Serving Up Savings! Badminton England

LED lighting is being phased in at the National Badminton Centre in Milton Keynes. The energy saving lighting is expected to help Badminton England reduce its annual energy bill by almost £8,000. As the total project will likely cost around £13,000, areas presenting the best payback periods are being upgraded first.

Comprising sports halls, a gym, offices and residential areas the centre is in constant use. Facilities Manager Steve Emptage was pleased with the simplicity of the change over, “The majority of the LEDs fit into the existing fluorescent and halogen fittings, allowing a quick and almost disruption free installation.”

Replacing three-hundred 35W halogen spotlights with 5W LEDs saves 52,416 kWh of electricity per year, reducing CO2 emissions by 27.3 tonnes and energy costs by £4,193. Purchasing in bulk, the spotlights cost £5 each. Individually, they can be bought for between £7 and £12. Steve explained maintenance time had also been reduced, “With so many installed, the old halogen spotlights popped daily. We haven’t had to replace an LED yet.”

T8 fluorescent tubes, ranging in length from two foot to six foot, are being replaced. A six foot LED tube uses 27W compared to 70W used by a fluorescent.

Unlike fluorescent lamps, LEDs are not classified as hazardous waste at end of life, and are therefore cheaper to recycle.

Steve instigated the upgrade after exploring LED technology at a UTILISE Energy, Waste and Water Efficiency Course, run by the Sustainable Business Partnership. He said, “Until the course I was sceptical LEDs could offer sufficient light output, but in fact they provide a much cleaner, brighter light. In some areas, this has even allowed us to remove a number of lamps altogether, further reducing energy use.”

Badminton England purchased the lamps from Light Foot LED. The Brighton based lighting specialists are members of the Sustainable Business Network.

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