When Co-op Live opened in Manchester as the UK’s largest indoor arena, it immediately established itself as one of the country’s most ambitious entertainment venues. Hosting world tours, live performances, corporate events and major productions within a 23,500-capacity environment requires infrastructure that performs flawlessly behind the scenes, often without ever being noticed by the public. Lighting control played a critical role in that experience.

Simmtronic was appointed to deliver the lighting controls across the concourse and back-of-house spaces throughout the venue. The requirement extended far beyond simple switching and dimming. Every area needed to support a different operational purpose, a different atmosphere, and a different user experience, all within a single integrated system that had to remain reliable under the pressures of a live entertainment venue.

Artist corridors required dynamic RGB lighting capable of creating an immersive arrival experience. Public concourses needed flexible scene control to adapt to changing event requirements. Operational offices and staff areas demanded practical, energy-efficient automation that would support day-to-day venue management.

At the same time, the project was progressing against an immovable opening date, within a fast-moving construction programme that relied heavily on off-site prefabrication.

The challenge was significant, but so was the opportunity. Co-op Live represented the kind of technically demanding, high-profile environment where careful planning, collaboration and adaptable engineering make the difference between a system that simply functions and one that genuinely supports the operation of the building.

Co-op Live is far more than a single entertainment space. As the UK’s largest indoor arena, the venue brings together public concourses, hospitality areas, artist corridors, production spaces, operational offices, service routes and back-of-house facilities, each with its own technical requirements, occupancy patterns and operational priorities.

This diversity created a highly complex lighting controls environment. Some spaces required dynamic RGB lighting and flexible scene setting to support the artist and visitor experience, while others needed straightforward, energy-efficient automation that would operate reliably in the background every day. The challenge was to deliver a unified control system capable of supporting all these environments without adding unnecessary complexity for the end user.

Achieving this required detailed coordination across multiple disciplines throughout the project. Simmtronic worked closely with SES, the consultant team, AV specialists and the client to ensure the lighting controls integrated seamlessly with wider building systems and accurately reflected how each area of the venue would function operationally.

Delivering a system at this scale required more than technical capability alone. It demanded careful planning, adaptability and continuous collaboration throughout every phase of the project to ensure each space performed exactly as intended within a cohesive, venue-wide lighting control strategy.

A substantial proportion of the electrical infrastructure was assembled off-site at the SES prefabrication facility, where Simmtronic equipment was pre-installed into distribution boards before being transported to site.

This method brings major programme advantages on projects of this size. It improves consistency, reduces installation time on site and supports faster overall delivery. However, it also introduces additional complexity. Design decisions need to be made earlier in the programme and any changes that occur later must be carefully managed once equipment has already been manufactured and delivered.

As construction progressed, aspects of the design evolved, which is entirely normal on a venue of this scale and complexity. Our engineers worked collaboratively with the wider project team to adapt the system where required, ensuring the final installation aligned with operational requirements without compromising programme delivery. That ability to remain agile within a partially prefabricated environment proved essential throughout the project.

Projects of this scale are only successful when collaboration exists across the entire supply chain. Throughout the programme, Simmtronic worked closely with SES, the consultant team, the AV specialists and the Co-op Live operational stakeholders to ensure the system continued to align with programme requirements and evolving project needs.

Early engagement with the prefabrication team helped ensure equipment was correctly integrated into the off-site manufacturing process. Regular site meetings supported ongoing coordination as construction progressed and enabled issues to be resolved quickly before they affected programme delivery. CAD documentation was continuously updated throughout the installation phase, ensuring the client received accurate records of the final system configuration for future facilities management and maintenance support.

Importantly, support did not stop at handover. During the venue’s early operational phase, Simmtronic remained actively involved with the facilities team to assist with optimisation, fine tuning and ongoing system understanding.

A sophisticated lighting control system only delivers value when the people operating it feel confident using it. Following completion, Simmtronic delivered structured training sessions tailored to different operational roles within the venue team.

Senior operators received detailed training on scene configuration, programming and system adjustments, allowing them to make changes internally without relying on external support.  General operations staff were trained on practical day-to-day control functions, helping build confidence without exposing users to unnecessary technical complexity. Maintenance teams received guidance on hardware replacement and future expansion procedures so that routine operational tasks could be managed efficiently in-house.

Through the use of Simmtronic DALI emergency monitoring and testing software, the FM team no longer needs to carry out manual emergency lighting testing. This removes a significant labour burden on a project of this scale and ensures records are maintained centrally and consistently. The system automatically generates sparsely distributed testing patterns so adjacent luminaires are not discharged within the same cycle, maintaining safe coverage across the venue at all times.

Emergency testing is completed without disruption to occupants, keeping the building fully operational throughout. Once tests are complete, any actions are clearly presented through a detailed graphical interface, giving instant visibility alongside intelligent analysis and clear print-outs for remedial action.

To support usability further, Simmtronic also provided a dedicated tablet loaded with the Simmtronic Viewer interface. This allowed facilities staff to adjust scenes and lighting levels while physically standing within the live space itself, seeing changes happen in real time rather than working remotely from a control room. That hands-on usability became an important part of the operational experience. The system was designed not only to perform technically, but to remain approachable and intuitive for the people using it every day.

During post-completion engagement with the Co-op Live team, additional opportunities for energy optimisation were identified across the venue. Discussions included the future introduction of advanced energy monitoring tools to provide more detailed visibility of lighting consumption across different operational areas.

Further opportunities were also identified to introduce additional presence detection within selected office and support spaces, allowing smaller lighting zones to respond more precisely to occupancy patterns and reduce unnecessary energy use during quieter operational periods.

Potential photocell integration in office environments was also explored to allow lighting levels to automatically respond to available daylight conditions. These conversations continue as part of the ongoing relationship with the venue team and reflect a broader approach to long-term client support. The project did not conclude at handover. It continues through operational partnership and continuous improvement.