09 September 2019

New Enviromental Lighting at Steenbergs

As part of our ongoing efforts to continuously improve our environmental performance, we have recently been focusing on ways to reduce our carbon costs and energy use.  We would like to thank those of you who responded to our requests for any eco-ideas in our last few trade and consumer newsletters – thank you very much.

So, this week we have been upgrading all our lighting to LED lights and installing additional motion sensors in some of the “hidden” areas of our premises.  There has been an immediate improvement in the quality of light that is now a much brighter, whiter light compared to the yellower light from the fluorescent tubes. 

This should reduce our electricity costs by two-thirds, which will also reduce our carbon footprint.

We estimate this will save £841 per annum at a capital cost of £5290 and reduce our annual carbon footprint by 2.2 tonnes CO2e (2,206 kg CO2e).  Allied to these changes, we are implementing some simple behavior changes that should reduce our carbon by another 0.7 tonnes CO2e (703 kg CO2e) at no cost.  If we can achieve an almost 3 tonnes reduction in carbon costs that would be amazing.

Technically, this project has replaced LEDS for 82 T8s (58W and 18W), 4 CFLs (28W) and 8 high bay sodium lights.  In addition, we have installed 7 additional PIR occupancy sensors in the toilet areas, staff kitchens, server room and storeroom; we already have motion sensors in the warehouse areas. 

All old tubes are being returned for environmentally safe disposal via the electrical distributors and the metal from the old light fittings is being recycled through our local metal recycling scheme.