Top 5 Trends of Retail Lighting

5 reasons why Retail Lighting is becoming trendy 

Energy efficient LED Retrofits 

Retail was amongst the first industries to embrace LED Lighting, due to the great amount of energy saved compared to energy consuming halogens. Big influential retails are announcing their investment to new LED products almost daily, companies such as : Sainsbury's, Tesco, Next and Walmart are all choosing LED as their pereferd Lighting technology. Although, generally speaking the amount that has switched to LEDs are a minority and are mainly companies who have good resources and economical strength. This however has not deterred the growth of LEDs as its becoming more affordable, it will  only be a matter of time when LEDs are everywhere. 

Bringing Light to your Brand 

With the surge of online shopping, high-street shops are required to create an environment which not only enhances their brand but is also consumer friendly. This has made lighting more important and specific in distinguishing  yourself amongst competitors. This trend is increasingly becoming essential to the overall brand image of a retailer.

Colourful Technology 

Colour has always been important in retail shopping, it express the personality of the shop. Halogens have always set the benchmark for the quality of light. Furthermore some believe LEDs compromise this and the light the given by LEDs are too bright and halogens have always set the benchmark for the quality of light . This can be true if you go with a cheap low quality LED Light getting manufactured somewhere in China but overall with the LED technology available now, those people are currently chocking on their words. LEDs have not only become more  energy efficient they are also out performing halogen in terms of the quality of light. For instances the new Philips GU10 has a CRI rating of 90 which basically means it outputs an extremely crisp HD light.

Quality Driven 

Their has been many examples of cheap LEDs being bought by retail shops and subsequently causing them many problems. instead of thinking about the quality of the lightbulb they consider saving money purchase a second hand cheap LED and end up with their shop looking dim and their clothes looking like something from the dressing room of a horror film. However those days are coming to an end as that small proportion of the LED market is being tamed. 

Lights have new purpose 

How would feel if light has the ability to guide you around the shop and send you offers while your looking at an item of interest?. Well now it has been made possible,  all thanks to the highly adavanced super accurate positioning systems powered by LED Lights. This systems influences light in way which is not visible to the human eye but can be picked up the camera on your phone!. The light carries specific coding which the phone uses to locate its exact position. Lighting company EldoLED have created an award winning positioning system and have already installed it in several US retail shops. Philips are currently investigating their own Positioning system in a Netherlands museum.

All in all their is some way to go until LEDs truly take over the retail lighting industry. However recent development of innovating LED technology might give brick-and-mortar retailers have hope in a digital dominated industry. 

LEDs are ready to light up the world of Sport.

There was a time when one static camera and a floodlight tower in four corners of the stadium represented the modern day broadcasting of sporting events. Times have drastically changed, to the point were high definition slow motion replays have now increased the video speed by an original 70 frames per second to a whopping 300 frames per second, reducing the chances of any flickering in  the video. Having said all of that, the demand for a flicker free lighting is continuing to gain momentum and was actually included in the lighting design specification for the London olympics in 2012. Stadiums are capable of meeting this broadcasting demand by installing the traditional metal halide floodlights with an electronic control gear or alternatively LEDs

In August 2014, a preseason football game between the premiere league champions Chelsea and Spanish side Real Sociedad was completely light by LED's.  This was the first time in which LED lighting was used in English football. The LEDs used in stamford bridge (the home to Chelsea FC) was supplied by LED giant Philips. The momentum however did not stop there as southampton was the next english football team which installed these energy saving LED lights at their St Mary's stadium. This was supplied by Vision Accendo,   a local lighting company

Musco, a 40 year old US based lighting specialist company are single handedly responsible for the LED lighting of 60 sporting facilities last year. This is still suprisingly a small figure in comparison to the 2.000  lighting projects which Musco are aiming to conclude by the end of the year, using LEDs and other lighting technologies. These projects include Twickenham Rugby stadium, the train centre for the Denver Broncos and the NRG Stadium home to Houston Texans (American Football team).

