Connecting the West Yorkshire Combined Authority
The West Yorkshire Combined Authority works across the region to provide programmes and services that benefit the community of 2.3 million people and improve the environment.
The Combined Authority Board is composed of the 5 West Yorkshire local authorities,
chaired by the mayor, who collaborate and work together towards common goals and share expertise. Membership of the Board consists of the mayor and elected councillors from West Yorkshire partner councils, the Chair of the LEP, and a non-voting member representing the City of York Council.
The Brief
In 2020 the Combined Authority commissioned the refurbishment of its head office in Leeds. This included a comprehensive upgrade of their small/medium meeting rooms and large committee spaces to enable staff to communicate effectively with their colleagues and the public, whether in the office or working remotely. Carillion was appointed as the AV partner of choice to work with the Combined Authority to design, install and support all meeting room technology across the standardised rooms based on Microsoft Teams video.
The small/medium meeting rooms had to allow the 5 West Yorkshire local authorities to work together consistently and effectively regardless of whether they were all physically in the room. For this, top-quality cameras, speakers and microphones had to be included in Carillon's AV solution guaranteeing everyone was immersed and included in all meetings and presentations. In addition to the in-room technology, the Combined Authority needed BYOD functionality included within the system.
The Combined Authority has several committees that look into specific areas, including transport and housing; the meetings they hold are public and recorded, so high-quality speakers, microphones and cameras are paramount for the large committee rooms where these meetings occur. The recordings can be viewed and used by the public to hold the Combined Authority to account. Therefore, in the interest of transparency and accountability, the equipment had to be reliable, easy to use and connected to the existing Public-i streaming solution.
Additionally, when visiting the head office, the Combined Authority had to ensure everyone, both employees and the general public, could access the meeting and committee rooms easily and understand how to use the AV solutions. Consequently, every room had to be standardised.
Why Carillion?
Carillion Communications provides world-class end-to-end service and top-tier aftercare. Our Teams Room installation experts' attitude and working methods always centre on what's best for the customer. In this case, Carillion made sure the technology was usable and accessible for those not technologically inclined.
Solution
Due to delays with Covid and supply chain issues, the project from start to finish took 18 months and was based on 4 phases, starting from the top of the building down.
Phases 1 and 2 included 14 small/medium meeting rooms on floors 4 to 1. Carillion Communications arranged each room around a single Philips commercial-grade display and a Crestron Flex + Teams Room system. This ensured everyone who entered the room could easily use the standardised Crestron Flex system paired with the familiar platform, Microsoft Teams, to present, launch a Teams video call or use the BYOD function to seamlessly connect to additional video conferencing platforms. Each room provides flexibility as it can adapt to the number of people in the room or attending the meeting virtually, as well as the preferred platforms and devices of attendees. Crestron Flex + Teams provides everyone with a seat at the table and can guarantee they will be heard and seen as if all participants are in the same room, boosting inclusivity.
Phase 3 added a further 11 small/medium standardised meeting rooms and 2 large committee rooms on the ground floor. The larger committee rooms can work independently from each other as well as open into one larger space when needed. These rooms were fitted with 75-98" display screens as the main monitor as well as additional 55" displays located around the rooms, enhancing the immersive experience with clear visuals. The screens were installed to enrich the Crestron flex + Teams video solution, included in both spaces and connected to multiple cameras, ceiling speakers and microphones. Allowing the public and participants to view the committee meeting in high definition and with crystal clear sound no matter where they are.
Also, wireless presenter microphones were included in both rooms for any presenter lead events or audience Q&As. Carillion Communications also installed a video and audio link from the AV system within these rooms to support the existing Public-i streaming solution, as requested by the Combined Authority.
A large Crestron DM matrix switcher provides all signal routers across both large committee rooms and is controlled via a Crestron touch panel interface. Making the interaction and use of the technology as simple as possible, for example, by starting a meeting with one touch. The Crestron DM matrix is fully scalable and can accommodate any combination of digital sources. So, no matter the committee size, the switcher can adapt and be adjusted to distribute hi-res video.
The final phase of the project: installing a room and desk booking solution in the form of Microsoft Teams Panels. This solution provides a touch screen panel outside of each meeting room as well as 300 desk booking licences. This system allows anyone to see immediately if a space is free and effortlessly book rooms or desks using the mobile app, a desktop or the panel by the room. The display also lets people view the attendees for meetings and review the day's agenda, ensuring a simple and transparent system for the public and attendees.
Supplied
- 25 x small/medium Meeting rooms
- Philips commercial-grade display
- Crestron Flex Teams room system
- Room booking and desk management
- 1 x large committee rooms
- 75-98" display screen
- Additional 55" displays
- Crestron flex teams video
- Cameras, ceiling speakers and microphones
- Wireless presenter microphones
- 1 x secondary committee room
- 75-98" display screen
- Additional 55" displays
- Crestron flex teams video
- Cameras, ceiling speakers and microphones
- Wireless presenter microphones
- Large Crestron DM matrix switcher (for both large rooms)
- Crestron touch panel interface
Room booking and desk management
Crestron Flex Teams room system
Cameras
Large displays and ceiling speakers
Crestron Flex Teams room system
Cameras
Large displays and ceiling speakers
The Outcome
The West Yorkshire Combined Authority can continue to serve its community more efficiently and with greater transparency thanks to the AV solutions installed by Carillion. The public can view their elected councillors in high definition and intelligible audio, ensuring every word is heard and available to the residents the Combined Authority serves. Their internal communication and booking system provide the dispersed West Yorkshire Combined Authority with an unparalleled, high-quality, connected workplace fit for the future.
