Zeroing in: Old streetlights in towns like Ruthin could soon give way to modern LED luminaries, as Denbighshire takes advantage of a zero percent interest loan from the UK government.
Lux reports: The Welsh county of Denbighshire has landed an interest-free loan from the UK government to upgrade 1,500 of its nearly 12,000 streetlights to LED.
The new lights will will cut about £42,000 annually from Denbighshire’s streetlighting electricity bill, which last year was £385,000 for all 11,790 lights, county council streetlighting engineer Craig Wilson told Lux (other published reports have stated that the bill was £345,000).
Salix lent £280,760 to cover the cost of the luminaires, which the county must pay back from energy savings within eight years, Wilson noted. Denbighshire itself will cover the installation costs.
At zero per cent financing and with significant energy reduction, Denbighshire plans to apply for additional Salix funding to upgrade many of its other old lights in several tranches over the next six years.
It had previously converted about 1,800 to LEDs on ‘principal roads’, the county said in a press release,, claiming annual savings of £100,000 for those.
The funding comes at a particularly good time because lighting costs have been rising – they jumped by £35,000, or by about 10 per cent, last year alone.
‘With the certainty of increases in electricity tariffs this additional increase would have placed an additional burden on the street lighting budget,’ said Steve Parker, Denbighshire’s Head of Highways and Environmental Services.
‘Any further increases in energy costs would have an adverse effect on the Council’s ability to maintain existing lighting to its current standards,’ he said. ‘That is why we had to consider applying for a large investment, to ensure the sustainability of the service.’
The project includes a control system that allows for intelligent dimming and remote management.
Salix is a UK government entity that typically provides interest-free loans for qualifying public sector energy saving projects including lighting, but which requires a relatively quick payback.
Another government financing group, the Green Investment Bank, typically allows much longer payback periods but lends money at commercial rates. Its streetlighting programme can extend payments to as long as 30 years.
Salix is backed by the Department of Energy and Climate Change, the Department for Education, the Higher Education Funding Council for England, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government.
Parrs for the course: Parrs Wood HIgh School has demonstrated significant energy savings from Salix funding. Other schools now stand to gain even more under an enhanced programme.
Lux reports: The UK government entity that provides free loans for green projects has broadened its support for schools, offering an all-in-one programme that funds not just the equipment and installation, but also everything from an initial energy evaluation through training students and teachers how best to conserve energy.
The initiative, from Salix, covers a wide scope of energy-related technologies including LED lighting, computer cooling equipment, hand dryers, boiler replacement and insulation.
Salix will spread £2 million across 40 schools in three tranches. It has already selected the first 13 and hopes to select the next two groups after the summer holidays, a Salix spokesperson told Lux.
‘We are looking for a wide variety of schools including building type and age, geographical location and a mixture of primary, secondary and special schools to ensure the sample is a strong variety,’ the spokesperson said.
The money in this case comes from UK Department for Education. Salix is backed by DfE as well by the Department of Energy and Climate Change, the Higher Education Funding Council for England, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government.
Salix will require a typical payback period of eight years for the interest-free loans to the schools, although it might lengthen that period in some cases, ‘to ensure a school can implement all technologies identified in order bring them down to best practice and make them an exemplary school in terms of energy use,’ the spokesperson said.
Salix has funded schools’ capital costs previously, but the new programme adds the energy survey and ‘human behaviour’ training for energy reduction. It also includes ‘a document which advises what order to make improvements and to procure against,’ and ‘a financial model to show how to meet the costs.’
Under the former, less comprehensive funding scheme, Parrs Wood High School, a technology college in Manchester, used Salix to fund £10,600 in lighting upgrades and £63,700 on ‘building energy management systems’ (BEMS), leading to 45 per cent savings in lighting, and to 20 per cent and 7 per cent savings on gas and electricity related to the BEMS.
Salix had previously lent Parrs Wood £49,120 for an initial lighting upgrade, leading to annual savings of £13,863.
‘The Salix zero per cent interest loan was the most cost effective way for us to make long term savings and reduce our carbon footprint,’ said Parrs Wood head teacher Andrew Shakos.
Another government entity, the Green Investment Bank, lends money for green projects at commercial interest rates typically allows much longer payback periods. Its streetlighting programme can extend payments to as long as 30 years.
In a controversial move, the government recently said it plans to sell what could be a majority share in GIB.
Ivan Perre is readying the Tube’s lighting for the launch of the Night Tube, and the integration of stations with Crossrail. – Photo: Zarina Holmes
Ivan Perre is an electrical engineer for London Underground working within the integrated stations programme. Lux sat down with Perre to talk LED testing and plans for the future of the Underground.
We need to know how products will perform
I’m involved in a number of areas in lighting for Transport for London (TfL). While I’m an engineer by day, the majority of my work is in verification and testing of LED systems. I’ve researched in the field of photometry and how LED light is measured, and I have subsequently developed methods to more accurately determine LED lux levels. This means that we can have greater confidence in the products we specify but also have a better understanding of how they perform in the field.
