When the Conifers Primary School in Weymouth was earmarked for a complete rebuild, Dorset County Council had no hesitation in appointing RIDI as the lighting provider for the new development. Now, a year on from the new school’s official opening in 2006 and with pupils coming to the end of this year’s first term, it seems that the RIDI installation has received top marks.

Involved in the planning and design process from the start, RIDI was able to tailor a complete installation package which offered an attractive yet functional lighting system and one that would contribute to a relaxing learning environment.

The school’s design team, headed by developers Rok, was able to take advantage of RIDI’s extensive range of lighting solutions, using a selection of suspended and recessed luminaires. In each of the classrooms and office areas, RIDI’s recessed Miela units were used. The Miela range was designed especially to remove the problem of uneven light distribution and provides a glare free environment, using its unique matt aluminium gull-wing reflector to balance levels of direct light and uplighting – perfect for situations where it is important that concentration levels are maintained.

The flexibility of the suspended ALE luminaire – RIDI’s most popular and widely specified product within the education sector – is plain to see in the school’s main hall. Stylish and understated, the slimline 60mm depth luminaires have an adaptable indirect lighting system combined with high-efficiency parabolic louvres that lends itself to continuous lighting runs across the entire length of the hall. Coupled with a Luxmate control system, lighting levels can be adjusted for the various tasks performed.

Completing the Conifers School package, the school corridors have been fitted with the RIDI’s ultra low profile, surface mounted Waveline T5 luminaires. The Waveline luminaires also incorporate an integral three hour emergency function – a vital safety feature for times when illumination may be required in times of a power failure.

Nigel Fox of the property management division at Dorset County Council, which specified the RIDI components, was delighted with the end results of the installation: “The Conifers School presented us with a really interesting project. As a new build, we had a great deal of flexibility in selecting components and the innovative design of the school meant that we could use a variety of RIDI’s lighting products. The ALE luminaires, for example, look striking in the main hall and really complement the lines of the building. Plus, the tool-less diffuser removal system on the Waveline lamps will make any future maintenance very simple for the school.”