At Carbon Friendly Lighting ltd not only are we very conscious about the energy saving that can be achieved by converting the existing T8 and T12 fluorescent lighting over to T5 Fluorescent lamps, we also place a great deal on the sustainability issues associated with manufacture of our lighting solutions.

This is why our conversions offer more than just the savings, by reducing the amount of waste on each project, by recycling and refurbishing as much of the existing light fittings as possible.

 NEMEX 2012 will showcase the latest advances in renewable energy products, energy management systems, and energy efficient technologies bringing together energy executives and decision makers across a range of industries all shaping the UK business approach to the latest energy crises.  It will also give visitors access to industry experts in an extensive seminar programme, supported by a uniquely experienced steering group which includes ESTA, EiBI, Tesco and the Energy Institute.

 The 2012 show will take place on 22-24 May 2012 in halls 3 and 3a at NEC, Birmingham.

Latest figures issued show that the UK’s Carbon Emissions have risen again and are currently at the highest they have been. Going by previous measures this is probably going cause an increase in Carbon Taxes, fuel and utility prices.

 Now is a good time for the SME’s in the UK to act, prior to even greater levies being put on them. Reducing the amount of gas and electric that is currently being consumed is the fastest way to bring the reduction of emissions back on track. We should all be aware that the largest single usage of electricity comes from the existing lighting systems, which can amount up to a massive 50% of the total bill.

 The cost of running the lighting can be reduced by 50-60%, which can be as much as 30% of the total electric bill, as this is money not being paid out it will be an increase in the profits.

 For most companies in the UK there are loan schemes available to assist with this type of energy saving project, whilst there is a small interest charge the loan repayment are calculated against the money saved, therefore there will be NO additional outlay to carryout the project.

ACT NOW, for more information on the most economical low energy lighting solutions, contact CFL Ltd

Carbon Friendly Lighting specialises in providing customised, affordable energy-saving lighting to organisations of all types and sizes throughout the UK.

Uniquely, Carbon Friendly Lighting is the only energy-saving lighting provider to offer a bespoke conversion service that adapts your existing energy-guzzling light fittings to house new environmentally-responsible lamps. This approach has many benefits:

• Cuts running costs by up to 70%
• No capital outlay for many public sector organisations as funding is available
• Payback typically within 6 to 36 months for private sector firms
• Minimises carbon tax liability
• Avoids the expense and inconvenience of redecoration
• Reduces waste and environmental impact in line with new regulations

Government-backed funding schemes for public sector organisations cover 100% of the cost in most cases, with interest-free loans offset by the energy savings achieved. In the private sector, businesses usually find that the considerable energy savings result in a payback period of less than 36 months. So new equipment should pay for itself and you continue to make savings year on year!

The future of energy-efficient lighting, many experts will tell you, is the solid-state LED (light-emitting diode). You have already begun to see these tiny, bead-like lights in special applications such as traffic signals, exit signs, automotive headlights, and lightweight flashlights. Maybe you have begun to see them in high-end ambient room lighting applications, such as energy-efficient desk lamps and kitchen underlights.

“The common view,” says Francis Rubinstein, a scientist and energy-efficient lighting expert at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s Environmental Energy Technologies Division, “is that LED lighting is replacing fluorescent lighting with the same inevitability that mammals replaced dinosaurs as the dominant large life forms on Earth.”

Ongoing research at national laboratories and in the lighting industry is focusing on improving the light output, lifetime, and durability of LEDs, as well as driving their costs down. Many lighting experts expect that LEDs will eventually be used widely in general lighting applications, replacing inefficient incandescent bulbs, as well as energy-efficient fluorescent lamps (both the linear and compact varieties). LEDs have the potential to be more energy-efficient than fluorescent lights.

But wait, says Rubinstein, who has been delivering a talk to lighting industry audiences titled “Why Fluorescent Lighting Isn’t Dead.” He believes that modern fluorescent lighting will continue to dominate the general lighting market and that solid-state LED lighting will coexist in the marketplace with fluorescent lighting for some time to come. Rubinstein sees a near-term future in which LED and fluorescent lighting coexist in hybrid systems that will be more adaptable to the lighting needs of a wide variety of residential, commercial, and industrial building types and space configurations.

Rubinstein has been studying lighting systems in buildings for some thirty years. He has participated in energy efficiency improvement projects at the White House, congressional office buildings, the San Francisco and Oakland federal buildings, public and private buildings, and military bases. In his current research, much of which takes place in real buildings such as federal offices and large commercial facilities, he’s been studying lighting systems combined with advanced wireless control systems, personal and workstation controls, and daylighting, to manage the lighting needs of work spaces energy efficiently.

In some recent studies, Rubinstein and his research team have installed an advanced lighting and wireless control system in a testbed on one or more floors of a building, monitored the energy use, and surveyed the user satisfaction with the new system. Such systems now on the market, or in prototype, use lighting industry standards such as BacNet and DALI, and leverage wireless protocols such as ZigBee and Wi-Fi.

