In recent weeks, industry magazine The Energyst has reported:

‘The government has published guidance for landlords on the new regulations that could prevent them from renting buildings to tenants if they fail to meet minimum energy efficiency standards.’

It’s a crucial development. The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) come into force in April 2018. But preparatory action now is needed, both to understand MEES implications and get ready for potential remedial works.

The minimum level of energy efficiency provisions will mean that, subject to certain requirements and exemptions:

a) from 1 April 2018, landlords of non-domestic private rented properties (including public sector landlords) may not grant a tenancy to new or existing tenants if their property has an EPC rating of band F or G (shown on a valid Energy Performance Certificate for the property).

b) from 1 April 2023, landlords must not continue letting a non-domestic property which is already let if that property has an EPC rating of band F or G.

This means some 1 in 5 UK commercial buildings would fail the MEES test, and the maximum fine for failure to comply with MEES stands at £160,000 per property.

Therefore, it’s critical that landlords across the UK take notice, right now, of the implications. When implemented well, MEES stand to make UK property substantially more sustainable, and improve the quality of rented space for tenants.

Reputational benefit, longer term tenants and a more profitable portfolio are among the wins for landlords. But to reap such rewards, the sector as a whole must react promptly to what MEES will mean.

What does the guidance say?

The guidance sets out, via a number of flowcharts, the decision process whereby landlords can judge whether a property can legally be let under MEES regs. It also details the MEES laws in depth.

This alone is useful. UK environmental legislation is complex. Pathways to help landlords examine their responsibilities, and set about meeting them are most welcome.

“We recommend that every UK commercial landlord consults the MEES guidance immediately,” explains Kevin Cox, Managing Director, Energys Group.

“It’s vital to do this for a number of reasons. Firstly, you need to comply. You need to plan out any costs, and the timeline of getting energy efficiency in your buildings up to standard.

“All of these elements will affect your business, your profit, your planning and your tenants. Often, the response to rules like MEES is to hide one’s head in the sand.

“That simply won’t wash in this case. MEES are here, and it’s essential to comply. There are huge benefits for landlords who do. You can win new business, based on your reputation as a sustainable letting agent.

“You will hold tenants for longer, who prefer the more comfortable heating and cooling systems in your sustainable, intelligently managed buildings. You will be ahead of the game; an example of futureproof, modern business.

“And of course, you will save money on potential fines, while your energy efficient buildings will command higher rents than the competition.”

The Government guidance is available here.

Energys Group offers free site surveys to guide you on the most cost-effective energy efficient solutions for your building. Get in touch for advice.

Statisticians and newspapers tell us that online-only retailers are enjoying a boom. The Telegraph reports that online sales “grew 18pc last year and by 27pc over the past two years…while bricks and mortar sales fell over both periods.”

The growing trend for virtual routes to market has seen a rise in demand for warehouse space, as businesses seek to satisfy the needs of an ever-growing number of online shoppers.

Whilst e-commerce companies typically enjoy lower overheads – with no costly retail estate to manage, there’s no doubt that it pays for online businesses to find ways of increasing the efficiency of their warehouse and distribution operations. It’s here that significant savings can be made to their operating costs.

How can efficient lighting make warehouses more profitable?

According to the Carbon Trust, even a 20% cut in energy costs represents the same bottom line benefit as a 5% increase in sales. Lighting can account for up to 80% of a warehouse’s energy bill, so upgrading to energy efficient options such as LED can have a significant impact.

In a fast-paced industry, achieving this sort of competitive advantage is crucial. But energy isn’t the only expense associated with legacy warehouse lighting. Maintenance costs can rack up too, as failed lamps need to be accessed by cherry picker, disrupting operations as sections of warehouse are cordoned off for replacement work.

Lighting also has an impact on staff wellbeing and productivity. Eyestrain, glare, picking and packing mistakes are all consequences of poor quality illumination.

Specialist solutions for a specialist space

The cost-saving argument for upgrading to LED is clear, but not all LEDs are made equal, and warehouses are particularly tricky environments to light. Open spaces, high ceilings, narrow aisles and high racking can make it difficult to illuminate spaces evenly.

