HYTRONIK KOOLMESH POWERS UNI SMART’S ECO PULSE MANAGED-SERVICE MODEL TO DELIVER 83% ENERGY SAVINGS AT HALESOWEN COLLEGE
Halesowen College, a Further Education college in the West Midlands, UK, needed to reduce lighting energy consumption, support its decarbonisation goals and modernise a fragmented campus lighting estate without disrupting academic activity.
The project was led by Uni Smart Solutions through its Eco Pulse Smart Lighting managed-service model, using Hytronik control technology and the Koolmesh wireless lighting control platform as a core part of the solution.
This was not simply a lighting controls upgrade. Halesowen College adopted a complete smart-lighting service, where Uni Smart led the business case, OPEX-funded commercial model, delivery coordination, commissioning, reporting, optimisation and ongoing support.
Hytronik’s Koolmesh-enabled architecture provided the intelligent control layer behind the project: wireless control, occupancy detection, daylight-responsive operation, DALI/Bluetooth control, zone management and automated emergency-lighting testing.
The result was an 83% reduction in lighting energy consumption, reducing annual consumption from 192,583 kWh to 17,042 kWh — without disruption to the academic programme.
The challenge
Reducing energy, carbon and operational workload without disrupting education.
Halesowen College needed a solution capable of delivering measurable savings across a live education campus, while improving control, compliance and operational visibility.
Reducing one of the campus’s largest controllable electrical loads.
Lighting represented a significant opportunity for energy reduction, but the existing estate offered limited visibility, little real-time control and restricted zone-based management.
Supporting public-sector decarbonisation goals.
The College needed measurable energy and carbon savings, not just a theoretical improvement.
Modernising a fragmented lighting estate.
The system had to bring multiple areas, blocks and use cases into a single intelligent infrastructure.
Avoiding disruption to academic activity.
The retrofit had to be delivered without affecting classes, students or teaching staff.
Reducing manual emergency-lighting testing.
The estates team needed automated testing and digital records to reduce manual workload and support compliance.
The solution
A complete smart-lighting solution powered by Hytronik Koolmesh technology.
Uni Smart Solutions deployed Eco Pulse Smart Lighting as a complete solution for Halesowen College, integrating Hytronik control devices configured and managed through Koolmesh.
The solution combined wireless lighting controls, occupancy detection, daylight-responsive control, smart emergency-lighting testing and operational reporting into a single operational model.
At technology level, Hytronik provided the intelligent control architecture. Koolmesh-enabled devices allowed the system to operate across classrooms, corridors, toilets, stairwells, communal areas and emergency-lighting circuits without the need for intrusive control cabling.
Each area could be configured according to real usage: lights respond automatically to occupancy, dim or switch according to available daylight, follow schedules, and provide operational data for continued optimisation.
At service level, Uni Smart provided the customer-facing delivery model: business case development, OPEX finance coordination, delivery management, commissioning, performance monitoring, compliance reporting and ongoing optimisation.
This meant Halesowen College was not simply buying lighting controls. It was adopting a smart-building service designed to deliver measurable energy, carbon, compliance and operational benefits throughout the agreement term.
From smart controls to managed outcomes
The energy savings were achieved through the combination of high-quality control technology and Uni Smart’s service-led approach.
Hytronik’s Koolmesh architecture enabled wireless control, zone management, occupancy detection, scheduling, dimming and automated emergency-lighting testing.
Uni Smart converted those technical capabilities into a complete operational solution for the College.
This included the initial audit and business case, the no-upfront-cost commercial structure, installation coordination, commissioning strategy, reporting, optimisation and ongoing support.
This managed-service model is especially relevant in the education sector, where estates teams often do not have the time, budget or specialist resource to design, configure, monitor and optimise smart-building systems themselves.
Hytronik’s Koolmesh technology provided the intelligent control platform.
Uni Smart’s Eco Pulse managed service turned that platform into a funded, delivered, optimised and measurable outcome for Halesowen College.
The results
83% less lighting energy, with measurable savings from day one.
The project transformed a fragmented lighting estate into an intelligent, data-led lighting infrastructure supported by Uni Smart’s ongoing optimisation and reporting.
Reduction in lighting energy consumption
Annual consumption fell from 192,583 kWh to 17,042 kWh.
Saved per year
Reducing one of the College’s most controllable energy loads.
CO₂ saved annually
Supporting the College’s decarbonisation objectives with measurable carbon reduction.
Net operational cost saving from day one
Delivered through the OPEX-funded managed-service model.
Estimated financial impact
175,541 kWh/year less ≈ £52,000 per year
The verified reduction of 175,541 kWh/year equates, at an indicative rate of £0.30/kWh, to approximately £52,000 per year in electricity savings, before taking into account additional savings in maintenance, reduced manual emergency-lighting testing and operational efficiencies.
Luminaires modernised
Integrated into an intelligent control infrastructure.
Wireless control nodes
Enabling distributed control without disruptive rewiring.
Occupancy detection points
Ensuring lighting responds to real use across the campus.
Self-testing emergency units
Reducing manual testing workload and supporting digital compliance records.
Campus blocks upgraded
Delivered without interruption to the academic programme.
Operational outcome
No academic disruption during the works.
Works coordinated around the College’s operational requirements.
Automated emergency-lighting testing.
