Specifications

Learning Spaces Guidelines
Large Lecture Theatres: 38
IT provision for students in lecture theatres is minimal but as per
Section 2.06 the Wi-Fi infrastructure in the space should be designed
to accommodate a number of concurrent connections of 5x the
maximum number of people expected to occupy the space at any
one time.
Students have specified that they value access to power sockets in
learning spaces. However as mobile devices have ever-increasing
battery capacities, currently many devices have all-day batteries,
it is uneconomic and unjustifiable to specify power outlets to every
seating position.
A compromise arrangement is to fit power provision to only a
proportion of the seat positions. A recommended approach is to
fit power provision to only the first two rows of seating in lecture
theates as these are typically the least favoured by students.
Selecting these rows has the dual benefit of ensuring that those who
need the sockets can get to them as well as generally encouraging
the students to sit closer to the lecturer.
To reduce the cost and complexity it is advisable to explore with
the electrical contractor the possibility of installing an A3 20A radial
circuit for these power outlets. The ‘Requirements for Electrical
Installations IEE Wiring Regulations – BS 7671:2008’ have previously
limited the areas this type of circuit can be installed within to <50m²
but the July 2008 Corrigendum to the Seventeenth Edition demotes
this restriction to ‘historical’ and therefore provided volt drop,
disconnection time and likely load considerations are met there are
no limits to floor area or socket numbers.
In addtion to provision of BS1363 power outlets it is desirable to
provide inbuilt USB charging facilities for students using tablets and
other small mobile devices that can be charged via USB. Typically
small mobile devices require a 0.5A charge current but tablet
computers such as Apple’s iPad require a 2.1A charge current.
A number of manufacturers offer recessed socket outlet panels that
can be fitted into desking. Caution should be used in assessing
the merits of these systems and special consideration given to the
additional risks posed by sockets mounted in the horizontal plane
where there is the potential of accidentally spilt fluids.
Teaching Stations in larger lecture theatres should be operationally
consistent with those in classrooms but will have additional
functionality.
Large lecture theatres typically have voice reinforcement, assistive
listening and lecture capture systems and therefore they also have
the requirement for high quality voice pickup by microphone.
The high ceiling height in most lecture theatres precludes the use of
ceiling mounted array microphones and therefore the default solution
is to provide a wearable radio microphone.
TASK
IT and power
provision for
students
7.04
TASK
Teaching
Stations in
large lecture
theatres
7.05
TASK
Microphones
in large
lecture
theatres
7.06