Thursday, 27 June 2024 (1pm BST)
A crash course seminar in sustainable signage illumination, with Applelec’s Lauren Flint. Lauren went back to basics: dispelling myths, busting the jargon and explaining the key features you need to look for in your illumination solution and what that means for your signage/wayfinding designs, as well as for the end user. By the end of this session, Lauren hoped to have given you the confidence to identify the right solutions and talk to your customers about the sustainable benefits of your products:
- Why colour temperature has nothing to do with brightness
- The basics on lumens per watts
- Illumination efficiency
- European energy gradings
- Energy calculations – how much can you save?
- LED lifetime ratings – L70 to L80
- Why warranties matter
- Advance lens technology and how it helps
- How easy it is to recycle LEDs
More than ever before, organisations and brands are under pressure from consumers to account for their responsible business practices and disclose their actions with transparency and integrity. With 94% of consumers saying they are more likely to be loyal to a brand that is completely transparent, Applelec are seeing more brands release information, such as energy consumption, to meet this growing demand. For example, Boots, who were early adopters of this trend, set the electrical standards for their schemes and specified they would only use Grade C LEDs or above, with Next and M&S quickly following suit. This has pushed what was a focus on the trifecta of sustainable principles – which ensured designs considered how materials can be reduced, reused, or recycled – to include a spotlight on energy consumption.
So, what does this mean for signage and wayfinding? A shift in trends is predicted, from basic LEDs which were the go-to choice for consumers and manufacturers alike. Although many have been marketed as eco-friendly, in fact they were no more energy efficient than the fluorescent tubes of the past, when you compare them on lumens per watt. To truly meet expectations on efficiency, without compromising on brightness, LED technology needs to embrace certain key features, something of which the new energy grading system is now reflecting. Understanding these features enables you to identify the true efficiency of a product and the many benefits that follow, including up to fifty per cent saving on energy con-sumption and in turn running costs.
About our speaker
Lauren Flint is Head of Technical Development and illumination specialist at Applelec. She is a dynamic leader in the architectural lighting industry, known for her exceptional product knowledge and market insight. Joining Applelec five years ago, Lauren initially made her mark in the Architectural Lighting department, where she specialised in selling bespoke manu-factured backlighting solutions to architects and designers. Her expertise quickly became evident as she navigated a rapidly evolving product range and an influx of new LED technology. Recognising the need for a dedicated division to supply LED systems, Lauren was appointed to head the newly formed Lighting Distribution department. Under her leadership, the department flourished, solidifying Lauren’s reputation as the go-to expert for illumination market insights and product trends. Lauren’s success in the Lighting Distribution department led to her current role. In this position, she spearheads the development of cutting-edge product solutions for trade customers, focusing on eco-friendly backlighting and signage solutions. From Grade A LEDs and light panels to high-efficiency power supplies, Lauren continues to drive innovation, demonstrates a commitment to excellence, educates the market on the benefits of sustainable illumination solutions, and paves the way for future advancements in products.
