A wind turbine over 50m tall with a unique curved column is instantly recognisable to drivers on the M4 corridor which heads into London. Built by British Sky Broadcasting’s west London office in 2012 it generates enough power to make the building completely energy self-sufficient. A Pharos control solution has been specified by to make a feature of the structure and ensure Sky’s brand presence is visible on the London skyline.
A Pharos LPC 1 controller brings the turbine to life through various colour change effects on multiple Urbis Schreder LED light sources. Photocells automatically turn the scheme on when darkness falls and off when daylight breaks, resulting in further energy saving benefits and helping Sky to minimise its overall power consumption, with the provision to link colour changes to the levels of energy generated from the main building.
A particular challenge of the project was to meet the Civil Aviation Authority’s requirements in respect of the turbine’s proximity to Heathrow’s flight path. 16 Schreder Neos LED floodlights are carefully positioned around the base of the turbine creating a uniform wash of light over the whole structure to remove any potential hotspots or glare, which could confuse approaching aircraft.
Pharos’ versatility in providing an easily programmable control option means that the LPC has no issue with running the lighting fixtures independently or together, and its Designer software provides an intelligent solution for the management of energy consumption and to highlight the ongoing conversion of wind to power.