Energys Group’s New Vision LED High Bay option offers excellent energy saving opportunities for warehouses, while providing even light distribution and glare control. The lamps have a life expectancy of over 50,000 hours and will maintain lumen levels at over 90% for the full warranty period of 5 years in normal use, dramatically reducing the maintenance burden.

For warehouses with legacy SONS or metal halide lighting, our retrofit options may be a faster, more cost-effective solution. Ranging from 20W to 100W, they provide a cost-effective ‘plug and play’ option to replace SONs and metal halides. Because of the high efficacy and directional nature of these LED lamps, together with the sharp white light and high colour rendering index, it is possible to reduce the power consumption of light fittings by between 50% and 75% with no discernible reduction in effective light levels.

Warehouse lighting success story

One example of lighting best practice is Prompto Despatch, a courier company in Ireland. Prompto’s 400W metal halide lamps were retrofitted with our New Vision 80W LED SON lamps, achieving instant energy savings of more than 75% in the company’s warehouse space.

“It was obvious from the outset that as soon as the New Vision LED lighting was installed we had made the right decision, with much improved lighting levels and instantly reduced energy costs,” says James Delea, Managing Director at Prompto Despatch.

It’s clear that LED lighting can offer significant efficiencies for warehouse businesses. But proven sector expertise and high performance products are key when selecting the right supplier. Only then will companies really reap all the benefits of modern, effective, efficient light.

Want to know more about the benefits of LED lighting for warehouses? Drop us a line or have a look at our case studies.

No matter which sector you work in, an all too familiar disconnect exists; price versus quality.

It’s a challenge in virtually every aspect of human endeavour, and unfortunately it’s also a challenge in the world of LEDs.

Right now, the issue of LED quality is becoming ever more important. Demand for LEDs is growing exponentially as more and more firms realise their advantages. There are multiple benefits that go beyond simple energy and cost savings – our case studies are testament to that.

But the trouble is, the burgeoning market is like a green light to unscrupulous importers, whose substandard products you should avoid, with both sustainability and safety in mind.

Here’s what to do, to make sure you don’t fall foul of cheap LEDs.

There’s such a thing as too good to be true

It doesn’t take a vast amount of research to uncover the issues facing the industry. ‘As the market for LED lighting continues to grow, suppliers are competing to cash in,’ writes Lux Magazine.

‘And while competition is forcing prices down for consumers, the appearance of dodgy and dangerous products on the market means that those who go for cheap LEDs risk paying a much greater price.’

Lux highlights a shipment of 1,000 LED lamps, imported from China, identified at the Port of Felixstowe. A number of samples were found to have insufficient insulation and exposed live elements. They were potentially lethal.

Lux writes that the BBC’s Fake Britain team tested some of the lamps in a laboratory, alongside a branded lamp. The unbranded domestic lamp recorded 179V and 91mA in a touch test; multiple times higher than the maximum 60V and 2mA permitted in European safety standards.

Industry standards can help you avoid the cowboys

At Energys, our business hinges on using quality LEDs. As a manufacturer, we guarantee that our LEDs are safe, certified and branded.

So, we won’t offer you anything dangerous, anything that can’t perform up to its stated specification in the real world, nor anything that comes from shady sources.

To further our commitment to transparency, better reliability and safety, we have joined the Lighting Industry Association (LIA).

All LIA members commit to random inspections and testing of their LEDs. We’re happy with this, because we want to play our part in widening transparency and protecting our customers.

‘This process should be considered as a serious attempt to create a real differential to ensure the market has access to compliant and quality lighting products,’ Steve Davies, CEO of the LIA, has commented.

Question your supplier

All in all, we can’t advise strongly enough; steer away from cheap LED imports. Instead, find a number of reputable suppliers like Energys.

Ask these suppliers: where do your LEDs come from? Are they branded? How does their real world performance stack up against the energy savings claimed? Do you have customer references? How long does your guarantee cover any LED lighting for?

The best, most transparent suppliers will be keen to engage in such conversations. Those who lack information, or attempt to divert you to cheaper costs are likely to be selling exactly the LEDs you wish to avoid.

Interested in learning more? Read our guide to undertaking due diligence on your lighting supplier.

