Universal AV Install LED Wall for BRE in World Leading Innovation and Science Hub

Phase 1 – Lecture Theatre

BRE wanted to re-engineer their training/lecture space.  They wanted advice on what they could achieve with the space, and how best to interact and connect both internally and externally, with a potential for also using the space for hire for external conferences and events.

How Universal worked with them

Universal were approached by central computers, BRE’s outsourced IT company, for advice on how the brief could be achieved.  Central Computers, an IT-based infrastructure company, wanted the advice of an AV specialist on what solutions could be proposed to best meet BRE’s meeting and lecture theatre needs.

Universal attended the site to visit the rooms. Project leads from BRE was on hand to explain how they currently work, what they used, the limitations of this, and what they were hoping to achieve through the implementation of new technology in the meeting and lecture theatre environments.

Lecture Theatre

Different options for the space were discussed, from simply replacing and upgrading the projection system and screen to alternative options such as video and LED walls.

3 solutions in total were proposed consisting of:

• Projection and screen with audio
• LCD Display 3×3 videowall with audio
• A 4.2 x 2.9m LED wall with audio

Initial discussions led towards LED.  We were able to showcase solutions we had installed at the University of Leeds and across the Horse Racing Course as examples of how the solution could work.  The LED solution met their needs perfectly, provided them with the wow and look they were hoping to achieve as well as reduced the maintenance element that projection would have required.

Being at the leading edge of standards for the built environment, the facilities BRE worked from needed to be world-class, LED solutions would elevate the space and ensure it was befitting of the company.  Being at the forefront, BRE did not just want a display however, they wanted to be able to host webinars/seminars and training from the room with remote staff/clients taking part in the sessions.

Providing this type of functionality led to discussions about the platforms they use for video conferencing, where speakers would be positioned, where audio would need to be situated, and how best to simply control the solution so all could use it.

The LED solution chosen was HikVision as BRE liked the support available from them, the locality of the head office, and the cost.  Universal and Hikvision worked with Btech mounts for the mounting solution due to the intricate nature of the mounting of the screen.

Q-sys core and Kramer control were installed due to the ease of use and the ability to initiate Microsoft Teams.  JBL speakers were used at the front of the auditorium and were selected due to their sound output quality.  JM lecterns were chosen as the preferred lectern supplier and Sennheiser mics were chosen for clarity of voice.

Installation

We were working to tight timescales for the customer, with a week window for full installation before a conference was to take place for TATA Steel.  The Universal team worked with project leads from BRE to plan the installation, testing, and training so they were ready to use the equipment the following week.

The initial project was so successful that Universal was approached to work on phase two.

Phase 2 – Meeting Rooms

BRE wanted to find a simple and easy-to-use meeting room solution.  The solution would need to encompass video conferencing and wireless sharing for use with office-based and remote workers, as well as external client meetings.

Universal discussed the various wireless solutions from BARCO Clickshare and Mersive and the benefits of each.  Having seen both solutions, BRE chose click share due to its simplicity and the fact that it could be used across any platform in the same manner.

When discussing what the customer wanted from the solution in full, it was more than just wireless sharing and simplicity of video conferencing in the rooms, they wanted to monitor how the screens were been used, connect them to the network, and have the potential to run messaging and digital signage through them.  They needed an all-encompassing solution.  We looked at TEOS from Sony as a solution as it encompassed all of the above and under one banner.  We arranged for demonstrations of the TEOS solution for BRE so they could see the full scope of the solution and the functionality it had on offer.

Once the TEOS solution had been decided upon 22 meeting rooms were installed with varying sizes of Sony screens ranging from 55 to 75”, all with barco click share and aver cameras across sites in Watford and Scotland over a 12-month period.

Installation went well, following a detailed project plan, training on the solutions took place with project managers from Universal and key members of staff from BRE.

William Adamson, BRE IT and Estates comments; “BRE has a very long history in Building innovation, but its technology has not followed the trend of the business, and therefore we began a program of works to update the science park with up-to-date AV. This was done in a phased approach, with the first phase to update our meeting rooms, followed but a complete renovation of our 198-seat Lecture Theatre.

Our 3rd party IT supplier, Central Computers was involved and recommended Universal AV and the main suppliers and installers for all the programs.”