Setting new benchmarks for efficiency and design

Doltone House, Hyde Park, one of Sydney’s most iconic venues, has undergone a major refurbishment that is expected to lead to significant improvements in energy efficiency.

Function and event venues demand high-performance lighting solutions to seamlessly adapt to the varied uses of the building. The revamped venue features 5-metre-high ceilings with an abundance of natural light via floor-to-ceiling spectacular windows. It also features a sweeping double-stitched black leather staircase and purpose-made crystal chandeliers, which represent a modern interpretation of old-world glamour befitting Doltone House’s dress circle position overlooking Hyde Park.

Working closely with electrical contractors Alland Group (www.allandgroup.com.au) and lighting consultants Lighting, Art + Science (www.laands.com.au), mySmartCTI designed and delivered a C-Bus lighting and blind control system that is easy to use and meets the flexibility of the different venue spaces.

The lighting control system uses a combination of feature lights directly switched through C-Bus relays and DALI-controlled house light fittings. The reason for having such a combination of light controls is that the spectacular installation light fittings do not require dimming and as such there is no requirement for them to have DALI compatibility.

The house light fittings benefit from DALI control by being able to be individually addressed and operated through a number of preset dimming-based scenes. The use of DALI also facilitates ease of reconfiguring the event spaces should the need arise in the future. Back-of-house lighting is also controlled via C-Bus; however, it uses manual switch points for staff to be easily able to access lighting in these spaces while still giving central control via the touch screens.

The C-Bus control equipment is installed within custom-built DIN-rail enclosures adjacent to the associated distribution boards. To maintain the necessary system redundancy and stability per level, the system uses a backbone network to interlink the different floors.

Automated blinds and curtains are now the de facto standard for premium event venues as their ability to be centrally controlled means that rooms can be seamlessly configured at the touch of a button. C-Bus Blind relays are used to switch blinds and louvres directly from the DLT switches and touch screen.

Numerous DLT switches throughout the event rooms and a central touch screen allow preset lighting scenes to be easily called up. The touch screen also allows rooms to be linked together and preset scenes to be modified. The main page of the touch screen allows activation of the four presets, control of blockout and shade blinds, and access to other rooms/areas.