Floodlighting seems to be the piece in the jigsaw that Philips are aiming to fill up with LEDs, according to Mike Simpson the technical and design director of Philips " Floodlights are one the last places LEDs are taking over". Proir to the world cup in brazil dutch technology company ArenaVision installed metal halide system aiming to optimise HDTV, Super Slow Motion and 3Ds. However it now looks as though this technology is wearing off the vice president of lighting giant Musco highlihted  " Metal halide has reached its zenith, while the energy efficiency and quality of LED lighting is still rising".

This was further brought to attention by this year's Super Bowl being taken place under LED lights. This event is American Football's answer to the World cup final and is one the most watched sporting events in the world.  

Overall its hard to disagree, LEDs are not just a force to be reckoned with anymore they are the go to technology in lighting and who knows maybe the next time you go watch your favourite sporting team you will be light up by LEDs

This blog post was adapted from:
ISSUU-Lux special- Hospitality by Revo media 

The Department of Energy and Climate Change Practice What They Preach and Install LED Lighting

Lighting in the Department of Energy and Climate Change (D.E.C.C.) has been replaced with energy efficient, cost effective LED light sources. Since their installation, member of staff have commented on the improved brightness levels and lower energy consumption.

Prior to the upgrade, the offices at 3 Whitehall Place were illuminated by T5 fluorescent lamps. Some argue that T5 and LED lamps have the same energy saving features; building managers often opt for T5s due to their low cost. The D.E.C.C. believe a clear advantage of opting for LED light sources is their localised control system which turns lights off if rooms are vacant and dims them down to 5% as natural daylight pours in.  

During the make-over, the fluorescent lamps on all 8 floors of Whitehall Place were replaced with 1,300 Philips LED fittings.

In their own case study D.E.C.C. stated: “Compared to retrofits in most comparable buildings, which tend to use relatively inefficient T8 tubes, the energy savings are slightly lower, however they are very significant.”

The project spanned for 26 days and cost £401,000, during this time the building’s heating and cooling system was also upgraded. Since these two renovations, the energy consumption in Whitehall place has reduced by almost 30%, majority of these energy savings can be attributed to the lighting switch-over.

The D.E.C.C. anticipates annual savings of around £22,000, predicting an addition £7,000 saving on maintenance costs. They said: “There are additional savings to be had from the switch to LED lighting in the form of lower maintenance costs- it is claimed that LED luminaires typically last 5 times as long as the fluorescent equivalent.”

This refurbishment is part of the government’s recently announced UK Lighting Sector Strategy. This new initiative intends to slash energy consumption and encourage innovation in lighting.

Aside from the obvious energy and maintenance savings, the lighting overhaul has other benefits. A D.E.C.C. spokeswoman reported that responses to their questionnaire showed that, 71% of workers at Whitehall Place found that the LED light sources improved the lighting in their work space.  

Leading Student Accommodation Developer, Unite Students, Announce a £21 million LED Switch-Over

Unite Students have teamed up with industry gorgon, Philips Lighting, to replace existing halogen and incandescent light sources with energy saving LED lamps in all their student properties by 2016.

Unite estimate the lighting project will take 2 years to complete. It will cover over 120 properties, 23 UK towns and cities, creating better living and working environments for staff and students. During the switch-over, more than 300,000 LED light fittings and 85,000 dimmers and sensors will be installed in corridors, kitchens, lounges, common rooms, reception areas and even outdoor spaces.

Philips LivingColours lamps (pictured) will be installed in every student bedroom throughout Unites properties. These innovative lamps will allow students to personalise their lighting to suit their purpose, be it studying, relaxing or socialising. 