The Lighting Industry Association (LIA) has announced that from January 2017, all its members will participate in an ‘industry-wide market surveillance initiative’. The move will include randomised product inspections to ensure that the market has access to compliant and quality lighting products.

What is the LIA surveillance initiative?

The initiative aims to give consumers confidence in LIA member products, with the introduction of vigorous product testing by qualified laboratory engineers. LIA members will be randomly selected to put forward their products; test results will then be collated and published in an annual survey.

Raising standards in the lighting industry

The LIA surveillance initiative will ensure a level of confidence is maintained when buying from LIA members and that member products comply with safety and performance standards. These products will be recognised by the LIA member certification mark to highlight a trusted and high quality product.

How it will work

At the start of each quarter, the LIA will randomly select a minimum of 40 companies to put forward their products to undergo a rigorous quality control assessment. When a company has been randomly selected, a product from the company’s portfolio will be randomly chosen and put forward for testing.

More clarity and confidence for consumers

Kevin Cox, Managing Director of Energys Group said, “We are very supportive of the LIA’s initiative, which will provide a much needed push to drive quality in the lighting industry and give customers the reassurance that products stand up to manufacturer claims. As members of the LIA, Energys Group is proud to confirm that all of its products are covered by this extremely important initiative.”

Looking for advice on whether lighting product claims can be trusted? Read Energys Group’s guide to choosing the right LED lighting supplier.

Many of us are aware of the energy saving benefits of upgrading office lighting to the latest LED technology.

But the story less told surrounds how a lighting upgrade can also deliver increased comfort for staff. Less glare, better lighting controls and more considered zoning and spacing should all be achieved within a lighting retrofit.

The human benefits are numerous: better concentration, happier, more productive staff and variable light levels to suit the seasons.

LEDs in offices; a telling opportunity for both light and comfort

The Carbon Trust advises lighting typically consumes 20% of the electricity used in commercial and industrial buildings, offices included.

‘In these times of high energy prices, finding cost-effective ways to reduce levels of electricity consumed by lighting can deliver appreciable long-term reductions on business electricity bills,’ it argues.

LED lighting is quick, easy to install, pays back fast, and creates minimal installation disruption. But when considering LED upgrades, it’s vitally important to also think about it will affect staff wellbeing. Here are some of the top elements to consider.

Health issues associated with glare

‘Bright lights and glare, especially if flickering, can induce migraines,’ writes the NHS. ‘This is because bright and flickering lights boost the levels of certain chemicals in the brain, which then activate the migraine centre.’

Modern LEDs eliminate the problem of flicker traditionally found in fluorescents, but some LED products are prone to glare. This can be a big problem in offices, especially as most activity is confined to looking at PC screens.

LED product quality can vary widely, so it’s important to specify LEDs with a ‘low glare index’; this means that light is spread evenly over a large surface area.

Giving staff control over their lighting will also help: by allowing them to turn the lighting up, down or off in their workspace, and providing desk lamps to use as a substitute for overhead lighting.

Daylight harvesting alongside LEDs

The UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) cites a recent study by neuroscientists, which suggests office workers with windows received 173% more white light exposure during work hours, and slept an average of 46 minutes more per night.

‘Light is also vital for maintaining our circadian rhythm. Overall, the evidence is unequivocal; office occupants prefer access to windows and daylight, which bring consistent benefits in terms of satisfaction and health,’ says UKGBC.

While the facts point towards the benefits of natural light, artificial light has a crucial role to play in keeping up light levels on cloudy days and when daylight hours are short.

Daylight harvesting products (such as our Ultra Slim Panel Light with iDim Active+) provide an efficient solution: they automatically respond to the level of natural light in the room and turn the artificial lighting up, down or off accordingly.

The end game; more productive, healthier light

When firms think about how to save energy in offices, all too often the human benefits become swamped by concerns on payback or ROI. But a happier employee represents not only a vital part of today’s humanistic business, but a more profitable worker too.

For these reasons, developing LED solutions as part of strategic options to bring comfort and humanity into every office must be the watchword for 2017.

Contact us for advice on how to save energy in offices with intelligent lighting solutions.