In developing this world class facility the HKA remained committed to the principles that it considers to be of paramount importance. In this respect, as well as an internationally acclaimed, dynamic educational programme, the Academy has constructed a campus that adheres to the internationally recognised system that assesses and certifies the environmental performances of new buildings in Hong Kong.
A major feature of the new campus is a 350-seat auditorium, one of a number of facilities designed to be shared with the wider community. Through Hugh Chinnick of Pacific Lighting (HK) Ltd working with theatre consultant Michael Smyth, GDS was asked to supply a high quality house-lighting system that could meet stringent demands in respect of environmental sustainability. The system was to include cleaners, auditorium and emergency lighting. The lighting control needed to offer the flexibility to cater for different uses of the space, for example modular retractable seating to enable greater flexibility of the floor space.
Of no little importance was the issue of affordability. Energy costs in Hong Kong are high and so it was crucial that the 'payback period' obtained from an efficient installation was short. GDS ArcSystem has long established its 'green' credentials in this respect across a diversity of locations and was an obvious, strong choice for this thoroughly modern development.
In order to conform to the BEAM Plus requirements of the project, the use of LED lighting was essential and to this end GDS ArcSystem was specified. Almost 100 ArcSystem Pro Fixture fittings were used to cover the brief, wirelessly controlled using the GDS ArcMesh protocol. The efficiency and quality of the ArcSystem LEDs comfortably met the challenge of providing sustainable lighting in a 'healthy' building.
Hugh Chinnick of Pacific Lighting (HK) Ltd comments, "The new campus at The HKA is at the cutting edge of educational institutions in Hong Kong with regards to facilities and attention to sustainability. Naturally the auditorium installation demanded the highest possible standards of light quality, distribution, reliability and environmental benefits. The GDS ArcSystem represented the obvious choice."
GDS MD Matt Lloyd adds, "This was the first installation of ArcSystem in Hong Kong and as such constitutes an exciting development. We have enjoyed a strong presence in the Asian market for a few years with our other products and have been involved in some big projects. In particular our stage manager's consoles have been a prominent success across the region, as has our working lights BluesSystem. ArcSystem's highly efficient LED lighting has shown itself to be a winner in a wide range of applications and we are pleased to open up another territory to its proven qualities."
(Jim Evans)
