Lighting is a major source of energy consumption. According to The Energy Saving Trust (EST) it accounts for 18% of a typical household’s electricity bill and 40% of a commercial building’s electricity use.

Worldwide, in fact, it is estimated that grid-based electric lighting consumes 19% of total global electricity production – and it’s expected to increase by 60% in the next 20 years.

Unsurprisingly then, the switch to energy-efficient lighting technology is imperative if we are to create a more sustainable future. Thus, amid the continual EU phase-out of inefficient bulbs, we continue to see a raft of Government initiatives and legislation designed to propel the switch to efficient lighting;  Part L of the Building Regulations, DIM 2, the Code for Sustainable Homes, the list goes on.

As a result, the past few years have seen the lighting market undergo a period of extraordinary change. As businesses and consumers alike are seeing the value in investing in energy efficiency, they are now demanding lighting solutions that ensure cost savings as well as tick the right boxes for carbon reduction too.

Cue the LED. Widely heralded as the ‘secret weapon’ in energy efficiency over recent years – LED offers an affordable solution that is suitable for almost every lighting need, complete with big savings. In some cases it can offer dramatic energy savings of up to 80-90% and a hugely extended life.

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Jerry Hamilton will be speaking in the 'Business Diversification in the post FiT environment' at Solar Energy UK, 13-15 October