CP Electronics dives in to Ashton Old Baths refurbishment

CP Electronics’ intelligent controls are helping to save energy costs at the
newly refurbished Ashton Old Baths in Manchester.

Following a £4m refurbishment, which included intelligent energy controls from CP Electronics, a Greater Manchester landmark has been transformed into a sustainable, energy efficient media hub.

Grade II-listed Ashton Old Baths was empty for 40 years before property developer PlaceFirst and Tameside Council implemented a complete refurbishment programme, attracting various grants.

The result is a digital, creative and media hub which is divided into several self-contained, free-standing office pods inside the original building, which dates from 1870.

To reduce energy costs, and enhance sustainability, presence and absence detectors from CP Electronics were installed. These provide automatic control of lighting in the building, also contributing to occupant safety by illuminating dark corridors and stairwells. A combination of adjustable head, flush mounted MWS3A microwave detectors and compact, flushmounted EBDSPIR passive infrared (PIR) presence detectors were specified.

Installing standard lighting controls was a challenge, because although the interior of Ashton Old Baths has a contemporary design, the external fixtures are still dated. MWS3A microwave detectors would usually be installed utilising a suspended ceiling, with the PIR sensor either flush or surface mounted. However, as Ashton Old Baths dates back to 1870, this was not possible.

Joel Schofield, Project Manager at Performance Electrical, explains: “As we could not continue with a typical ceiling installation for this project, we had to work with CP to come up with an alternative solution.

“Both the EBDSPIR and MWS3A detectors have been designed to facilitate a simple plug-in connection and can be provided together with specialist wall mount brackets. This meant that they are ideal for retrofit projects such as this one, and we were able to quickly and easily install the controls on wall brackets, with minimal physical impact on the building’s structure.”

As a council-run building, meeting energy efficiency targets was key. It was important that CP Electronics’ detectors could demonstrate energy efficiency savings. By utilising a combination of PIR detectors and automatic microwave presence detection, intelligent lighting controls can identify
when these shared spaces are being occupied, automatically switching the lighting off, and saving money, once they become vacant.

Today, Ashton Old Baths have been transformed with the project achieving a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rating.

Nick Booth, Area Sales Manager at CP Electronics, said: “The regeneration of Ashton Old Baths shows what can be achieved when you retrofit an intelligent energy control solution to an ageing building.”

www.cpelectronics.co.uk