Coventry school achieves 97% efficiency with DC PoE power
A school in the English West Midlands has achieved lighting power efficiency of 97 per cent by using a direct-current Power-over-Ethernet connection for its lighting.
Whitecroft Lighting collaborated with technology specialists Prolojik at the West Coventry Academy, one of the first Net Zero Carbon (NZC) schools under the Department for Education’s (DfE) Modern Methods of Construction Framework.
The project, led by construction firm Bowmer + Kirkland, required an innovative approach to meet the targets from the outset.
The project faced several challenges, including the need to minimise both embodied carbon and operational emissions.
Additionally, the new school was working to strict completion deadlines – it had to be constructed on the existing site, before the academic year.
Whitecroft Lighting says it ‘leveraged its experience in educational lighting’ to surpass the DfE’s energy efficiency standards.
Collaborating with Prolojik, Whitecroft introduced innovations, including a switch from traditional AC to DC systems for the 1,500 luminaires. This shift, powered by Prolojik’s power-over-ethernet DC driver, achieved 97 per cent efficiency in lighting operations.
Power over Ethernet is the ability to deliver 48 VDC of power over the same copper cable as is used for Ethernet networks to drive low-power devices such as LED luminaires. With PoE, the lighting installation can be used for both control and monitoring of the lighting, and the harvesting of data from sensors embedded within the light fittings.
Custom-designed Bluetooth lanyards optimised energy use by adjusting lighting profiles based on the wearer’s role. Additionally, modular lighting units and emergency testing systems streamlined installation and reduced operational carbon footprints.
The result was an energy efficiency level of 2.5W per square metre, a first for NZC buildings.
The project achieved immediate carbon and cost savings and laid the groundwork for ongoing efficiency improvements across future B+K academies, demonstrating a forward-thinking approach to sustainable school construction.
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• Image Credit: Bowmer + Kirkland
