Solarcrown Commercial’s strategic lighting and energy reduction programme for GMCA Fire Authority is already igniting interest.
At the beginning of 2019 GMCA awarded Solarcrown Commercial a 4-year contract via the Procure Plus Framework to design, supply and install a retrofit low energy lighting solution across the stock of the borough’s Fire Stations.
Solarcrown Commercial’s success on this competitive and technically demanding tender was credited to the quality and ingenuity of their solution.
The design challenges posed by the unique environment of a Fire Station included demanding spaces and operations such as
- High temperature drying rooms, used by Fire Fighters to dry post operational wet kit with dehumidifiers and temperatures between 35 and 40 deg C.
- High quality task lighting where daytime operations such as checking firefighting equipment and systems is conducted.
- Rest areas where warm ambient lighting is required to assist with relaxation and recouperation.
- Lighting controls integrated with Fire Station emergency operations, working seamlessly in “turn out” scenarios.
- Emergency lighting products and controls to remove the need for disruptive external maintenance visits.
The solutions provided by Solarcrown Commercial had to resolve all these challenges whilst also reducing the energy consumption, cost, and carbon footprint of illuminating each Station.
The attention to detail and quality of components proposed in Solarcrown Commercial’s bid set them in a commanding position when the bids were scrutinized for both cost and compliance. Feedback on Solarcrown Commercial’s bid noted.
- Specialist high temperature rated LED drivers and boards suitable for harsh environments, with a 100,000-hour lifetime to ensuring lighting will not fail due to high temperature and humidity.
- Office lighting compliant with UGR19 glare ratings.
- Combination of 4000k White and 3000k Warm White LED products for individual environments.
- Use of blue-chip branded components, such as Tridonic, Philips, Vossloh and Osram in manufacture and assembly.
- Intelligent self-test emergency lighting solution to perform a testing regime in accordance with BS 5266 added to the scheme without disruption to client and contractor.
This positive feedback added to the success of Solarcrown Commercial’s bid and ultimately to a successful contract award.
Stephen Scully of Solarcrown Commercial said,
“We were delighted to be awarded this contract in recognition of the technical and commercial prowess of our proposal. Our ability to design our lighting schemes to meet relevant CIBSE Guidelines and manufacture our lighting products unique to our customers’ requirements often sets us apart from our competition. Having control of our design and manufacturing allows us to vary the lumen output from individual fittings and therefor maximise the carbon reduction and energy performance of every fitting. Solarcrown Commercial are not constrained by a narrow product range or fixed product outputs.
The challenge of surveying, designing, and supplying a project of this size and significance sits well within the capabilities of the team at Solarcrown Commercial. We are currently working on 23 of the 40 Fire Stations and are now able to confirm the energy and carbon savings from individual sites to the sustainability team at the GMCA.
Even with a modest electricity rate, savings of £13k and 35 tonnes of carbon are expected on each of the following 4 sites every year and another 36 to go.“
Should you wish to discuss any of the projects, technologies and solutions please contact Solarcrown Commercial.