“Modern fluorescent lighting is the most energy-efficient, cost-effective source for general lighting available today,” says Rubinstein. “Although solid-state LED technology has advanced, fluorescent lighting technology is also improving in energy efficiency and new features.”

Where Edison’s Fixture Still Rules

Residential lighting is dominated by the Edison fixture, into which occupants screw incandescent bulbs or compact fluorescent lamps. There are about 4.5 billion of these in the U.S. In commercial buildings, there are about one billion linear fixtures and anywhere from two to three billion lampholder pair fixtures.

“LEDs already have two strikes against them in this market,” says Rubinstein, “They have to fit into an electrical infrastructure that isn’t designed for LED replacements, and incandescent sockets work best with point sources such as the CFL or incandescent, while the fluorescent works best with line sources such as the linear fixtures everyone knows from office buildings.”

Although researchers are working to improve the performance of LEDs and drive down their cost, fluorescent lamp and fixture technology is not standing still either. The lighting industry, Rubinstein points out, has improved ballast technology in fluorescent lighting substantially.

Ballasts are the electronics that regulate the power flowing into the fluorescent lamp. Back in the 1970s, most fluorescent lamps used magnetic ballasts. At that time, EETD researchers began developing electronic ballasts, which are 20 percent or more energy efficient than magnetic ballasts, and they worked with the lighting industry to field-test and commercialize the technology.

Today, the lighting industry has run with it. Manufacturers have introduced and improved the energy efficiency of instant-start ballasts, and they have introduced and increased the performance and efficiency of ballasts designed for dimming fluorescent lamps.

The industry has also improved the light distribution efficiency of its fixtures. Rubinstein has measured the fixture efficiency of 1990s-vintage parabolic louvered fixtures at around 60 percent. Current-technology recessed direct/indirect fixtures distribute 90 percent of the light coming from the fluorescent lamp into the space.

“My key point,” says Rubinstein, “is that if you use LEDs to replace fluorescents, then you are on a battleground where cost is king, and the performance of fluorescents has slowly, but continually improved over the years.” LEDs have not yet caught up to fluorescent lighting in cost per lumens of light delivered—they are sometimes ten times more expensive per lumen than fluorescent lighting, and in the lighting market, decisions about which technology to install are cost-driven.

“We are so blasé about how good and cheap modern fluorescent lighting has become, that we forget what a well-evolved technical tour de force it really is,” says Rubinstein.

Opportunities in Hybrid Lighting

Modern fixtures present lighting designers with the opportunity to adapt the lighting to the needs of the space. Adjustable features such as open wings allow certain fixtures to throw more light onto a ceiling and flatten the light out evenly, providing even illumination that is ideal for low-ceilinged rooms.

Rubinstein argues that “until research drives the cost of LEDs down substantially, the greatest potential for improvements in lighting energy efficiency will come from combining advanced lighting controls with hybrid (fluorescent and LED) lighting systems, and designing the lighting to fit the space and occupant requirements in which they’re used.”

But Rubinstein believes that the real future of energy-efficient lighting is in hybrid systems with control devices. “As time goes on we’re going to get smarter and smarter, and develop smart furniture with built-in occupancy and light sensors. The sensors, as part of a larger automated building energy control system will reduce the energy we waste from lighting we don’t need.”

Using a wireless lighting control system , the lighting can respond automatically to increases or decreases in daylight coming through nearby windows if these are present; shut down and turn on automatically when office occupants leave and re-enter their office space; and even respond to the conditions on the electricity grid such as high prices or unusually high demand prefiguring grid failure (another technology known as automatic demand response).

Figure 1. Wireless lighting control systems such as this Integrated Building Environmental Communications System (IBECS) communications network can respond automatically to ambient lighting conditions and other signals, to maintain optimal light levels while saving energy. 

An important component of this system will be personal controls. “Study after study has shown that lighting systems which give user personal control over the lighting in their work area results in saved energy,” says Rubinstein. “They give users who don’t want the full level of ambient lighting the option to set lighting at the level they’re comfortable with.”

A study by Rubinstein in a federal building showed that occupant-responsive lighting and personal controls resulted in 40 percent less lighting energy use than an energy code-compliant baseline system that had low power density but was manually switched. By giving occupants control over their environment, and the ability to adjust the overhead light level to their satisfaction, they make occupants feel happier with their surroundings—despite other shortcomings in their environment.

“Modern fluorescent lighting is the most efficient, cost-effective source for general lighting available today,” he concludes. “Until LEDs become cost-competitive with modern fluorescents for general lighting, hybrid solutions are still the most energy-efficient lighting systems in the marketplace. And whatever lighting technology is used, the key to maximum energy savings and comfort is an intelligent control system that combines automatic with manual controls.”

Visit Carbon Friendly Lighting Ltd Hall 1- Stand F104

Carbon Friend Lighting Ltd are manufacturers of bespoke low energy lighting solutions, incorporating T5 fluorescent lamps within conversions to within the existing light fixture. This can provide energy and cost savings of up to 70%, extended lamp life and greatly reduced maintenance costs.

 Being bespoke designed the solutions are quick and easy to install keeping installations cost to a minimum with very little if any disruption to the working environment.

