LED Eco Lights has helped Writtle College achieve almost £18,000 in annual energy savings with an installation of its Goodlight retrofit LED lighting.
This massive saving, plus reduced maintenance costs, equates to a very positive ROI with the initial £57,000 investment being repaid in just over three years and more than £191,000 saved during the lifespan of the installation.
The Estates Team at Writtle College approached LED Eco Lights to request exploratory discussions concerning a retrofit lighting upgrade. This initiative was aimed at not only saving energy but also reducing lighting maintenance and improving lighting performance within the College's main building. Environmentally, the Estates Team preferred a retrofit solution as replacement of most of the existing fittings was considered to be unnecessary so ‘upcycling' was the prudent and non-disruptive option.
Following the initial discussions, it was decided to install Goodlight retrofit LED lighting within the main building as a pilot scheme to gauge a number of factors including performance, energy consumption and reliability. During the trial, the new LED lighting achieved a 59% reduction in energy use - from 278,000kWh to 115,000kWh. Carbon levels also decreased similarly with a staggering 88kg of CO2 saved. As a result of these impressive results, the Estates Team commissioned LED Eco Lights to supply its Goodlight retrofit LED lighting for installation throughout the entire Writtle College campus.
Overall, the complete Goodlight installation involved the supply of over 1,150 fittings including the replacement of damaged and obsolete units with modern LED equivalents. Key objectives were to improve lighting consistency and light quality within all teaching and working areas across the campus and to drastically reduce energy consumption and the recurring inconvenience of lighting maintenance. The products specified for replacement included CFL lamps (2D, PLs and PL-Ls), fluorescent tubes, light discs, 600x600 modular fluorescent panels and vapour-proof IP65 fluorescent light fittings.
Specific improvements resulting from the installation of Goodlight retrofit LED lighting include the elimination of dark areas and shadows within the buildings and the attainment of a consistent level of light, with no flicker or colour variance. This has been achieved alongside consistent, high quality lighting levels in teaching and student work areas. Increased average lux levels have also been reached in key areas, such as the site's two Lecture Theatres, to comply with CIBSE recommendations. Significantly, a zero cost lighting maintenance plan (based on current use) has also been implemented to cover the next 15 years.
"We are very satisfied with the outcomes of our LED lighting upgrade project," says Alec Baitson, Writtle College's Property Maintenance and Development Manager. "Not only do the Goodlight products meet our planned objectives, but the conduct of LED Eco Lights and the installation team was extremely professional. I would have no hesitation in recommending either party - in fact, I've already done so."
The lighting upgrade was funded by SALIX and the estate roll-out phase of the project was funded by HEFCE (Higher Education Funding Council for England).
