•       £21,000 cost savings
•       Energy consumption reduced by 68%
•       Maintenance programme reduced by over a third

Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust expect to achieve savings in the region of £21,000 after retrofitting LED lighting in several areas of the building, and payback in some areas is projected to take less than 2 years. The retrofit programme, delivered by advanced LED specialists Light Planet, has also reduced energy consumption by 68% and significantly lowered maintenance demands.

The challenging combination of ambitious carbon reduction commitments and increasingly restricted budgets faced by the healthcare sector makes the appeal of energy-efficient lighting solutions stronger than ever. Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust identified LEDs as “a technology that offered considerable energy and cost savings with minimal disruption to the building” and commissioned Light Planet to replace traditional lighting in the car parks, washrooms, offices and corridors of the Royal Sussex County Hospital with highly efficient LED alternatives.

Reduced energy consumption is particularly important in areas of the hospital that, due to health and safety, must be lit for 24 hours a day, such as washrooms and car parks. Light Planet’s LED floodlights, which are fitted in the car park, operate at only 49W and offer a very high-quality light output and a life-span of approximately 7 years. Compared with the previous traditional 150W fixtures that need replacing every 2 years, this product alone facilitates a major reduction in energy and maintenance bills and has achieved a saving of around £17,000.
 
The benefits that LED technology offers in terms of hygiene and patient care are also important drivers for adoption in this sector. For example, the LED edge-lit ceiling panels installed at Royal Sussex County Hospital have a single flat surface that makes them much easier to clean than conventional four-tube fluorescent fittings. Furthermore, the clearer, whiter and more natural light output of LEDs offers a more comfortable environment for patients and staff alike and mimics daylight, the positive psychological impact of which is well documented.
 
With improved patient experience, up to 68% less power consumption and over 50,000 hours continual use, the financial and environmental benefits of an LED retrofit programme are clear. Barry Kearton, PFI Estates Manager, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals Trust, certainly sees the advantages: “The LED retrofit has delivered not only the cost savings that we hoped to achieve but has also made a valuable contribution towards reducing our energy consumption in line with the Trust’s low-carbon ambitions.”