Reducing energy consumption is a key part of the wider goal of achieving Net Zero emissions over the coming years. The move to more efficient solutions, coupled with reducing waste and improving reuse of materials are key factors in this process, and lighting choices play a major role.
In large manufacturing facilities, good quality lighting is essential. Well illuminated areas improve safety and contribute to better productivity by improving the ability of workers to complete jobs accurately and consistently. With modern, energy efficient lighting backed by control systems that reduce energy waste, factories can become safer and more effective.
There are several ways in which smarter lighting systems can help factories achieve net zero emissions.
When planning an efficient lighting system for a factory, it is important to recognise how the placement of lights can be used to support working practices.
Increasing the illumination in areas where work is being undertaken rather than having uniform brightness throughout the factory uses less energy while also improving employee comfort and focus on tasks.
Maintaining safety is essential in a busy factory environment, which means that walkways, workbenches and hazards should be well lit, while storage areas may need lower levels of illumination. A system that recognises usage patterns and is appropriately configured is more efficient.
Overlaying lighting controls on an efficient lighting system helps to further reduce waste.
Implementing smart controls allows precise adjustment of lighting levels based on occupancy, time of day, and natural light. This means that areas are only illuminated as required and allows better use of high-quality natural light.
Automatically turning off lights in unoccupied areas and in cases where factories are not running 24/7 means that lighting is dynamically managed to be as efficient as possible.
The type of lighting used in the factory, combined with intelligent re-use of infrastructure helps to reduce waste. The process of phasing out inefficient fluorescent lighting systems and replacing them with more energy efficient LEDs should be addressed in a way that minimises the overall impact on the environment.
LED lighting reduces energy consumption when compared to older incandescent and fluorescent lighting and offers a wide range of colour temperatures to suit different area uses and reduce eye strain and can be configured to mimic natural lighting patterns to improve wellbeing.
Using natural light is beneficial for staff wellbeing and means that less electricity is required overall. Integrating sensors into the lighting systems that detect when sufficient natural light is available ensures that safety levels and productivity are maximised while also supporting the natural circadian rhythms of staff.
The environmental impact of new lighting systems for industrial buildings is not just limited to their energy use. The manufacture and disposal of the infrastructure should also be considered.
Where possible, re-using and recycling existing equipment should be considered. Vitality ReLight is intended to maximise the reuse of quality existing equipment to increase the amount of material that is reused in the project and as a result, reduce the amount that is sent to landfill which creates a solution with overall lower embodied carbon.
For more information about how improvements to factory lighting systems can help reduce energy consumption and contribute to your path to Net Zero emissions, please contact a member of the Whitecroft Lighting team.
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