The LED switch-over is part of Unite’s recently developed “Home for Success” scheme. Under the “Home for Success” scheme, Unite pledges make improvements which will make their 41,000 student residents feel more at home whilst reducing energy consumption and maintenance costs. It is hoped the “Home for Success” scheme will have a 5 year payback time; the resulting savings have already been assigned to other areas, including; free cleaning services and longer reception opening hours.

Richard Smith, Managing Director for Unite Students, said: “We are pleased to announce this partnership with Philips and our investment in LED lighting, which supports Unite Students’ commitment to providing a home for success for the students that live with us. Success for students means many different things from getting the best degree they can, securing a job after graduating, making lasting friendships and relationships to personal growth and developing into who they want to be.”

He continues: “The new lighting will create a more inviting space for students which they can personalise for socialising or study. At the same time it will reduce Unite’s carbon footprint and the longer lifecycle of LED lights will significantly reduce maintenance workloads for our city teams.”

Philips’ Commercial Director for the Office and Industry sector, Dan Scott said: “Philips is working closely with Unite students to drive down energy consumption and maintenance costs through the use of efficient lighting. The new lighting is also helping Unite Students to achieve its primary goal of creating the best possible environment for student learning; reinforcing the power of light to uplift and transform our surroundings.”

Dan explains: “In addition to supplying the lighting itself, Philips is providing a range of services to support Unite Students in unlocking the potential that lighting can bring, both in terms of energy efficiency  and ambiance. Prior to commencing the roll out across the portfolio Philips surveyed the Unite Students properties to evaluate the existing lighting, in order to deliver the best results and recommend the most appropriate lighting solutions. Philips will manage the installation and provide after sales service support to the Unite Students team.”

New Government Scheme Aims To Encourage Businesses To Replace Outdated Lighting

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has announced their plans to encourage businesses to cut carbon emissions and reduce the demand on the National Grid.

The scheme allows businesses to compete against one another for money to fund energy efficiency measures. The budget for the pilot scheme has been set at £20 million. Businesses will bid for the money to fund lighting renovations which would not be possible without the funding.

The first stage of the scheme is a £10 million Electricity Demand Reduction auction. The auction will be open to all sectors of the economy up and down the country. The auction gives businesses the opportunity to bid for funding for a variety of projects, including LED switch-overs and improving motors and pumps.

The government has shown particular interest in projects which promise to deliver up to 100 kilowatts of savings throughout the winter period. The DECC tells us that over 300 organisations including hospitals, airports and supermarket chains are considering taking part in the auction.

The pilot auction scheme will run for two years. If the 2014 trial is successful and delivers lasting electricity savings, the government will continue to offer such funding through the capacity market due to be launched later this year.

It is hoped this will ease the pressure on the National Grid who, as we reported earlier this month, are expecting blackouts during the winter of 2015 due to their inability to meet our increasing electricity demands. Capacity providers will be offered a steady, predictable revenue stream in return for a guarantee they will deliver energy when needed. This is likely to result in increased bills for energy consumers, estimated at £13 per household per year.   

McDonald’s Energy Saving Plan- 20% Energy Cuts but 2020!

LED Street Light in McDonald's

Fast food gorgons McDonald’s aspire to increase energy efficiency by 20% in company owned stores by 2020.

Earlier this month, McDonald’s published a 116 page report focusing on corporate social responsibility. The report details a number of areas in which McDonald’s wish to improve, areas of particular importance were; sourcing, food, people, community and the planet. One of McDonald’s’ key goals for 2020 is to achieve a 20% increase in energy efficiency in seven of the company’s top markets (including the UK).

Although the strategy report is rather vague, it does mention implementing LED lighting: “We have identified a portfolio of energy-efficient solutions… such as high efficiency exhaust fans and LED walk-in refrigerator lighting, with the potential to support our aspirations goal of 20 per cent increase in energy efficiency in our company owned restaurants by 2020.”

Restaurant in the US have already hopped onto the LED lighting bandwagon. Currently it is standard practice for US, company owned McDonald’s restaurants to have LED dining room lighting, LED building signage and some franchises even have LED car park lighting.