Digital compliance records.
Reduced manual workload for the estates team.
Operational reporting to support continued optimisation.
Verifiable data for energy, carbon, usage and ROI.
Ongoing support, reporting and optimisation from Uni Smart.
Alongside the energy savings, Halesowen College now benefits from automated emergency-lighting testing, digital compliance records, reduced manual workload for the estates team and operational reporting that supports continued optimisation.
How it was achieved
Luminaire-level control, zone-based detection and operational data in a single network.
As part of Uni Smart’s Eco Pulse managed-service delivery, the technical architecture combined 1,045 modernised luminaires, 955 wireless control nodes, 383 occupancy detection points and 224 DALI emergency drivers upgraded to self-testing, all integrated into a Bluetooth Mesh network commissioned through Koolmesh.
Fully wireless Hytronik-Koolmesh architecture
The DALI/Bluetooth nodes, occupancy sensors, emergency converters and luminaire-integrated modules were organised into a Bluetooth Mesh network managed through Koolmesh. Groups, zones, schedules, scenes, diagnostics and automatic emergency tests were configured from the app.
Block-by-block installation, with no disruption to classes
Under Uni Smart’s delivery coordination, the upgrade was delivered in phases across the three campus blocks, with less than seven days of installation per block. The works were focused on circulation areas and service risers, avoiding rewiring in occupied classrooms and maintaining academic activity.
1,045 luminaires integrated into an intelligent network
The existing luminaires were modernised and integrated into the network through 955 wireless control nodes, turning the installation into a connected, dimmable infrastructure that can be managed through Koolmesh.
383 detection points to light spaces according to real use
The occupancy detection points allowed lighting to adapt to the real use of classrooms, corridors, stairwells, toilets, communal areas and technical spaces, avoiding unnecessary consumption in inactive areas.
224 automated emergency units for BS 5266-1
The existing DALI emergency drivers were retained and upgraded to automatic self-testing using HBEM038, with no luminaire replacement or additional cabling. The system enables automatic tests to be scheduled and digital records to be maintained, reducing manual work and documentation risk.
Operational data ready for reporting and BMS integration
Eco Pulse Smart Lighting provided the managed-service, reporting and analytics layer to evidence savings, carbon and usage. The project also left a clear pathway for future integration via BACnet/IP when the College decides to connect this data to a wider BMS strategy.
Integrated products
The Hytronik architecture behind the savings.
Hytronik devices were integrated into the Koolmesh architecture according to the role they needed to fulfil: DALI control, occupancy detection, self-testing emergency lighting or luminaire-integrated solutions.
Wireless control of DALI luminaires
HCD038/BTBluetooth/DALI node for DALI luminaires
Integrated DALI luminaires into the Koolmesh network for group, zone, scene and schedule-based control. In some cases, it acted as a control node; in others, it was combined with occupancy sensors.
Occupancy detection
HIR63, HIR63/R, SAM20Sensor heads / occupancy sensors
Provided presence and occupancy detection across campus areas, allowing lighting to adapt to the real use of each space.
Self-testing DALI emergency lighting
HBEM038Bluetooth/DALI converter for emergency lighting, with 30 mA DALI power supply
Enabled existing DALI emergency drivers to be retained and integrated into Koolmesh for automatic testing, digital records and compliance reporting. In some cases, it acted as an emergency node; in others, it was combined with sensors.
Luminaire-integrated control and detection
HCD049/BTLuminaire-integrated Bluetooth/DALI module
An integrated solution for luminaires or technical areas where control and detection were built directly into the device itself.
Integrated self-testing emergency lighting
HBEM049Bluetooth/DALI emergency module with integrated detection
Integrated emergency lighting, wireless control, self-testing and detection into a single solution within the Koolmesh network.
Technical note
In some luminaires, HCD038/BT and HBEM038 were combined with sensor heads such as HIR63, HIR63/R or SAM20. In others, they acted solely as Bluetooth/DALI nodes within the Koolmesh network, without an associated sensor.
Testimonials
Beyond the data, the value of the project was reflected in the client’s satisfaction.
Once Uni-Smart explained how this would work, it became a no-brainer. We’re seeing a revolutionary way of achieving sustainability while improving lighting functionality.
Corinne Youren
Estates Director
This has been brilliant for the College. Uni-Smart are not only improving the College’s lighting but really helping us to achieve our sustainability targets.
Jacquie Carman
CEO
Uni-Smart’s package hasn’t just delivered savings — it’s allowed us to upgrade our systems without the need for capex and go truly smart with a clear business-case-led approach.
Andrew Woodford
CFO
Project roles
The project brought together the College’s sustainability ambition.
Uni Smart’s managed-service model.
Hytronik’s smart lighting control technology.
The Koolmesh wireless control platform and the delivery expertise of the lighting and installation partners.
Halesowen College
Client, estates leadership and sustainability vision.
Uni Smart Solutions
Project lead, Eco Pulse managed-service provider, business case, OPEX model, delivery, commissioning, reporting and optimisation.
Hytronik / Koolmesh
Smart lighting control technology, Koolmesh wireless control platform, DALI/Bluetooth control devices, sensors and emergency-lighting control components.
Lighting / installation partners
Luminaire supply, installation and project support under Uni Smart’s delivery model.