 All conversions are supplied with a guarantee of up to 5 years.

www.cflighting.com

Facilities Show, NEC, Birmingham | 17 – 19 May 2011

The Facilities Show is the UK’s leading event for the Facilities Management industry; bringing suppliers with the innovations that facilities managers need to improve their workplace together.  Organised in association with the British Institute of Facilities Management, The Facilities Show has established itself as one of the largest meeting places for the industry.

Register

Energy Efficiency Financing information for business customers 

Investing in energy efficient equipment makes sound business and environmental sense, especially with the easy, affordable and flexible Energy Efficiency Financing scheme brought to you by Carbon Trust Implementation Services (CTIS) and Siemens Financial Services.

Carbon Trust Implementation Services and Siemens Financial Services have combined forces, and together are offering leases, loans and other financing options to all types of organisations seeking to reduce their energy use. New, more efficient equipment should lower energy bills and with payments calculated so that they can be offset by the anticipated energy savings, the financing option is designed to pay for itself.

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Financing from as little as £1,000 upwards

The scheme is available to all kinds of businesses and organisations. Financing from Siemens Financial Services can be arranged from £1,000, and there are potentially no upper limits.

Why Energy Efficiency Financing makes business sense:

• Convenient and fast – arranged through your chosen recognised Energy Efficiency Financing supplier
• Affordable – designed so that financing payments can be offset against the anticipated energy savings
• Flexible – payments can be tailored for individual circumstances
• Easier budgeting – payments are fixed, not subject to fluctuations in interest rates – which means easier budgeting
• Maintains existing credit lines
• Tax efficient – payments may be offset against tax, depending on individual circumstances
• Future proofed – allows the flexibility to change with your business requirements
• Conserves working capital – the flexibility to conserve your existing working capital for other business projects

Energy Efficiency Financing is a partnership offering from the Carbon Trust Implementation Services (CTIS) and Siemens Financial Services.

The Carbon Trust’s mission is to accelerate the move to a low carbon economy, providing specialist support to organisations to help cut carbon emissions, save energy and commercialise low carbon technologies. A Carbon Trust group company, Carbon Trust Implementation Services Limited (CTIS) will use its expertise in carbon savings from energy efficient technologies to independently assess the carbon, energy and cost savings of any credit approved Energy Efficiency Financing application. All assessments will be based on clear and objective criteria.

Siemens Financial Services’ goal is to enable the affordable acquisition of energy efficient technologies through providing a range of flexible financing solutions for projects under the Energy Efficiency Financing scheme. Siemens Financial Services was selected following an open tender process to partner with the Carbon Trust to provide finance, although financial products may be available from sources outside of the scheme.

Carbon Trust Implementation Services and Siemens Financial Services work with recognised suppliers, providing them with the know how, documentation and tools to support customers’ applications under the scheme.

To find out more visit www.energyefficiencyfinancing.co.uk

“We are delighted that our bid to fast track the uptake of energy efficiency within the industrial sector has been backed with £1.9m of new Government funding.

“As a result of this award we have secured a further £2.1m of private sector co-funding from 34 companies and Universities. The £4m of total project funding will be run in 11 technology areas in eight regions of the UK over the next two years. 

“The public and private sector funding will be used to accelerate the uptake of energy efficiency in a range of industrial sectors from dairy and aggregates through to bakery and animal feeds. The project is anticipated to generate cost savings of up to £70m annually and 3,000 jobs in the manufacturing sector by 2020.”

Under the original scheme, British businesses with energy use above 6000MWh of electricity that were not subject to any other energy efficiency scheme would be charged a levy to discourage heavy energy usage. This was billed as being a central part of the UK’s strategy for reducing carbon dioxide emissions in line with our commitments under the Climate Change Act 2008. As the scheme was ostensibly designed to encourage changes in behaviour and infrastructure, firms could apply for a sizeable proportion of the charge to be returned in exchange for implementing certain energy-saving measures.

The coalition government has committed to simplify the scheme to reduce the burden on businesses. While the details are still under discussion, from what we know of the new-look scheme, it seems that while the charges are still in place the rebate mechanism has now been removed entirely (presumably under the guise of simplification).

Our experts are keeping a close watch on the developing situation and any further announcements from the Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC), which may lead to further legislation. But it seems inevitable that the government intends to levy an additional charge on businesses calculated on the basis of past energy usage.

Whatever form the scheme ultimately takes, it will strengthen the argument for switching to energy-saving lighting to not only reduce electricity costs but also the carbon tax payable.

So what do the new regulations require businesses to do? The legislation states that companies must “confirm that they have applied the waste management hierarchy” and include a declaration to this effect when disposing of waste. In simple terms this means before throwing anything away, firms must consider whether they can:

• Avoid using it in the first place
• Reuse it
• Recycle it
• Recover it for use elsewhere
• Only then can it be discarded as waste.

With the UK rapidly running out of landfill sites, the aim of the legislation is to encourage recycling and reuse. Carbon Friendly Lighting’s approach of adapting existing light fittings, rather than replacing them, will help you demonstrate compliance with these waste regulations.