We test products really carefully
Any new technology, such as LEDs, is under scrutiny and we have a responsibility to our customers to ensure there is sufficient light.
The optical filters used in lux meters are designed to replicate the responsiveness of the human eye. This is characterised by the spectral responsivity of the lux meter, which is a bell-shaped curve. By using some tracing software, I am able to trace out the graph and convert it into data, which I can then extrapolate to get the values for each wavelength.
Once this is done, I am able to simulate the given light and find out what the lux value would be, and then I can compare it to the ideal lux value.
This process ensures that we can collect accurate and important data, specify the right products for the job, but more importantly deliver a better service to our customers.
We’re thinking outside the tunnel
One of the challenges we face at the moment is implementing feature design more effectively. We are starting to change the way we think about the station environment and in the future, we want to use light in different ways to highlight certain areas, introduce contrasts and create different atmospheres.
This is especially important as we’re looking at potential retail opportunities down the line, which have a number of other prerequisites in terms of lighting designs and outcomes.
“In the future we want to use light in different ways to highlight certain areas, introduce contrasts and create different atmospheres”
The new Night Tube service is a maintenance challenge
The new Night Tube service is a maintenance challenge
One of the main priorities for TfL is to try to reduce maintenance. This is becoming more important with the Night Tube coming up, which is a round-the-clock service on Fridays and Saturdays on the Jubilee, Victoria, and most of the Central, Northern and Piccadilly lines.
This will significantly eat into our engineering hours, and we want to reduce the number of interventions required where lighting is concerned. The longevity of LED lighting is a big factor in assessing the suitability of new fittings, as they don’t need re-commissioning as often.
Stations need a consistent look and feel
One of the most important projects we’re undertaking at the moment is a series of substantial works across a number of stations to create an integrated look and feel between new and existing elements.
We’re working with Crossrail to assimilate the interface zones between services, so there is a consistent feel between the two and not a stark contrast when you leave one service and enter another.
Test schemes make a big difference
We’re lucky to have a number of successful test schemes at TfL to reflect on, which invariably inform new projects. A couple of years ago we implemented the first LED column lighting system on the underground at Wimbledon Park tube station, which was a turning point in upgrading lighting systems as it proved to deliver huge energy and maintenance savings.
Smart controls need to be smarter
One of the things we need at TfL is to be able to change the drivers once they’ve failed without the need to program them. We want the new drivers to operate within the current system as close as possible and when they don’t it’s an issue. When there is only a short hour shift, it’s difficult to go around re-commissioning fittings if there’s a lot to do.
We’re very keen on controls and there are a number of benefits including maintenance, energy and functionality. With a new design idiom being developed for TfL, controls will become an imperative as we’ll need to control individual lights to provide different levels and different intensities.
We’re harnessing the power of procurement
I’m also involved in procurement of lighting technology and innovation in Europe through the Pro-Lite project. The project allows public sector authorities across Europe to team up and pool resources. That way it’s easier to procure innovative technology and consolidate our procurement power to create economies of scale.
The idea is to set technical standards and specifications to create opportunities for improved lighting solutions throughout member states. We have recently released the technical specifications that we’re going to use to go out for tender and we’re also in the process of finalising a whole-life cost model, so we can make like-for-like comparisons of light fittings.
I’m excited about new lighting technologies
I like the idea of using organic LEDs (OLEDs) although I’m not sure how we’d be able to use them in our material compliance. I also like the look of remote phosphor as it sounds like it’ll be a big step up in terms of efficiency.
Visit our main website today to explore LED lighting technologies for your retrofit project.
LUX Reports: Department store chain John Lewis is on its way to installing more than 100,000 LED lights across its estate.
After working with LEDs for four years, the retailer says it has moved from looking at the cost savings of LED to the other benefits, such as quality of light.
It will now use LEDs for all new stores, and gradually replace traditional lighting in existing buildings. By the end of this year it expects to have installed 110,000 LED fittings, using Philips light sources, and by GE – in its John Lewis and Waitrose stores.
We’ve reached a place where LED outperforms traditional lighting at every level, so it’s about what’s next”
Tony Jacob, John Lewis
‘At first it was about ensuring that LED could perform to the same level as traditional lighting,’ said Tony Jacob, head of construction, engineering and environment for John Lewis . ‘But now we’ve reached a place where LED outperforms traditional lighting at every level, so it’s about what’s next. What are the opportunities and possibilities for LED that traditional lighting could never offer us? That is what’s exciting.’
When the company started looking closely at its carbon footprint in 2010, lighting in Waitrose stores accounted for around 25 per cent of each branch’s electricity costs, so upgrading to LED was an obvious step to take.
At first, the focus was on the financial and environmental benefits of LED. But it soon became clear that quality of the light was a big concern – and that saving energy could mean compromising on the customer experience.
LEDs needed to be able to provide the same quality of light as the metal halide lamps which have traditionally dominated retail. It’s taken time for John Lewis to strike that balance, and make sure that the management, the engineering teams and the store design teams are all happy.
