The ESERP Business School Project
Not only is ESERP Business School a pioneering centre for bilingual university education, according to Forbes, it is also one of the top five business schools in Spain.
The school was founded in 1985, and its teaching methodology, which is adapted to emerging markets and creates a stimulating environment in which to develop and steer students’ abilities and decision-making capabilities, is one of its distinctive features. There are currently over 3,500 students from all around the world studying at the business school and it has an alumni network of over 41,000 former students.
In this article we will talk about...
- Lighting for visual comfort
- Appropriate lighting and academic performance
- Secom luminaires at ESERP Business School
- Energy savings and caring for the environment
- Quality illumination for a top-rated education centre
When the time came to update the lighting at this prestigious business school, installing high-quality luminaires capable of protecting the eye health of students and staff alike was singled out as a top priority. This is why Secom Iluminación’s luminaires were selected for the task. As a manufacturer based in Spain, we were able to adapt and deliver luminaires to suit each type of room at ESERP business school and the end result was consummate.
Lighting for visual comfort
When it came to drafting a luminaire proposal for this project, enhancing academic performance was the focal point of each decision we made. We sought to create a pleasing and agreeable environment and to mitigate visual fatigue and exhaustion. This meant ensuring that the lights did not cause glare or visual discomfort of any kind. The luminaires supplied by Secom Iluminación are made using a specific polycarbonate that creates indirect light capable of decreasing glare wherever they are installed.
It was also important to avoid flickering of any kind. While the flickering in lights is not visible to the naked eye, it can cause visual fatigue for anyone who remains in the area for a prolonged period of time and this can have a negative impact on academic performance, in addition to healthcare issues in the long term. This can be avoided by using top-quality drivers with several electronic filters to stabilise the electromagnetic wave, which helps to ensure that light beams are continuous and there is no flickering.
Appropriate lighting and academic performance
Enhancing the academic performance of students at ESERP Business School means keeping them active and eliminating any factors that could produce a state of lethargy or drowsiness.
This can be achieved by using luminaires with a neutral colour temperature (4,000 K) because it helps to improve mood and well-being. Using in warm colour tones in lighting tends to make people feel relaxed or even drowsy, which affects their circadian cycle and biological clock. Spending any great length of time in spaces with a very cool colour temperature, meanwhile, can cause discomfort and this, in turn, can affect how well students perform.
In addition to well-being and visual comfort, the lighting in each room also had to meet the provisions of corresponding regulations. This implied taking into account what each room is used for and increasing or decreasing the amount of light accordingly.
Last of all, in addition to appropriate lighting levels, it was also important to guarantee lighting uniformity so as to avoid shadows or areas with too much light.
Secom luminaires at ESERP Business School
It was our intention at Secom Iluminación to deliver an optimum solution, so we opted for a variety of systems that are mounted in different ways and adapt perfectly to all kinds of surfaces.
In classrooms, we used 60x60cm square panels from the Eslim LED group of luminaires. We installed them directly onto classroom ceilings since there were no suspended ceilings or spaces for fitting recessed lighting. The luminaires were positioned to make the most of the natural light coming into the rooms through glass ceiling panels.
Some classrooms, however, had large skylights which made fitting square panel lighting impossible. In these cases, we chose Aliket linear lights, which have two installation options: surface or suspended.
The Aliket luminaires were installed in a line along the entire length of the classrooms. We used the suspended installation option around the skylights and used metal cables that could withstand the weight of the lights. They were suspended to the same height as the luminaires that were fitted onto the ceiling and so there were no interruptions in the continuity of the light provided.
We also used recessed Aircom downlight luminaires in halls and conference rooms. This ensured that the lighting was uniform throughout and met the needs of users while providing a discreet look and helping direct students’ full attention to the speaker.
Energy savings and caring for the environment
The lighting requirements at top-ranking centres of education such as ESERP Business School imply installing many lights right throughout the facilities. The energy consumed by the lighting system represents a significant portion of the overall energy consumption and this translates into elevated financial outgoings.
Energy costs can be decreased by up to 50% by using Secom Iluminación LED technology luminaires. Not only does this lead to significant financial savings, it also decreases emissions of CO2 into the atmosphere and makes the facilities more environmentally friendly. Secom Iluminación LED luminaires also have the best quality components on the market, which extends their useful life to over 50,000 hours compared with the 30,000 hours that can be expected from fluorescent lights. This reduces installation maintenance costs quite considerably, in addition to the time needed to recoup the investment.
Quality illumination for a top-rated education centre
The lighting at ESERP Business School was updated thanks to luminaires manufactured and supplied by Secom Iluminación. The results were entirely satisfactory and staff and students can now go about their tasks in an inviting environment while the business school benefits from other important advantages.
