Lee Engineering  – Enhancing the Future (The Following is a Promoted Article) Whilst high-tech audio and visual technologies are, undoubtedly, a measure with which to enhance a space and make it more attractive, they also have a key role to play within the special needs environment. Able to significantly improve the lives of those most vulnerable in society, be that improving mobility or encouraging interactivity within the space, integrated audio and visual solutions are then a highly valuable asset industry-wide. Lee Engineering has, since its founding over 25 years ago, been ahead of its time and now boasts capabilities in all aspects of audio and visual integration solutions, with particular emphasis on serving those in need of specialist care. Able to provide solutions for architectural lighting, building wide sound and lighting systems, all with custom control interfaces, the firm carries out major projects in both the public and private sector, bringing commercial, industrial, retail and leisure, and educational properties into the 21st Century. Working across such a variety of sectors comes with unique challenges. Clients come with widely different requirements relating not just to product specification but schedule of work, cost, and health and safety. Taking pride in its ability to tailor solutions accordingly, Lee Engineering is also flexible to the health and safety requirements of its private and public sector clients, implementing bespoke procedures in line with both level of risk presented and particular conditions of compliance. It’s a competence which has developed as result of gaining CHAS accreditation some four years ago in line with the demands of one of Lee Engineering’s existing customers. Previously, as a small firm of just five employees, all health and safety procedure was managed in-house – and quite successfully, too; the company hadn’t had an accident or near miss for as long as Paul Paluch, Project Manager at Lee Engineering for over 18 years, can remember. Nevertheless, when the opportunity to gain CHAS accreditation presented itself, the firm was sure to capitalise on it, something which Paluch stresses has been the making of the company’s current stature. “Membership of CHAS has allowed us to both prove just how effective our health and safety procedures are and, in turn, evidence our compliance to potential new clients,” reveals Paluch. “As a body of extensive research and resources, the association also represents the ability to keep abreast of any changes to regulation within the sector. As a consequence, both main contractors and clients have absolutely no hesitation choosing us because there is simply no questioning the CHAS mark of standard.” As businesses will undoubtedly be aware, main contractors often operate by more stringent codes of practice with regards to health and safety than those working on subcontract basis. Unlike many who are simply unable to meet such working criteria, Lee Engineering can perform as either main contractor or subcontractor and, aided by CHAS’ wealth of technical and regulatory expertise, can integrate seamlessly with all contractors on-site thus mitigating risk of accident or injury. Such guaranteed codes of practice alongside the technical excellence of its services without doubt contributed to Lee Engineering’s selection for the development of the SPACE Centre’s multi-sensory rooms, one’s the company’s largest special needs projects to date. Acting as lead architect, designer and main contractor, the firm delivered electrical, lighting, audio and visual equipment to create three, fully-interactive spaces for use by families, carers, therapists and teachers of those with special needs. Whilst the rooms themselves are extraordinarily thoughtful and play witness to Lee Engineering’s creativity in design and installation, it’s in control that the firm really stands out. Having developed state-of-the-art control software to manage AV solutions fitted, clients benefit from increased ease of use and rapidly decreased downtime. Such a value-added service has proven increasingly popular according to Paluch, particularly in schools where time is limited. “Individual classes may only have access to a multi-sensory room for an hour at a time,” he explains. “And therefore it’s crucial that the process of getting in and out, and setting the room up doesn’t eat into that time. Our tablet app control systems have drastically cut down the set-up time and we’re going to continue developing our software to make it even more intuitive to use.” Indeed, a real proponent of innovation, Lee Engineering is looking not just at improving its software provision but also extending the hardware it’s able to deliver in the future. Acknowledging the pace at which technology develops and, furthermore, how client demands increase in accordance, the company is investigating the potential of incorporating utilities such as heating and ventilation within its portfolio of services so as to further enhance the sensory experience provided. With care and attention endowed, as well as a strong sense of the importance of audio and visual technology within the special needs setting, Lee Engineering continues to demonstrate an acute understanding of what it means to be both responsible and progressive at every level. And maintaining standards of health and safety which both meet, and exceed, the expectations of clients, the company is likely to only accelerate in prominence in years ahead.