The ‘aspirational goals’ set by McDonald’s only apply to company owned restaurants, not for its franchises. The top seven markets, to whom these goals apply to are; Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, the UK and the US. McDonald’s owns 19% of restaurants within these areas. According to the report, a framework of goals for franchise restaurants will be developed by 2016.

For more information on how energy savings can be achieved using LED lighting visit our website http://theledspecialist.co.uk/ or call the office on 0118 950 7125. 

Now In Stock: Which? Magazine's Best Buy Spotlight

In their June issue, Which? magazine awarded Integral LED's 5.3.w GU10 their Best Buy Spotlight award. 

The warm white, 5.3w GU10 lamp was tested against 23 named brand, halogen and LED GU10 spotlights. Integral's GU10 lamp, shown in the video below, came out on top due to its sleek, modern design and energy efficiency. Integral promise their 5.3w GU10 will save 85% in electricity costs and a return on investment within a year. 

  

We are currently selling Integral LED GU10s at just £3.90 per bulb which, at the time of publishing is cheaper than all of our competitors. 

To make a purchase or for any more information on this or any other LED lamp call the office on 0118 950 7125 or visit http://theledspecialist.co.uk/index.php/led-light-bulbs/led-gu10/integral-led-gu10-5-5w-non-dimmable-3000k.html

UK Government Minster Explains Why The Government Are Backing Lighting

Business and energy minister Michael Fallon speaks to Lux about why the government is getting behind the lighting industry and the LIA's strategy.

London Underground Upgrades To LED Lighting

Underground stations including Tottenham Court Road, Bond Street and Victoria are currently being redeveloped. Bob Benn, stations engineering manager for London Underground told the Lighting for Rail conference that once the make-overs have been complete, these stations will use 100% LED lighting. 
The initial lighting design was created before the LED boom, and so planned to use fluorescent lighting products. In order to keep up with the times, London Underground lighting teams have agreed to update specifications ensuring they take full advantage of newer LED technology. 

Benn said: "We were basically dealing with an obsolete design. We've managed to change it all to LED lighting, but that's been a major challenge in London Underground in order to get that through the system." 

Although LED lighting has a higher investment cost, London Underground will see fast payback due to LED lighting's significant reduction in energy consumption and maintenance costs. The longer lifetime offered by LED lighting is a massive benefit to the London Underground maintenance team as conducting maintenance in busy, hard to access stations has an extremely high cost.

A number of London Underground stations have already been upgraded from costly T8 fluorescent lamps to LED tubes. This change-over saw a return on investment in 18 months and has saved millions of pounds in maintenance costs. 

Speaking of the astronomical savings, Benn said: "From the point of view of whole-life cost, we're very aware of the reduced maintenance of new technology."

London Underground estimate that work at Bond Street will be finished by 2017, while work at Victoria and Tottenham Court Road will continue until 2018. These redevelopments are part of a London wide scheme of station upgrades to prepare for the completion of Crossrail.

Taiwan places restrictions on LED lighting efficacy

Earlier this month, the Taiwanese Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) announced that all LED lights must have a minimum efficacy of 70 lumens per watt. According to this new legislation, all indoor, warm-white LED lamps must have a minimum efficacy of 70lm/W while cool-white LEDs must reach a minimum of 75lm/W.

The Global Lighting Association (GLA) support the implementation of this legislation, their representative Michael Ng said: “Minimum efficacy requirements should be set at such a level that good-quality products are widely available and at an affordable price. The GLA globally support one minimum level of performance for lighting products, just like what is announced by Taiwan’s MOEA Bureau of Energy. This is very different from just an energy labelling scheme. In general this serves the purposes of ensuring safe and quality products for the consumers, maintaining interoperability and competition on performance. There are adequate surveillance and penalties in place to ensure that the vendors are truthful and the standards used are internationally harmonised.”

