Consett Academy

As part of the Academy's push towards excellence and as an example of their ambition, the lighting throughout the site is currently being updated. BELL Lighting were the chosen manufacturer for the project, with all of the products being supplied by a local City Electrical Factors store.

Work on the replacements began in May, and the project is currently well underway with over 400 fittings already swapped out from old technology products to our new LED, CCT and Wattage Switchable options. The upgrade included replacements to a host of areas; our Mentor CCT Wattage Switchable LED Battens provided outstanding results within the Dance Hall and Multi-Use area, along with a set of Squash Courts which are also used by the local leisure centre, with the UGR element of the product being a key element of the product choice. These areas also saw a substantial reduction in energy use, with our products being more than twice as efficient as their old technology counterparts. As a whole, the Academy has calculated a payback of under one and a half years thanks to the exceptional energy savings which our products have allowed for, and the installer of the fittings spoke highly of our warranty offer as we explored the site with him.

Other product lines included the Deco Grande which was used in the Sixth Form Breakout Space, and our Arial LED Converters, which were used in several areas and provided a clear and impressive difference in lighting levels; we have shown a before and after example below, with the difference being highlighted by the Academy's Headteacher. Our Converters were primarily chosen thanks to their versatility, with cut-outs across the Academy being varied and at times problematic; our Arial LED Converter options mitigated these issues. Our Ultra LED Battens can be found in general areas, with their reliability being beneficial to any space which requires good light levels and uniformity.

Our Arial Plus UGR<19 600x600 LED Panels were used for all Classroom areas, with our 25W option being more than enough to light the spaces to the relevant lighting design standards. This again represented a significant energy saving across the Academy, as 55W products were previously installed in these areas.

The lighting overhaul has already proven to be a great success, but there is still more to come, with our Illumina Atlas Wattage Switchable LED High Bays currently being installed in the Main Atrium, and our Mentor CCT Wattage Switchable LED Battens due for installation in a large Sports Hall within the Academy. We are excited to revisit the site upon completion, and we will share images from the final result when more of our fittings are installed.