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Colón Towers in Madrid sets new standards with NZEB, WELL and LEED certifications

TRILUX has completed a landmark lighting project at Colón Towers (Torres Colón) in Madrid – now recognised as Spain’s most sustainable office building. Owned by insurance group Mutua Madrileña, the 31-storey building is the first in the country to achieve certification as a Nearly Zero Energy Building (NZEB) and will also receive WELL and LEED certifications in recognition of its outstanding environmental and workplace credentials.

An integral part of meeting these ambitious standards was the smart, energy-efficient lighting solution designed and delivered by TRILUX Spain. Around 3,000 luminaires were installed throughout the building, offering not only optimal light quality and visual comfort, but also integrated intelligence and digital control.

High-performance lighting for modern workspaces

TRILUX developed bespoke linear luminaires specifically for this project, all equipped with integrated presence and daylight sensors. The luminaires adjust automatically to the time of day and occupancy, supporting both energy efficiency and user wellbeing.

Lighting colour temperature (4,200 Kelvin), high colour rendering (CRI 90), and a unified glare rating of 19 ensure compliance with WELL certification criteria, helping to promote productivity and comfort. For added design value, Sonnos pendant luminaires in black were also selected to enhance aesthetics in key areas.

Smart, connected and future-proof

Lighting throughout the building is controlled using the Casambi system, with each floor connected to a central gateway. This enables the building team to manage lighting remotely, monitor performance in real time, and streamline maintenance. If a luminaire needs replacing, reprogramming is not required – delivering both time and cost savings.

This project underlines TRILUX’s capability in delivering cutting-edge lighting solutions that meet the highest sustainability and workplace standards, supporting building owners and occupiers alike.


CLICK HERE to visit the TRILUX website for further information

 


 

 

The University of Edinburgh’s Usher Building at Edinburgh BioQuarter’s

health innovation district,  provided TRILUX with the perfect opportunity

to showcase its innovative lighting and control solutions.

 

The Vision: Transforming Health Through Light

Located within The University of Edinburgh’s College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, the Usher Institute aims to transform health in society by working with people, populations, and data. The Usher Building houses the Usher Institute with its four core research centres and the Edinburgh Clinical Trials Unit – alongside partners from public, private and third sector organisations. Funded as part of the Data-Driven Innovation Initiative of the Edinburgh and Southeast Scotland City Region Deal, the facility has been designed by international design practice Hassell Studio to be a welcoming space for focus, collaboration, and engagement, with space for around 1000 occupants

The lighting project was crucial to this mission. The objective was to create an environment conducive to health research and collaboration, utilising as few manufacturers as possible.

 

The Challenge: Integrating Seamless Lighting Solutions

Designing a lighting system for the Usher Building, a complex and multifunctional facility, posed significant challenges. The aim was to install efficient lighting throughout the building, ensuring that office lighting worked with ceiling raft details and communal lighting matched the architectural finishes. The project demanded a seamless integration of lighting controls to provide efficiency, flexibility and additional functionality.

 

The Solution: TRILUX Lighting and Building Controls

Delivered by Leon Gray, a TRILUX distributor, and installed by EMTEC Group with lighting design by Ainsley Cramer, the lighting scheme consisted of 400 custom-designed Sonnos downlights featuring a bronze and black RAL finish; these downlights blended perfectly with the building’s architectural metal finishes. Over 600 Solvan Flows, 300 Amatris, and numerous LED linear runs were installed, providing uniform and efficient lighting throughout the facility.

However, the star of the show was the LiveLink controls system, which offers numerous benefits: semi-automatic lighting with absence detection for maximum energy savings, multiple lighting scenes for dramatic effects in event spaces, push-button controls for on/off and dimming, simplified partition controls for flexible space usage, remote access for modifications and service checks, daylight controls with window row dimming to optimise energy efficiency, and extensive DALI networks across the building for comprehensive lighting management.

 

The Impact: A Bright, Efficient Future for the Usher Building

The new lighting solutions provided by TRILUX significantly enhance the Usher Building’s usability and aesthetic appeal. The efficient and well-integrated lighting systems support the facility’s goal of fostering interdisciplinary research and collaboration. The reflective spaces, such as the reading room and cellular meeting spaces, benefit from the custom lighting, creating an ideal environment for focused work and engagement. The lighting has also improved the overall atmosphere of the facility, making it a more inviting and productive space for its users.

“As a research and innovation institute focussed on health and social care, we wanted our Usher Building to be designed with wellbeing and efficiency at its heart – and for it to be a space that draws our team and collaborators together. Lots of natural light is complemented by flexible lighting from the TRILUX team to ensure we can work most effectively whatever the weather!”

TRILUX’s lighting solutions have enhanced the Usher Building’s environment and contributed to a brighter, more connected, and healthier future for the researchers and partners working within this leading medical campus – power is combined in a proven management team – this creates good prospects for the future!”

Susan Buckingham, Head of Communications, Marketing and Engagement

at the Usher Institute, The University of Edinburgh comments.


CLICK HERE for further information on the

TRILUX lighting and control solutions