• • • LIGHTING • • •
SUSTAINABLE LIGHTING:
WHY ENERGY EFFICIENCY IS ONLY PART OF THE STORY
On a functional level, the industry is moving BY NICK GWILLIAM, LIGHTING DESIGNER, ANSELL LIGHTING F
or many years, discussions around sustainable lighting have centred on energy efficiency and lowering energy
consumption. However, true sustainability extends far beyond
operational performance. In this article, Nick Gwilliam, Lighting Designer at Ansell Lighting, explores why factors such as embodied carbon, product lifespan, repairability and circularity are just as important when specifying lighting for the built environment. With ambitious Net Zero targets to meet and
increasing legal and commercial pressure to reduce the environmental impact of buildings, the sustainability of building products has become a key consideration throughout the built environment and lighting is no exception. Whilst many think of sustainability as looking at
energy efficiency and energy consumption, that is just part of the story. Sustainability goes far beyond these factors to encompass how products are designed, manufactured, maintained and ultimately disposed of, at the end of their useful life. With the focus on keeping products and
materials in use for as long as possible, reducing waste and minimising the need for new resources, these principles, often referred to collectively as the circular economy, are becoming increasingly relevant in lighting specification.
28 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING • JUNE 2026
away from a ‘replace and dispose’ mindset to one of ‘repair and maintain’, seeking solutions with replaceable components that can be fixed and upgraded over time. Until recently, when products such as downlights stopped working, it would be necessary to replace the entire fitting, but now there are modular products available. These products have replaceable drivers and light engines which mean that individual components can be replaced in the event of a part failure or upgrade, reducing unnecessary whole-product replacement and the use of added resources in the supply chain. Similarly, we are seeing the introduction of
lighting systems that are more futureproof, with clip-on emergency and microwave sensor functionality that can be added quickly and easily to standard products. This enables lighting systems to be adapted as requirements change, prolonging the life of the components in place and reducing unnecessary waste. Resource efficiency is another important
consideration in the sustainability chain. Products that use fewer raw materials, incorporate recycled materials, generate less waste in manufacture and can be recycled at the end of their life are in increasing demand. Recyclable materials can help reduce environmental impact, while products designed for easy disassembly make it easier to recover and recycle valuable materials at the end of their life. Embodied carbon also plays a significant part in
the sustainability cycle and is becoming an increasingly important consideration when assessing the environmental impact of lighting products. Unlike operational carbon, which is
generated during use, embodied carbon refers to the emissions associated with raw material extraction, manufacturing, transportation, installation and end of life processing. As a result, specifiers are increasingly looking for greater transparency around material sourcing, manufacturing processes and environmental performance. Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and other sustainability credentials can provide valuable insight into the lifecycle impacts of products, enabling more informed specification decisions. Of course, energy efficiency remains an
important part of sustainability and must still be a key consideration. LED technology is still the best source of lighting to use to optimise energy use, capable of reducing consumption by up to 80 per cent compared with legacy fluorescent or halogen fittings. Adding smart control systems, occupancy sensors, daylight harvesting and automated dimming, can further improve energy efficiency, helping to ensure lighting is only used when and where it is needed, reducing unnecessary consumption and lighting wastage. When looking for sustainable products to
specify, installers should also look for products with TM66 accreditation. This recognises that they meet the stringent circular economy criteria developed specifically for the lighting industry. TM66 provides a practical framework for assessing the circularity of lighting products, considering factors such as material selection, repairability, upgradeability, disassembly and end of life management.
https://ansell-lighting.com/en
electricalengineeringmagazine.co.uk
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