With school budgets under increasing pressure, reducing costs where necessary without impacting on teaching quality is essential. A major factor in school running costs is energy use. Higher electricity and fuel bills have had a significant impact on overall expenditure in recent years.
Alongside the challenges of managing rising costs, schools are also under pressure to reduce their carbon emissions and work towards Net Zero. Choosing more energy efficient classroom lighting solutions helps to reduce costs and progress toward sustainability objectives.
Natural daylight is associated with improved student mental health and should be prioritised in most situations. When coupled with light reflecting materials and walls and building orientation, daylight can contribute a large share of the brightness for general classroom activities.
Modern school lighting systems will use LEDs. LED lighting uses less electricity than older fluorescent tubes and has the benefit of removing flicker that can be distracting. LEDs are only one part of the overall lighting system.
Quality components including more efficient drivers for the lighting system will reduce energy loss to heating, which in turn plays a role in the lifespan of lighting to reduce maintenance and waste. Improved optics mean higher efficacy lighting at a given power consumption.
Beyond the energy savings that can be achieved simply by switching to LED and choosing more efficient components, adding smart lighting controls to the lighting system will substantially improve overall efficiency.
Adaptable smart lighting controls offer the ability to set the right scene for the classroom, with lighting activated as needed to supplement natural light and reflect the type of learning undertaken. Occupancy sensors that detect when pupils are present and automatically turn off the lights when not required.
The carbon footprint of lighting does not just include the electricity used. The manufacture of fittings also contributes to your overall Live Cycle Assessment (LCA). When planning a new lighting installation for a classroom, where possible, the previous fittings could be re-used. Whitecroft Vitality Relight is designed to ensure that serviceable equipment is not wasted when installing new lighting systems which can help reduce the overall cost of installation.
Modern classroom lighting combines the benefits of natural light with efficient illumination designed to create a comfortable space for learning. Contact us today to speak to one of our education lighting specialists about how we can help you.
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