LED light: LED Relighting: Energy efficient lighting for Millfield School

Millfield is one of the leading UK independent schools for boys and girls, aged 2-18 years. It is not like other schools and never has been. The prestigious private school, located in the beautiful English County of Somerset, is where excellence in facilities, teaching and coaching comes together with the child at the centre.

Millfield is at the forefront of child development helping each individual to discover their own brilliance. Part of their ethos is shaping the school around the child. To ensure their facilities reflect this, they recently completed a full lighting project for a variety of spaces across the campus. This project has illuminated the spectacular architecture, brought visual comfort, created light uniformity and cultivated a space for creativity, productivity and engagement. The results have perfectly aligned with the schools net-zero programme, reducing energy consumption by up to 60%.
In 2005, ERCO lighting were specified to integrate halogen fittings through the school. With the recent move to LED technology, ERCO and Millfield have built on their existing relationship and collaborated on a brand new lighting refurbishment with LED and Bluetooth technology. Ashley White, Senior Electrician at Millfield School had this to say on the project, ‘‘Working with ERCO has been seamless from start to finish. The team worked with us to deliver an innovative lighting refurbishment and solutions. The lighting has truly uplifted the building and spaces for students and staff. The light uniformity is second to none and has brought a new dimension to the architecture.’’

50% energy saving with LED illumination

Upon entering the entrance foyer to the concert hall, one is met with quality illumination levels and uniform light output. Making the switch from halogen to LED, has not only improved the visual comfort of the space and brought the architecture to life, increasing the light output by 50%, it has significantly reduced the energy consumption by 50%. This has been achieved using ERCO’s sleek Atrium Pendant luminaire, elegantly adorning the ceiling, welcoming students, staff and visitors into this prestigious educational space.

The theme of energy reduction is prevalent throughout the Millfield School project, a significant achievement which was honoured from conception to completion. This has been achieved with LED luminaires integrated with a combination of Dali and Casambi technology used within different areas of the School. Within the concert hall, Dali technology was part of the original installation, and so, this was maintained and upgraded to align with the LED solution. Across many areas of Millfield, the lighting has simply been refurbished rather than integrating a completely new lighting concept. The new luminaires were easily adapted to the original concept, resulting in a smooth transition from halogen to LED.

Orchestrating Music & Light: 60% less energy consumption with LED

With over 75 performances per year, 30 different ensembles from classical to rock and 450 individual lessons, Millfield’s music programme is one of the best. Students participate in National Youth Choirs, Orchestras and Ensembles, renowned festivals, competitions, worldwide tours, and regular performances. Millfield Music School’s facilities includes a 350-seat concert hall, which is adorned with ERCO’s Atrium luminaire seamlessly recessed into the wooden ceiling. The luminaire gracefully illuminates the concert hall, harmoniously integrating with the architecture. From halogen to LED luminaires, the hall has been transformed into a state of the art facility for budding young musicians to flourish.

This Dali controlled scheme, moves with the music, allowing full flexibility and scene setting from daily assembly’s, to performances and seminars. The Concert Hall is a hub for an array of activity and is now complete with a human centric lighting scheme which perfectly with aligns with this. Staff can control the lighting at the touch of a button, dimming and brightening, illuminating the choir during performances and creating ambiance for events. Switching from halogen to LED luminaires, the concert hall has achieved a 60% reduction in energy consumption and a significant reduction in maintenance. This future-proof system honours the schools net-zero programme and eco-focus. In recent years the School has increased awareness to ensure they make sustainable decisions in every department to create a better world for generations to come.

Human Centric Lighting for wellbeing and visual comfort

Millfield’s Dining Hall, is a space for collaboration, conversation, and relaxation, to enjoy some downtime and reflect on a day of learning. It is also a space for events, for students, staff and guests. Using ERCO’s Atrium Pendant luminaires integrated with Casambi technology, the School now boasts a modern and fresh dining hall, with flawless illumination for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

When asked about the project, Ashley White, Senior Electrician at Millfield School, had this to say, ‘‘We are thrilled with the new luminaires in the dining hall, with students and staff often commenting on the stark difference from the previous fittings. The existing fittings were 20 year old fluorescents, which gave very little light, making the space dark and dim, with no visual comfort. Integrating these state of the art LED luminaires, has had a huge impact, not only on the visual perception of the space, but also the energy consumption.’’

This is the ERCO Greenology © approach to illumination. The proprietary lens technology is the basis for optics that project light precisely onto the target surface. The distribution of the luminaire thus has no light spill and is therefore up to 60% more effective than conventional methods of light control which use reflector technology. This results in high lux levels and no wasted energy.

Casambi technology further enhances the LED luminaires, to bring flexibility and adaptability to the Dining Hall. From daily meals for students to evening events, the space can be transformed to adapt to any activity, at the touch of a button.

The Art of Illumination

Established in 1992, the School’s nationally renowned Atkinson Gallery hosts major contemporary art exhibitions, which are open to the general public. It aims to support young, aspiring artists and bring prestigious, international art to the South West region. Past exhibitors of the Atkinson Gallery have been Andy Warhol, Albert Irvin OBE, Sir Anthony Caro, Lynn Chadwick CBE and Gillian Ayres, to name but a few.

Steve Thompson, Sales Director, ERCO, on illuminating the Gallery, ‘‘The Atkinson is truly a space of art and history, it was an honour to be specified to re-light this iconic space. ERCO are internationally renowned for gallery lighting, priding ourselves on conservation and providing quality illumination to bring artwork to life. Using ERCO’s Parscan spotlight on track and Optec, the students inspiring artworks have been delicately enhanced. The LED technology contributes to further energy-reduction across the gallery and aids in artwork conservation with the benefit of heat reduction.’’

Atkinson Gallery which hosts four exhibitions per year, celebrating the work of both students and visiting artists, is now fitted with a fully adaptable lighting scheme for different exhibitions and artworks. ERCO have supplied the gallery with a variety of interchangeable colour lenses, so the space can perfectly transition from a cool to a warm light in minutes.

The School of Illumination

Additionally, the staff room has recently received a long-awaited refurbishment, the space has been modernised and transformed, creating areas for staff to work, meet, and rest. Atrium, Parscan on track, Skim downlights and Starpoint, have been integrated into the space creating a warm and relaxing atmosphere for staff to enjoy. Alongside the architectural luminaires, ERCO lighting also provided functional emergency lighting throughout the school. Creating a safe and directional scheme for all occupants.

The relationship between ERCO and Millfield School goes back to 2005 where ERCO were originally specified to integrate halogen luminaires through the School. Today, this long-standing relationship has curated a modern and fresh approach to illumination in the education sector, bringing a future-proof and energy saving scheme to students and staff with LED and Bluetooth technology.

People are at the very heart of ERCO projects, and this ethos is at the core of illuminating hubs of education. Millfield school shapes the school around the child and ERCO have delivered a solution to uphold this value, which is not only, flexible, adaptable and engaging but, cares for the future, with future-proof and sustainable luminaires.