Group Technologies has reported the installation of 19 Proloop LOS induction loop units into the Brisbane Convention and Entertainment Centre (BCEC). Based on designs provided by Humantechnik Germany the system install has been handled by installed by Brisbane-based Rutledge Engineering.
Design criteria were exacting, with all rooms having to meet the AS 60118.4 standard with a maximum background noise of -32dB (A). A nearby power sub-station and other three-phase influences also had to be taken into account for the install. Each room required a specific design to account for construction specifications and adjacent loop facilities. Each of the loop systems consists of two arrays of narrow loops.
Other factors – such as slab mesh reinforcement and the need to use rooms individually or together – emphasised the need for a low-spill design with exact dimensions between loops and tolerances (no less, or more, than 50mm) to maintain a strict level of spill. Copper foil was laid under the carpet in each room, with a maximum run of 8m of insulated 2.5mm2 twisted copper wires between array and amplifier.
As Proloop LOS has both master and slave amplifiers as well as a phase shifter built in to a single unit, client savings on this project were substantial; reducing loop amplifier requirement by approximately 11 units and significantly cutting installation time.
While a major project, the BCEC installation is just one example of many projects using Humantechnik Proloop LOS. It is recognised by a growing number of consultants as a simple, cost-effective solution to low overspill issues and being compliant to AS60118.4 Proloop LOS.