Like many retailers, John Lewis first used LEDs in its fridges and freezers, because LEDs work so well in the cold. In 2012 it did its first front-of-house LED trial in a new Waitrose store in Bracknell, and for its next new store in Stratford-upon-Avon, used LED lighting for all the front-of-house areas, achieving a two-year payback.
By 2013 it was decided that LED lighting should become standard for all Waitrose stores. John Lewis stores were a different matter, as each store is designed to be different, and store layouts change by season, so new types of light fittings had to be developed before taking the LED plunge.
In 2013 John Lewis opened a new store in Ipswich – the first outlet to be all-LED not just in the public areas but also in the warehouse, storage and service areas as well, resulting in big energy reductions and costs savings.
At the John Lewis York store that opened in 2014, the store design team had chosen much darker flooring and wall coverings, which pushed the LED technology to its limits. ‘York is still a great space, customers love it, but as engineers and designers we learnt a lot about the capability of LED when used with darker materials,’ said Toby Marlow, engineering manager for John Lewis. ‘However, the technology has already moved on and if we were doing York today we’d use a different specification. ‘In a relatively short space of the time the LED product has improved massively. The light is crisper, the technology is more reliable and the capital costs are now lower than traditional lighting on a like-for-like basis.’
Marlow said of the Philips Crisp White technology used in the luminaires: ‘We’ve done our test of the Crisp White LED and we believe that delivers 14 per cent more white light than existing LEDs while being about 11 per cent cheaper to install and reducing energy consumption by 15 per cent.’
‘Lighting makes a big difference to the ambience of a store,’ said Ken MacDonald, duty manager at Waitrose Ipswich, ‘There are very few areas that are shady and the customer offer is enhanced. We’ve had very good feedback, with people saying the store looks absolutely fantastic.’
The company will be installing LED lighting in its new stores in Birmingham, followed by Horsham and Basingstoke. The rollout in existing stores will begin with Southampton and continue with the flagship Oxford Street branch.
Tim Harrison, director of store formats for John Lewis, said: ‘We have been really pleased with results of LED lighting and that’s why we are putting our faith in it when it comes to Birmingham.’
The Philips MASTER LEDtube has now been extended with a complete portfolio including the new 6ft addition to the range.
Whatever you need, the Philips MASTER LEDtube portfolio has it all. From best energy efficiency to the best light output for the most demanding applications.
A simple switch, our LEDtubes come in a choice of lengths and colour temperatures, with the option of rotating end caps and three value ranges.
Watch the Installation guide for Philips MASTER LEDtube based on Electro Magnetic ballast:
Watch the installation guide for Philips MASTER LEDtube based on High Frequency Electronic Ballast (HF)
Megaman has achieved another industry first with the launch of a wide range of LED products that incorporate a new Dim to Warm system which provides improved dimming performance with the warmth and characteristics of halogen.
Megaman has achieved another industry first with the launch of a wide range of LED products that incorporate a new Dim to Warm system which provides improved dimming performance with the warmth and characteristics of halogen. These LED’s emit a warmer light when they are dimmed with a colour temperature that changes smoothly from 2800K to 1800K when dimmed from 100% to 10%.
Megaman’s Dim to Warm LED lamps feature the same compact profile as incandescent and halogen lamps and are true equivalent replacements in terms of performance, appearance and ambiance. Megaman LED lamps with Dim to Warm technology include Candles, Classics, MR16s, AR111s and Integrated LED Downlights, all of which offer a long life of up to 50,000 hours and high lumen maintenance.
The result is a much more intimate LED lighting experience in commercial settings where lighting plays an important role in creating the mood, particularly the hospitality industry. The Dim to Warm capability also provides high energy savings and lower maintenance costs with no compromise in visual comfort.
Novel Energy Lighting supplies all Megaman lighting products. Please contact us for a quote today. Tel: 0208-540-8287, Email: sales@novelenergylighting.com
Today Thorn Lighting is pleased to announce the release of their new trade contractor guide. The popular catalogue has been updated to include the latest outdoor and indoor products.
Contained within 96 pages the handy guide contains all of the most popular Thorn products with the addition of 7 new LED ranges. Each section includes product images, installation details, dimensional data plus easy to use ordering guides.
A new addition to the guide is a dedicated section on safety and quality, to help installers and contractors while on the job.
This year the guide is available in three easily accessible formats, to meet all requirements:
An eBook – so you can access whenever you are online.
A printed catalogue – for those that prefer a paper copy, all major stockists will have catalogues on their Trade Counter.
Lastly, for the first time the contractor guide has been produced as an app – The Thorn Lighting Contractor – once synched it can be accessed anywhere on the go, without the need for internet connectivity
The NEW Thorn Lighting Contractor App
The New app features the full contractor guide and enhanced features such as a ‘how to’ application design guides, which presents solutions for typical scenarios. Another feature is the ‘find my nearest stockist’ function – so no need to look up your local wholesaler details anymore. The app is compatible with iOS and Android tablet and mobile devices.
The Thorn Lighting Contractor app is downloadable in the UK and Ireland from the App store or Google Play. For easy access to useful installation and lighting information and a snap shot of Thorn products download yours today.
