Automation does not necessarily require a complex building management system or a complete technological rebuild.
Sometimes the task is much simpler:
how can an existing system be upgraded so that it requires less manual intervention?
In this project, there was nothing wrong with the lighting itself.
The problem was how it had to be controlled.
The tennis courts are illuminated by 96 floodlights, each rated at 400 W, connected through four separate electrical distribution boards.
The existing lighting system was operating correctly, so there was no reason to replace the luminaires or rebuild the complete electrical infrastructure.
The objective was simply to make control of the existing system easier and accessible remotely.
When introducing automation, it is easy to assume that a new control concept requires an entirely new system.
In many cases, however, the existing infrastructure is perfectly suitable.
The better solution is to upgrade only the part that creates unnecessary operational complexity.
That was the approach taken here.
The control of the four existing distribution boards was modified so that the tennis court lighting could be operated remotely.
Following the upgrade, operating the lighting no longer requires someone to physically visit the electrical distribution boards every time the courts need to be switched on or off.
The system can be controlled remotely, including from a mobile phone.
This is particularly useful for a facility where lighting demand may depend on:
The operator can therefore activate the required lighting when it is actually needed.
This project did not require a completely new lighting installation.
It did not need one.
Instead, we improved the specific part of the existing system that made everyday operation unnecessarily inconvenient.
That is what a well-designed automation solution should do: not make the system more complicated, but make operation simpler.
The value of automation is not necessarily measured by the size or complexity of the system.
A relatively small intervention can provide significant practical benefits if it:
Good automation does not necessarily attract attention.
You simply notice that something no longer needs to be done manually.
In many cases, remote monitoring or control can be added while retaining the existing equipment.
Let’s find out how your operation could be made simpler.