When asked about this new legislation, Thorn Lighting’s Head of Global Lighting Applications commented: “it’s an interesting turn of events, the move is clearly designed to discourage people using high colour temperature, or perhaps to encourage retailers or manufacturers to favour warmer light by making it easier to comply.

Although he is not sure the move will have a knock on effect: “whether it will catch on on a global scare is a difficult one. We see general disquiet over the use of high CCT in the outdoors in many countries. Generally it is not liked, but that may be a more historic thing. Previously such cold colours were simply not available. In some countries, South Africa for example, there is generally a wider acceptance of colder colours, less so in Europe.”

In Taiwan in 2013, lighting accounts for 10.9% of the country’s total power consumption, according to figures obtained by the MOEA’s Bureau of Energy (BOE). Residential lighting accounted for 40% of the total lighting power consumption. 

Philips’ Unite Lighting Project- Improved Quality at reduced costs

Philips help Unite, the UK’s leading operator of purpose built student accommodation, to help improve lighting quality while reducing lifecycle costs at The Grange student accommodation in Leicester.

Project Brief:

Who?                            Unite

Where?                         Leicester

What products?         Circular bulkhead LED, Coreline Recessed and Pacific LED

What services?           Lighting survey, installation, commissioning, after-sales service and on-                                         going support

Helping students see the light:

Philips provides an LED lighting  and services package to Unite, the UK’s leading operator of purpose built student accommodation, to help improve lighting quality while reducing lifecycle costs at The Grange student accommodation in Leicester.

Unite provides homes to 41,000 students in over 130 properties across 23 university cities and works in partnership with higher education providers, as well as renting rooms directly to students.

The Grange is located on the main campus of De Montfort University and is home to 220 students. The property is made up of shared flats with communal kitchens and living areas, and self contained individual studio apartments.

Supporting sustainable business:

Unite is committed to minimising its environmental impact and has an on-going programme to improve energy efficiency at its properties as part of its overall corporate responsibility strategy. Alongside this, the company prides itself on providing a high quality home environment for its students.

“Lighting was identified as an area where improvements in energy performance would also enhance the internal environment for our customers,” recalls Unites Energy and Utilities Manager James Tiernan.

At The Grange, Philips evaluated the existing lighting to identify areas for improvement, using its recently enhanced lighting survey methodology. Philip’s methodology ensures in-depth understanding of the existing installation and the customer’s business goals and objectives. This information underpins a tailored solution that delivers optimum benefits.

After conducting the survey, Philips managed the installation and commissioning of LED lighting throughout The Grange. LED lighting has been installed in all bedrooms, kitchens, common areas, back office spaces and external areas. Extensive use has been made of circular bulkhead LED fittings, which combine excellent light distribution with a robust housing and IP65 rating. These have been used in students’ rooms, corridors, kitchen areas and stairwells to replace old 2D fluorescent fittings, bringing significant improvements in energy consumption, light output and lifespan. Administration areas, such as reception areas, are using CoreLine Recessed fittings, replacing modular fluorescent luminaires, while Pacific LED fittings have been installed in the laundry room. Presence detectors have also been introduced in corridors and daylight linking in spaces that receive high levels of natural daylight.

Philips will also deliver after-sales service and on-going support to the Unite team.

Efficient solutions with no compromise on style:

The entire lighting solution not only minimises the building’s energy consumption but will also dramatically lower lifecycle costs by out-living previous solutions and lasting for many years beyond traditional lighting fixtures.

 In addition, the new lighting offers improvements in uniformity, quality, and control of light, which provides students with an environment conductive to study and learning whilst also improving the visual appearance in all areas of the building.

“Moving from predominantly 28 watt 2D fluorescent fittings to 18 watt LED fittings has delivered a substantial reduction in energy consumption and the improved controls have bought further savings still. Around 30% of our maintenance requests are lighting related, so we expect significant reduction here too, bringing additional savings in hardware and man hours,” James Tiernan continued.

