"The project highlights our ability to work on high-profile projects that demand exceptional levels of performance," says Phil Haldane, Black Light's head of business development. "It also demonstrates our ability to work with consultants to deliver projects to strict cost specifications."
Black Light was commissioned by the building's electrical contractor FES to deliver and install an LED architectural lighting system to illuminate the building's facade. This lighting scheme was designed by Arup, the consultant for the project, and utlises 60 Traxon Technologies Wall Wash LED fittings and eCue control systems. It allows the exterior of the building to be 'brought to life' in various ways, by creating a range of different kinetic lighting effects and moods.
"We were chosen to deliver the project because of our in-depth understanding of its technical requirements and our ability to bring the project in on budget," says Haldane. "The project called for the highest levels of technical and aesthetic performance. Our team delivered in both these areas."
The state-of-the-art Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome is due to be opened in late 2012. When finished, it will become the home of track cycling in Scotland and will host world-class events such as the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Once on site, Black Light's team installed all necessary cables, data lines and control equipment, as well as the 60 LED fittings themselves. They also installed a range of wall-mounted control panels and touchscreen interfaces to meet the client's need for ease of control. The commissioning of the system involved a range of programming and testing tasks.
The project's key technical challenges included the length of the data cable that had to be employed, high-level access problems and the fact that Black Light's team had to work in amongst other contractors and round the building's landscaping. All of these challenges were overcome through careful planning and lateral thinking.
(Jim Evans)
