LED lighting scheme to save thousands and boost the environment

New energy-efficient LED lights have been installed in nine council buildings across Stoke-on-Trent – in a move to use less energy and save thousands of pounds every year.

The initiative between Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Siemens Smart Infrastructure has seen a total of 5,440 LED luminaires installed, providing annual savings of £205,663 and cutting carbon emissions by 437 tonnes each year.

The new energy-efficient lighting systems have been installed in the Civic Centre, Swann House and Town Hall, in Stoke, John Street multi-storey car park, in Hanley, Gladstone Pottery Museum (pictured in main image), in Longton, Hanley Market, and in three sports and leisure facilities – Fenton Manor Sports Complex, Dimensions Leisure Centre, in Burslem, and New Horizons Sport and Leisure Centre, in Chell.

Councillor Carl Edwards, cabinet member for housing and environment, said: “We have a responsibility to our residents to ensure we get the very best value for money throughout the running of our operations and this scheme has helped deliver greater efficiencies and saved money for the city. In addition, we have significantly reduced carbon emissions in our key public buildings which supports our commitment to protecting and improving our environment. By entering into this agreement with an industry leader we have delivered improvements in our public buildings with reduced running costs, which is good news for residents in the city.”

The 10-year lease scheme has already provided significant value for money, with costs being covered by the savings over the lifetime of the programme. The project, which took nine months to complete, will also save the council 1,413,785 kWhrs per annum.

Carl Ennis, managing director Siemens Smart Infrastructure, said: “We are delighted to have supported the council in its mission to drive down energy costs and reduce carbon emissions. This has been an ambitious upgrade, spread across multiple sites and public buildings, that has delivered significant financial and environmental savings. Against a backdrop of rising energy costs, shrinking budgets and a demand for lower-carbon targets, the move to a modern energy-efficient lighting system has provided both better value for taxpayers and a sustainable greener environment for the future.”

Dave Kelly, Siemens project manager for the Lighting Project, said: “By freeing up the capital being spent on energy bills the council now has greater financial freedom to divert funds for other essential services across the city. The project showcases the merits of a successful public and private sector partnership.”

Lynx Group commenced work on the installation in August 2019. The project was delivered while all the buildings were fully operational, with working hours adapted to suit each building’s operational requirements, type and use.