“There are other intangible benefits that can’t be quantified but are very important. For example, the improved light levels create a better living environment for students, which is important for us in supporting their success whilst at university. Universities are also beginning to look more closely at the carbon emissions of their supply chain, so it’s important we can demonstrate that we are taking measures to reduce our carbon footprint,” he concludes.

Manchester Airport Group’s LED switch-over

Manchester Airport Terminal 2

As part of their wide ranging sustainability programme, Manchester Airport Group (MAG) have replaced costly, high maintenance, outdated incandescent and fluorescent lighting with Philips LED luminaires in Manchester airport’s Terminal 2 and in Olympic House, MAG’s Head Office.

Philips' PowerBalance LED luminaire

The newly refurbished Terminal 2 at Manchester Airport is now illuminated using a combination of Philips’ PowerBalance and GentleSpace LED luminaires. Using these two different luminaires, lighting designers were able to accommodate the variation in ceiling height within the two terminal halls. To achieve a consistent light output through the terminal halls, higher mounted applications required a higher light output than those replacing the ceiling recessed lighting. Philips’ GentleSpace luminaires deliver the required high lighting output while PowerBalance luminaires provide an efficient and cost-effective LED alternative to the outdated, ceiling-mounted, fluorescent lighting.

Philips GentleSpace LED luminaire

In total, 2498 luminaires were replaced and a further 1356 were deemed redundant and so were removed during the LED switch-over. The installed electrical load within Terminal 2 has now been reduced by 2,225,879 kWh and the terminal’s carbon emissions have been reduced by 1,206 kg. Due to the LED lamps extended life time, maintenance and re-lamping costs will also be reduced meaning MAG can anticipate significant savings across the board. Both Philips’ PowerBalance and GentleSpace are included on the Energy Technology List, enabling MAG to claim tax exemption through the government’s Enhanced Capital Allowances Scheme.

All luminaires have been fitted with DALI cabling and control gear using this MAG created a unique, easy to use, cost effective lighting management system set to meet their unique control requirements. An essential requirement of the lighting within Terminal 2 was digital dimming; this functionality can also be achieved using DALI technology. MAG integrated the lighting control system with their in-house flight movement system aligning light levels to coincide with passenger movement and numbers ensuring lighting is being not wasted in unused areas thus maximising energy savings. 

Olympic House

After seeing the success of the LED switch-over in Terminal 2, MAG decided to upgrade the lighting in their Head Office, Olympic House. Earlier this year, Olympic House’s five floors were given a make-over, during the refurbishment MAG took the opportunity to reduce their carbon footprint, cut energy emissions and still receive a reasonable return on their initial investment. Through using Philips LED lighting and control systems MAG have created a modern, energy efficient, working environment.

Philips LuxSpace Compact LED luminaire

LED lights and control systems were installed on the ground, 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th and 6^th floors of Olympic House during the renovation. In open plan office areas, general lighting is provided using PowerBalance LED modular recessed luminaires. PowerBalance luminaires have a consistent light output and offer stable colour performance, their long lamp life means cost of ownership is low making them a smart, cost-effective lighting choice. In circulation areas, PowerBalance luminaires are complemented by LuxSpace Compact and StyliD mini recessed LED down-lighters providing feature lighting.  

Philips StyliD LED luminaire

To further maximise energy savings, lighting is Olympic House is controlled using Philips’ Dynalite control system which utilises the DALI protocol based on an Ethernet backbone. The control system has been configured so that other areas of the building can be added into the control system at a later date; the control system will be regularly maintained by Philips through their Control After-Care Package. As well as adding new areas to the system, Dynalite head end software enables MAG to easily reconfigure the lighting should the layout of the workspaces change in the future.

