Thousands of steel lighting fixtures across the UK are being upgraded with cutting-edge LED technology thanks to the carbon careful™ initiative by Future Designs, a UK-based commercial lighting solutions provider. As sustainability becomes an increasing priority for organisations, attention is turning to areas like lighting—often a major contributor to energy consumption and carbon emissions.
Managing extensive property portfolios in sectors such as commercial, healthcare, education, and residential means requiring thousands of lighting units, all demanding power. Recognising this, David Clements, Chairman of Future Designs, saw an opportunity over a decade ago to help clients extend the life of their lighting infrastructure while slashing energy usage.
“It all started about 15 years ago,” Clements recalls. “We were tasked with relighting the 33-foot-high entrance hall at One Canada Square in Canary Wharf. The existing high-pressure sodium lighting was costly and inefficient. But the fixtures themselves were high-quality steel, so we proposed retrofitting them with LED technology instead of replacing them. It dramatically cut energy usage and avoided unnecessary waste.”
Since that early success, the company has retrofitted lighting in more than 4 million square feet of office space in southern England. By updating existing steel lighting carcasses with energy-efficient LED components, Future Designs has significantly reduced waste and carbon emissions. Today, the carbon careful™ initiative accounts for about 20% of the company’s revenue, with about 90% of ceiling-mounted fixtures found to be reusable.
This sustainable approach has delivered tangible results for major organisations. At Shell’s London headquarters, for example, the retrofit cut energy consumption and carbon emissions by nearly 50%, while extending the light fixtures’ lifespan by 140%. Other high-profile clients include Clifford Chance, PwC, and the Royal Bank of Scotland.
Currently, Future Designs is tackling a 450,000-square-foot office building, where 6,000 light fittings are being reused instead of discarded. The company’s latest innovation, the VANE system, targets aluminium suspended lighting, offering similar retrofitting options for yet another segment of the market.
“LED is here to stay,” says Clements, “but we’re designing systems that are easy to update as the technology evolves. We want our clients to rely on us not just for lighting—but for sustainability.”
For anyone seeking smarter and greener commercial lighting solutions, Future Designs continues to lead the way with innovation, responsibility, and a clear commitment to reducing environmental impact.
Source from: https://worldsteel.org/
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