The drive to resource efficient lighting

Avital way of achieving this in the lighting sector is to make used fittings available for remanufacture when they are replaced. Re-use like this has much better environmental outcomes than recycling – the body of the fitting is retained, and the light source or control gear can be checked or upgraded. End users are starting to specify product upgrades, rather than complete replacements. For example, retrofitting a T8 luminaire with an LED light source. In many instances, this upgrade can be performed in situ, without the need for the products to be returned to the factory. Resource efficiency seeks to minimise the use of new raw materials in products. This change will require products that are more likely to be modular in design – with replaceable light sources and control gear. That means that if one critical component fails in use, the component can be replaced without having to replace the complete fitting. This improves resource efficiency and saves the embedded carbon footprint associated with making new products.

It is encouraging to see a few tenders emerging where Remanufactured products will also be considered alongside new lighting. Awareness that recycling does not usually represent the best outcome for end of life luminaires is much higher. That is pleasing because it means end-users and specifiers are more likely to consider remanufactured product. Remanufacture can provide a range of benefits to end users but this must be achieved without compromise on compliance. Remanufacturers need to be diligent in identifying, assessing and testing remanufactured products prior to declaring conformity and placing products on the market, using methods appropriate to production volumes, end application and product type.

If the lighting sector is to become truly sustainable, it will need an ecosystem of companies with expertise in remanufacturing luminaires when they are removed from a building. But rebuilding, upgrading, testing, certifying and reselling lighting products is no easy task.

Wholesalers and contractors can be a vital part of this process, by partnering with companies involved in re-use, and offering reused product for sale.

Recolight can support this transformation whenever companies purchase from Recolight member lighting companies. That support includes providing “cardboard bubble-wrap” to contractors, finding a company willing to reuse or remanufacture the luminaires, and even financing the transport from the site to recipient company.

Nigel Harvey, CEO, Recolight Recolight.co.uk