In office areas daylight harvesting technology is used meaning the lighting is linked to photocells and dimmed according to the rhythm of the natural daylight ensuring the required lighting levels are maintained using the minimum amount of energy. In areas of variable occupancy, presence detection sensors are used to ensure lighting is only on when required. In addition to these innovations, Olympic House’s meeting rooms have pre-set scene controls, while the board room has a touch screen interface which offers a more extensive control of the luminaires.

Light provided by Philips has transformed both Olympic House and Terminal 2. Since the switch-over, MAG has received positive feedback from staff and customers alike. After seeing the effects of these renovations, MAG staff from areas which were not included in the switch-over, have now requested LED lighting within their departments!

For more information on any of the lighting or control systems within this project or any LED product visit our website http://theledspecialist.co.uk/ or call the office 0118 950 7125 to speak to an informed lighting specialist. 

How LED lighting can benefit your University- Graduate with a first class honours in lighting!

With recent cuts in government funding now taking effect, there has never been a more ample time for Universities to invest in LED lighting technology. Effective lighting technology can improve the quality of your environment, help meet sustainability goals and improve the well-being of your staff and students. Investing in LED lighting and control systems will bring immediate benefits including; reduced energy consumption and on-going maintenance costs.

Lighting equates to around a quarter of a University’s energy bill, this figure can be reduced by using energy efficient LED lighting and lighting management systems. Monitoring energy use across an entire University is no easy task; it is difficult to know how much energy is being consumed by each area and how to minimise this. Installing a lighting management system allows you to see and monitor lighting energy consumption within each area. Using this information, you can then consider how this consumption could be reduced, taking into account which areas are being occupied, for what, and how frequently. In areas where permanent lighting is unnecessary, presence detection sensors, timed switching, dimming and or daylight harvesting strategies could be utilised to drive down energy consumption and cost.

Some of the benefits of using energy efficient lighting are not immediately obvious; for example by ensuring lighting is only turned on when it is needed, less heat is generated and therefore less air conditioning is required. An overall reduction in lighting use means reduced energy consumption, lower emissions, smaller energy bills and a “greener” carbon footprint.

In today’s competitive environment, attractive LED lighting can help reinforce your brand image, strengthening your appeal to students, parents and business partners alike. Due to increased environmental awareness, choosing a “green University” may be an important factor for the next generation of students, there fore the lower your carbon footprint the more attractive your University will become. Likewise, business partners will be more likely to invest in research facilities or hire spaces available for corporate events if the University’s environmental policy matches that of their company.

Creating the right environment for learning is an essential goal for any University, their aim is to create spaces that are comfortable for students and lecturers which are also flexible enough to suit different tutorial needs. Using intelligent LED lighting the same space can be used for a multitude of activities; a space can be altered, literally with the flick of a switch transforming it into a completely different environment. Flexible LED lighting can be used to:

•          Project you University colours - reinforcing your brand identity
•          Give public spaces a WOW factor- making a lasting impression on students and their parents
•          Support themes and events around campus throughout the year
•          Create attractive, high-tech spaces to hire- attracting commercial interest
•          Transform a simple lecture theatre into a multimedia theatre
•          Stimulate students when energy is low by altering frequency and intensity of the lighting
•          Calm hyperactive students during lectures again, by altering the frequency and intensity of the lighting

Using LED lighting products can help transform your University environment. LED lighting is an investment which will start to repay itself the moment it is installed; that’s good news for you, good news for your budget, your staff, your students and your carbon footprint.

For more information or to begin your LED switch-over visit our website http://theledspecialist.co.uk/ or call the office to speak to one of our informed lighting specialists 0118 950 7125

Simply LED, for Sheffield Simply Food Store

Marks and Spencer’s Simply Food store in Sheffield is the first store within the UK to be lit using only LED lighting making it M&S’s most sustainable store. The store’s sustainable, bright, enticing lighting is achieved by combining Philips’ LED luminaires with Philips’ Dynalite management control system.

