the scheme’s success he says. “We spent a lot of time trying different options to provide flexibility and ensure that the materials, lighting and acoustics are fully integrated,” he explains. A key theme in this approach is accessibility and simplicity says Bissell, who believes occupants should be able to control their own environments. Consequently, there are no high-tech computer interfaces and office workers can adjust levels of light to suit their needs. Fluorescents v LEDs

Fluorescents were selected to illuminate 75 per cent of the total space, which covers the open plan office and small meeting rooms. This is was to take advantage of the direct and indirect  light they provide explains Bissell. July 2014

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22 PROJECT Cundall offiCes, Birmingham

“We decided to use traditional fittings for this project because they are very efficient. We calculated exactly what was needed and there were too few fixtures to warrant enough of a saving to use LEDs. Also, you only need one tube with fluorescents whereas you need two with LEDs – back to back, one to fire up and one to fire down.” LEDs were selected for the remaining 25 per cent, which includes the reception, waiting area and boardroom. Room for improvement

While task-centric lighting can save energy and make office spaces more dynamic however, there’s no denying that it is more difficult to design a scheme for an environment if you don’t know the end user. So how can you tackle this? The answer is to work backwards says Bissell. “We can deduce a rough plan of where certain areas are going to be, based on the structure and layout of the building – reception desks are usually near the entrance doors, breakout rooms are often central elements and

circulation spaces usually abut lifts and sanitary facilities. From there we can generate a scheme that suits this set-up and add additional fittings for flexibility,” he says. Right approach

Cundall Light4’s approach is already starting to make waves within the office sector – the company has recently signed a contract to undertake a new build office fit-out, where this energy-saving ethos is also employed. Due for completion next year, the project, which is located in Manchester, will use a hybrid scheme that aims to create task-centric elements in addition to offering extra fittings that can create a grid system if needed. “We’re at the in-between stage where clients are more open to doing something different but they still need to be able to sell the spaces,” says Bissell. “Uniform lighting is what people know, so we also have to incorporate options that can allow for traditional lighting set-ups.” 

Fixtures in Focus – Andrew Bissell tAlks through the technology used  COnCORd BEaCOn MusE LEd “This was selected for its out-and-out performance. With onboard dimming and an adjustable beam angle, it allowed us to light exactly what we wanted.”

 FagERhuLT avIOn C/w LaMELL LOuvRE (T5) “This was primarily selected for its aesthetic but it is also a very efficient light fitting. The emergency and passive infrareds are integrated into the fitting. This reduces clutter on the acoustic rafts while the lamell louvre eliminates glare.”

 COnCORd InvERTO LEd “it was perfect for the reception design and to reflect the modular block-like nature of the adjacent open-plan office layout.”

July 2014

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