Smart electrical installation distribution hall and office

DALI-controlled system ensures energy efficiency

Molen Elektra supplied the new distribution hall and offices of furniture importer Zijlstra in Tiel with a complete electrical installation. The 12,000-square-meter and 17-meter-high building came with a fully DALI-controlled system.

DALI (Digital Addressable Lighting Interface) is a solution for communication between fixtures and all devices connected to them. "The entire warehouse is controlled with cameras. If there is movement in an aisle, the lighting goes on there," says Molen Elektra director Carlo van Manen. "There is also a smart system for charging the forklifts: this is done at times when there is sufficient power from the five hundred solar panels." 

From design to installation

The electrical contractor was involved in the project as early as 2021 by the general contractor. "We then made the complete design for the electrical installation. In the end, construction started later than expected," Van Manen says. "We consulted a lot with the customer during this project, so that the installation met all the requirements. Besides the usual interior and exterior lighting, we laid the cabling for the home automation system and took care of the main meter boxes and connection to the transformer, data cabling, cameras and wifi."

'Client is doing plant engineering right'

Van Manen looks back positively on the work on Zijlstra's distribution center. "This was a fairly large project for us, especially due to the height of the warehouse and the large distances we had to cover with cabling. We put more than three thousand hours into it and it turned out to be a beautiful installation. Client Zijlstra is doing a great job on the installation. The cooperation with both Zijlstra and JG Timmer and the other ancillary parties was very pleasant. By drawing everything in BIM 3D, everyone knew where they stood."