Kingspan Insulated Panels has launched the Zer0 Energy Lighting Solution, combining rooflights with smart LED and solar technologies to offer a system to businesses that the company says can substantially lower their costs.
The system uses the latest in Kingspan’s polycarbonate rooflight products, LED lighting with smart dimming controls and photovoltaic (PV) technology to create a holistic package that Kingspan says can be used to drastically improve the performance of a building.
Jonathan Dore, commercial director for fabrications, safety and lighting solutions at Kingspan Insulated Panels, said:
“It is a unique offering that we are bringing to the market, essentially combining several key elements of the Kingspan product offering.”
The rooflights used as part of ZerO Energy Lighting (ZEL) allow up to twice as much natural sunlight into the building as traditional systems, which is then topped up by Kingspan’s new Smart-Lite LED luminaires. These are available in either narrow-aisle or open-area optics to meet project requirements, and can achieve optimum internal lighting with fewer units than those needed by High Intensity Discharge (HID) fittings. Smart dimming controls can be installed to allow for specific areas to be lit when needed instead of keeping lights on in areas not being used. Kingspan says this reduces lighting energy consumption by up to 90%. Finally, Kingspan Energy Rooftop Solar PV generates enough electricity to cover the residual lighting energy demand and can be used for the rest of the building’s needs, or sold back into the National Grid.
The combination of these features mean that following the initial cost of installation, Kingspan estimates that ZEL will pay for itself after three years, depending on the pre-existing condition of the building. To help customers who are interested in the system but cannot afford the upfront cost, Kingspan is also offering a range of funding options, for both individual elements of the solution or the package as a whole.
Liam McDaniel, business unit director for fabrications, safety and lighting solutions at Kingspan Insulated Panels, said: “We firmly believe that this solution delivers significant savings very rapidly and in the simplest manner possible.
“Our vision is that all of our clients, all of our customers, can have a net zero energy building, and this is the first step to doing that.”
As part of the ZEL package, Kingspan carries out detailed tests and surveys of a potential project’s existing rooftop to determine the optimum position of the solution’s rooflights and solar panels. According to Kingspan, this process takes a few weeks but means that a bespoke package suited to each project is installed for maximum energy efficiency.
To coincide with the launch, Kingspan has published a report outlining the potential electricity cost savings to UK businesses. Without the additional benefit of rooftop PV, it claims that adopting ZEL could save œ3.7bn in annual electricity bills; this amounts to a saving of over œ21,700 for the average business, while those spending more on lighting, like the warehouse sector, could save even more.
Liam McDaniel said:
“We are not simply a construction materials company, our job is to provide high efficiency, low cost, low carbon buildings to our clients. The whole ethos of Kingspan is around delivering sustainable building solutions that allow our clients to take those steps along the path to net zero energy, which is our end g
