Housing association cuts carbon footprint

Trust Housing Association has replaced its manually switch-operated ceiling lights with high frequency sensor controlled lights from Steinel (UK) Ltd – a move that is set to reduce its electricity consumption and improve its environmental profile.

Trust Housing Association Ltd has been providing homes for the elderly in Scotland for almost 40 years. A not-for-profit housing association, Trust Housing offers rented accommodation and shared ownership for older people, families and others in housing need – some 2,400 homes in all, spread across Edinburgh, Glasgow and Arran.

As part of an on-going programme of improvements to achieve savings and meet legislation, Trust Housing chose to look at the energy efficiency of its buildings. A key area of energy waste was immediately identified – corridors. Communal areas, naturally, must be well-lit, in order to ensure the complete safety of all residents. As a result, however, Trust Housing found that lights were typically left on permanently in empty corridors, which is a massive energy drain that was driving up costs.

“Intelligent, sensor controlled lighting seemed like the obvious solution to the energy inefficiency of lighting the corridors around the clock,” comments Gary Cusick, Facilities Officer at Trust Housing Association. “However, we needed sophisticated technology, so that we could be completely sure that the lights would switch on automatically when a person entered the corridor, and then stay on for only as long as they were needed. Steinel’s RS PRO 1000 sensor lights are clearly at the cutting edge of technology and they met our needs perfectly.”

Forty of the Steinel sensor-lights were initially installed by Trust Housing, and this first installation proved to be so successful that another one hundred of the RS PRO 1000 sensor lights were put in place. Each of the RS PRO 1000s works with two 18W low energy lamps and two electronic ballasts, meaning less wasted energy and more light for power input from high frequency operation. The state-of-the-art sensors guarantee detection accuracy in 360 degrees, at a distance of up to 8m.

“As a result of the installation of RS PRO 1000s, the lighting at our residential homes has greatly improved, reaching a high new standard,” says Mr Cusick. “We’ve also been able to reduce our electricity consumption. Not only have we upgraded to low energy lamps, but we’re safe in the knowledge that the lights are only being used when they’re absolutely needed. We’ll also be installing Steinel’s LED modules, providing a courtesy light, to ensure the total safety of all our residents.”

The project’s outcome has indeed been an all-round positive for Trust Housing resulting in higher quality lighting, lower electricity bills and a reduction in its carbon footprint. What’s more, it can look forward to even greater savings in the future, as it follows up its trial with further installations of the RS PROs.

www.steinel.co.uk