Sustainable Lighting –Better for employees, saves HR & energy costs

Sustainable Lighting –Better for employees, saves HR & energy costs Dr Wendy Buckley Carbon Footprint Ltd

Q: What is the best form of lighting for you?

A: Use Natural Light as much you can

…but using natural light all the time in most jobs isn’t practical…or always safe…

The lighting hazards…and health problems they cause • Migraines • Headaches • Eye Strain • Stress/Anxiety • Sleeping disorders • Safety issues • Cataracts, skin/eye burns • Glare • Flicker • Stroboscopic effects • Blind spots • Wrong lighting – colour discrimination • Veiling reflections • Strong contrast • Optical radiation (UV risk) 

But advice on best practice is at hand… • General Office Lighting 300 Lux • Task Lighting 750 Lux Source: HSE http://www.hse.gov.uk/humanfactors/topics/lighting.htm#lighting

It can cost you dearly if you get it wrong…. • Up to 90% of service business costs are employee related (Energy accounts for typically ca. 2-5% costs). • The annual absenteeism rate is ca. 4% • Costs on average £1600 per employee per annum • Poor mental health specifically costs UK employers £30 billion a year through lost production, recruitment and absence. • 131 million days were lost due to sickness absences in the UK in 2013 • Staff turnover – cost to HR to recruitment c, £20-40k per person

…And Lighting is a highly significant drain on global energy • “Lighting consumes 14% of all electricity consumption within the EU and 19% of global electricity consumption”. International Energy Agency • “Lighting requires as much electricity as is produced by all gas-fired generation and 15% more than produced by either hydro or nuclear power”. Light’s Labour’s Lost – Policies for Energy-efficient Lighting. IEA

How well do are we doing ? • Ca. 75% of office lighting systems still inefficient • current switch over rate is 7% per year • average life-time of lighting installation = 25 years • huge differences in efficiency between old and new systems (energy saving potential 30-80%)

So What’s a Good Example … “It has been shown that we work better with natural light.” - Bernardo Fort-Breschia, Architect Tour Sequana, France T5 Luminaires & LEDs Automatic Venetian blinds Artificial Lighting automatically boosted when blinds act dimmed

And what can you do….even if you are an SME – Audit your lighting • Measure your lighting • General lighting , task lighting , emergency, external • Illumination levels • Illumination type • Sensors, timers • Look for conflicts • Switch it off! • Dirty windows / dirty skylights • Dull décor? • Blinds down – lights on when not needed? • Desk locations – can you move nearer natural light • Check for the big ‘No-Nos’ • Poorly arranged lighting • Wrong type of lighting • From windows ( window coatings/films) • Assess the business case for new lighting solution • Costs to new lighting, blinds etc • Energy saving (cot savings • Ascribe a value to productivity? • Ask your staff – their experience

Lighting Audit – because of ESOS lots have done it: Office • Replacement of T8 fittings with LEDs • Project cost £19k • Payback time 2.65y

Lighting Audit – because of ESOS lots have done it: Office example • Replacement of T8 fittings with T5s • Project cost £11k • Payback time 2.1y

The Solutions….some very cheap

To Summarise – look again at your lighting • Get lighting wrong – staff health, safety & morale at risk …and energy costs • Get lighting right – enhances workspace, ‘healthier’ work environment, reduce energy costs and carbon emissions • Cheap retrofit solutions – even for the smallest SME, very quick payback times

Carbon Footprint • A dedicated Sustainability management company – helping organisations retain and win new business, meet the their environmental & CSR needs, save costs, and be compliant with new legislation Contact details: Dr Wendy Buckley Director 01256 345645/07757 499376 wendy.buckley@carbonfootprint.com www.carbonfootprint.com

Sustainable Lighting –Better for employees, saves HR & energy costs