Philips Dynalite Control System

The LED lighting has been installed in across the store’s car park areas, back of house and shop floor, and has given the store energy savings of 25-30%. The installation of the new Philips Dynalite control system could further increase these savings!

In addition to these initial energy savings, thanks to the LED’s long lamp life, the store will also benefit from reduced maintenance costs as the need for re-lamping will be eradicated. Another benefit to the installation of LED lighting is there will be no discharge lamps to dispose of, meaning M&S avoid incurring WEEE charges.

Philips Maxos Trunking

Customers will be enticed into the store’s entrance due to the lighting ambiance created by Philips Blast and Graze luminaires. The remainder of lighting within the store is produced through a combination of Maxos trunking and StyliD fixtures. The store’s food chillers are all fitted with the latest generation of warm white LED modules; these make the merchandise look as attractive as possible. LED fittings and wall marker lights illuminate the store’s outdoor areas, creating a pleasant and safe environment in the car parks. 

Philips StyliD

To make maximum use of the natural daylight which pours in through the windows, M&S have utilised the daylight harvesting setting offered by Philip’s Dynalite control system. The daylight harvesting setting follows the rhythm of natural daylight and automatically dims the luminaires within each area ensuring a constant level of light is maintained in each working space. The control system can also be set so it switches off entirely as the daylight takes overs, further increasing the store’s energy savings. 

Alison Burnley, Store Manager at M&S Simply Foods Sheffield said: “We are delighted to be opening  this new Sustainable Learning Store in Sheffield which is the most environmentally friendly store M&S has ever built. The eco friendly Philips lighting systems we have in place have contributed to this and ensure that we create a fresh modern shopping environment for our customers.” 

Without a doubt, employing such initiatives as LED dimming and daylight harvesting M&S is one step closer  to achieving its ambitious energy reduction targets, setting an example to us all.

For more information about this project or any of the products featured visit our website http://theledspecialist.co.uk/ or call the office to speak to an informed sales advisor 0118 950 7125 

Philips' LED downlighters transform Dartmoor Zoological Park’s restaurant and conference area

The incredible story of Dartmoor Zoo is the subject of the best-selling book and film ‘We Bought A Zoo’. In 2006, the Mee brothers took a leap of faith without any experience to fall back on, purchased a run down zoo. Thanks to the brothers' tireless efforts, the estate has now been bought back to its former glory and a number of facilities have been improved. After the renovation, a remaining area of concern was the restaurant which was illuminated by outdated 2 x 26w compact fluorescent down lights.

Alex Smale, the zoo’s Business Development Manager said: “We reached a stage where only 40% of the fittings were working and those that were on were not giving out much light. The fittings were also very unattractive and certainly didn’t create the right impression.”

Philips’ solution to this problem was to replace the existing fittings with 32w Luxspace LED recessed down lighters. The benefits of using these lamps include; improved lighting performance, minimal installation costs and energy savings. 

Divided into zones, the Luxspace fittings are controlled through Philips OccuSwitch DALI (Digital Addressable Lighting Interface) which delivers an enhanced level of control. Through this system, lighting is linked to photocells so that it can be automatically dimmed in relation to natural daylight. The system is also linked to the occupancy detectors; ensuring lighting in unoccupied areas of the restaurant is dimmed to around 20% of the full light output. 

Staff and visitors approve of the new lighting, Alex Smale enthused: “It has made a fantastic difference to the restaurant and we’ll be saving a massive amount on energy costs. There will also be big savings on maintenance, thanks to the long life of the LED lamps”.

Philips is also supplying new lighting in the zoo’s’ cat houses with the aim of creating a better environment for the keepers. This lighting upgrade is part of the zoo’s plan to reduce its environmental impact, the zoo works closely with Bicton College in Salterton to promote environmental awareness. Together, these two organisations are working towards creating an education centre within the zoo. 

Discover how much you could save with Philips' lighting solutions...